| Park | Santa Cruz Mtns Loop | Grade | Miles | Total | To Go | |
| 0.0 | 0.0 | 36.0 | ||||
| 1 | Castle Rock SP | Head north on Skyline Trail to Saratoga Gap Vista Point (parking lot) | ↔ | 3.1 | 3.1 | 32.9 |
| 2 | Saratoga Gap OSP | Cross Hwy 9, continue north on Saratoga Gap Trail (aka Ridge Trail) | ↔ | 1.7 | 4.8 | 31.2 |
| 3 | Long Ridge OSP | At the intersection with Charcoal Road, go straight across | ↔ | 0.3 | 5.1 | 30.9 |
| 4 | Long Ridge OSP | Cross Skyline Blvd, enter gate LR01, take Hickory Oaks Trail | ↓ | 1.6 | 6.7 | 29.3 |
| 5 | Portola Redwoods SP | Go through gate LR08, take Ward Road | ↓ | 0.9 | 7.6 | 28.4 |
| 6 | Portola Redwoods SP | Bear right onto Slate Creek Trail | ↓ | 0.8 | 8.4 | 27.6 |
| 7 | Portola Redwoods SP | Bear right again onto Slate Creek Trail towards the trail camp | ↓ | 0.8 | 9.2 | 26.8 |
| 8 | Portola Redwoods SP | Cross Slate Creek, and head up towards the trail camp | ↑ | 0.9 | 10.1 | 25.9 |
| 9 | Portola Redwoods SP | From the trail camp, go left towards Summit Trail | ↔ | 1.2 | 11.3 | 24.7 |
| 10 | Portola Redwoods SP | From the summit, go left on Summit Trail towards Park HQ | ↔ | 0.9 | 12.2 | 23.8 |
| 11 | Portola Redwoods SP | About 1/2 mile before Park HQ, go left on the service road | ↔ | 0.2 | 12.4 | 23.6 |
| 12 | Portola Redwoods SP | Take the service road past Iverson's Cabin up to Old Haul Road | ↔ | 0.2 | 12.6 | 23.4 |
| 13 | Pescadero Creek CP | Cross the Old Haul Road and take the Portola Trail | ↑ | 1.4 | 14.0 | 22.0 |
| 14 | Pescadero Creek CP | Continue up the hill on the Butano Ridge Trail | ↑ | 1.7 | 15.7 | 20.3 |
| 15 | Pescadero Creek CP | Take a left towards Big Basin, and enjoy the scenic overlook | ↔ | 0.6 | 16.3 | 19.7 |
| 16 | Pescadero Creek CP | Continue on past the overlook | ↔ | 0.2 | 16.5 | 19.5 |
| 17 | Private land (hiking OK) | Go left on the Basin Trail Easement | ↔ | 0.5 | 17.0 | 19.0 |
| 18 | Private land (hiking OK) | Cross the road and pick up the easement trail on the other side | ↑ | 1.0 | 18.0 | 18.0 |
| 19 | Big Basin SP | Cross China Grade Road into Big Basin SP | ↓ | 0.1 | 18.1 | 17.9 |
| 20 | Big Basin SP | Go left on Basin Trail | ↔ | 3.1 | 21.2 | 14.8 |
| 21 | Big Basin SP | Left on Skyline-to-the-Sea back to China Grade Road | ↔ | 0.1 | 21.3 | 14.7 |
| 22 | Big Basin SP | Cross the road, take Skyline-to-the-Sea down to Hwy 236 | ↓ | 0.5 | 21.8 | 14.2 |
| 23 | Big Basin SP | Cross Hwy 236, and continue on Skyline-to-the-Sea | ↔ | 0.9 | 22.7 | 13.3 |
| 24 | Big Basin SP | Continue up Skyline-to-the-Sea towards Waterman Gap (Hwy 9 & 236) | ↑ | 3.9 | 26.6 | 9.4 |
| 25 | Castle Rock SP | Continue up Skyline-to-the-Sea past Waterman Gap Trail Camp | ↑ | 2.6 | 29.2 | 6.8 |
| 26 | Castle Rock SP | Right on Beekhius Road | ↓ | 0.4 | 29.6 | 6.4 |
| 27 | Castle Rock SP | Left on Saratoga Toll Road | ↔ | 1.0 | 30.6 | 5.4 |
| 28 | Castle Rock SP | Right on Travertine Springs Trail towards Castle Rock Trail Camp | ↔ | 2.1 | 32.7 | 3.3 |
| 29 | Castle Rock SP | Continue on the fire road to Castle Rock Trail Camp | ↑ | 0.7 | 33.4 | 2.6 |
| 30 | Castle Rock SP | Back to trailhead via Saratoga Gap Trail | ↑ | 2.6 | 36.0 | 0.0 |
| Disclaimer: All mileages are approximate; all grades are "best guess" -- total elevation is ~6000 feet | ||||||