What we’re about
We are a friendly group of avid forest bathers who will be meeting usually 2-3 times a month, typically on a weekday morning, to explore our wonderful and numerous local and beyond trails. Our hikes will range from Easy to Challenging/Difficult depending on the chosen adventure. Most will be in the Santa Cruz County area. But we do oft-times venture out to trails in the counties of Monterey and San Mateo and beyond.
Maximum group size will be 12 so as not to overwhelm nature with our presence. And all attendees should be fully COVID 19 vaccinated so as to allow us all to go mask-free if we desire. We trust everyone will be honest about their status when they sign up.
I personally tend to hike at a fairly rapid pace but can certainly appreciate the value of slowing down a bit to fully enjoy our surroundings so pace is flexible. I strive to be thorough in my Event write-ups so please read through them carefully so that you can enjoy the pleasure of hiking trails that interest you and match your skill level.
Start times will vary. Typically anywhere from 8am to 10am depending on time of year, travel distance and parking considerations. Try to be on time but we will wait until 10 minutes after the start time for any late arrivals. If you arrive beyond that time please feel free to try and catch up to us!
Very important - Please RSVP only if you are committed to attend. Reevaluate your availability at least a few days before the hike and withdraw at that time if you can no longer commit. Please change your status to "Not Going" as soon as you realize that you plan to withdraw. This allows others to attend. Or just simply message me and I will remove you from the Going list. There is always a Waitlist of people who would like to attend and this way it opens up a space for someone else.
I look forward to healthy fresh air exercise with new friends as we explore our beautiful outdoors!
Legal Disclaimer: The hosts in this group are not professional guides, and each person who signs up for a hike, event, or other outing is responsible for his or her own safety and the safety of his or her guests and property. By signing up for this hike, or any other event organized by this group, you are acknowledging that you are aware of the risks, dangers and hazards associated with any outdoor activity and freely accept and fully assume all such risks, dangers and hazards. And further agree to release and discharge the organizer, assistant organizers, event organizers and event hosts of this Meetup group from any and all liability arising from your and your guest's participation in the group activities. As always, this is a “Participate at your Own Risk” event.
Upcoming events (1)
See all- Uvas Canyon Park: Let's Go Chasing Waterfalls!Uvas Canyon County Park, Morgan Hill, CA
Please RSVP only if you are committed to attend. Reevaluate your availability a few days before the hike and withdraw at that time if you can no longer commit. This allows others to attend.
Please take a few moments and refer to the frequently updated Soquel SoleMates Hiking Group general description ("What We're About") for important information about this group. Soquel Soulmates Hiking Group
https://4142298.xyz/soquel-solemates-hiking-group/Uvas Canyon County Park is a lushly wooded park nestled in upper Uvas Canyon on the eastern side of the Santa Cruz Mountains west of Morgan Hill. It encompasses 1,147 acres of wonderful hiking trails and camping facilities. It's a magical place filled with waterfalls and literally thousands of ladybugs and butterflies in the Spring to Fall seasons. And multiple tree species.
Our hike will take us on gorgeous rolling trails through tree-lined gulches and brambly creek sides, passing six beautiful waterfalls forming a big loop with two out-and-back legs. We'll head southwest on the Waterfall Nature Loop Trail and then loop northeast on the Contour Trail and Alec Canyon Trail. The falls are at their best after rains so this will be a delightful time to go! Our route:
https://www.alltrails.com/explore/map/upper-basin-and-black-rock-falls-via-contour-and-waterfall-loop-2747e3c
The entire park is beautifully maintained and includes sparkling clean bathrooms with flushing toilets and delightful picnic facilities at the entrance.
Good news: Cyclists are not allowed Bad news: dogs are not allowed
Length: 5.3 miles Elevation gain: 1230 ft Effort: Challenging
Time: 3-4 hours (including breaks) Route type: loop with two legsParking reservations must be made prior to entering the park. For that reason as well as the distance to get there I recommend we carpool. Each car reservation costs $6 and can be obtained online once we have the logistics ironed out. We'll be "Entry Group 2" for reservations. To consolidate cars for those who are interested we can rendezvous outside of the park entrance and carpool in from there.
The Parking Reservations must be made at least 24 hours in advance before entering Uvas Canyon. Reservations for parking can be made by visiting the Uvas Canyon County Park website or click on this link: gooutsideandplay.org and selecting "Day Passes". Again, we will be Entry Group 2.
Carpooling is recommended. Please state in Comments if you are interested in being a driver or rider. Takes about an hour from Soquel to get to Uvas.
If you are interested in carpooling, I ask that you stay engaged in our lines of communication as we work out carpooling details. We'll do this through Comments below.
Please bring plenty of water and snacks! And hiking boots with good tread. And your joyful, nature-loving spirit! Will possibly be a water crossing depending on how high the creeks are. We'll be under tree canopy most of the hike so sun protection probably not necessary.
Hope to see you there!
Jill :)
