Nisene Marks - Cabrillo Trail

There is a popular trail connecting Nisene Marks State Park to Cabrillo College, which goes through some private property, whose owners want to develop. This development is likely to block public access between Cabrillo and Nisene Marks.

An organization called the Nisene2Sea Open Space Alliance is trying to find ways to preserve this property for public use. Other organizations, such as the Advocates for Nisene Marks State park and the Sierra Club, also support putting this property into public hands or purchasing it for public use.

The current public part of the trail connects the main access road of Nisene Marks State Park with the edge of the Koch property at a hilltop called "Cardiac Hill" locally. A network of dirt roads connects that point with the upper part of the Cabrillo campus, near the new horticulture center.

Cabrillo Trail in Nisene Marks The trail begins at the main entrance road into Nisene Marks State Park. The trailhead is more-or-less midway between the "Steel Bridge" over Aptos Creek and the trailhead of the West Ridge Trail. The trail ascends the ridge between Aptos Creek and Cabrillo College, going through redwood and oak forests, and ends on Cardiac Hill.
This picture was taken roughly halfway between the trailhead in the park and the point where the trail crosses the park boundary on Cardiac Hill, overlooking the Koch property. At this point, the trail is running along the side of a steep canyon, but the thick brush hides the dropoff to the left and the embankment on the right.

This is a photo of some berries along the trail, near the highest point. Berries on Cabrillo Trail

Ocean view from Cabrillo Trail This photo was taken inside the park, but near the park boundary on Cardiac Hill.

This photo was taken slightly outside the park boundary, looking down the trail through the Koch property towards Cabrillo. At this point, I have just come out of the forest, and I am on the edge of Cardiac Hill, overlooking the grassland and oaks of the Koch property, near the Vienna Woods neighborhood (which is out of sight to the left). View from Cardiac Hill

Mountain Bikers ascending Cardiac Hill Here some people riding mountain bikes are ascending the steep side of Cardiac Hill. Monterey Bay is visible in the distance.

This was taken along the main trail through the Koch property, heading towards Cabrillo College. This trail ends by the new Cabrillo College horticulture center, which is under construction on the hill above the present classroom buildings. Trail through Property

Cabrillo College from above This shows some rooftops of classroom buildings at Cabrillo College, from a parking area below the new horticulture center.

This picture of a fox was taken on the seaward side of Soquel Drive, by the Computer and Information Sciences buildings. The ultimate goal is to have a trail all the way from Nisene Marks to the ocean, going through Cabrillo College and over a new pedestrian overpass to the vicinity of New Brighton State Beach. Fox at Cabrillo College

Further Information

Contact the Nisene2Sea Open Space Alliance for further information.
Map of usage and expansion proposals for Nisene Marks

	The trail begins at the main entrance road into Nisene Marks State Park. The trailhead is more-or-less midway between the "Steel Bridge" over Aptos Creek and the trailhead of the West Ridge Trail. The trail ascends the ridge between Aptos Creek and Cabrillo College, going through redwood and oak forests, and ends on Cardiac Hill. This picture was taken roughly halfway between the trailhead in the park and the point where the trail crosses the park boundary on Cardiac Hill, overlooking the Koch property. At this point, the trail is running along the side of a steep canyon, but the thick brush hides the dropoff to the left and the embankment on the right.
This is a photo of some berries along the trail, near the highest point.
	This photo was taken inside the park, but near the park boundary on Cardiac Hill.
This photo was taken slightly outside the park boundary, looking down the trail through the Koch property towards Cabrillo. At this point, I have just come out of the forest, and I am on the edge of Cardiac Hill, overlooking the grassland and oaks of the Koch property, near the Vienna Woods neighborhood (which is out of sight to the left).
	Here some people riding mountain bikes are ascending the steep side of Cardiac Hill. Monterey Bay is visible in the distance.
This was taken along the main trail through the Koch property, heading towards Cabrillo College. This trail ends by the new Cabrillo College horticulture center, which is under construction on the hill above the present classroom buildings.
	This shows some rooftops of classroom buildings at Cabrillo College, from a parking area below the new horticulture center.
This picture of a fox was taken on the seaward side of Soquel Drive, by the Computer and Information Sciences buildings. The ultimate goal is to have a trail all the way from Nisene Marks to the ocean, going through Cabrillo College and over a new pedestrian overpass to the vicinity of New Brighton State Beach.