The park is 25 miles northwest of Santa Cruz via Highways 9 and 236 and about 65 miles south of San Francisco. From the Bay Area, there are three basic ways to get to the park: from the San Jose area, from the San Francisco area, and from the Santa Cruz area.

IMPORTANT NOTE: All roads into Big Basin are curvy. The least curvy route is route 1 as described below. If you have a RV or trailer, you should take route 1.

Route 1 (From San Jose, Oakland, Fremont)

Take the 880 freeway south, which becomes Highway 17. As you head towards Santa Cruz and come down from the summit, you will see a sign on the freeway for Big Basin. The actual road name is Mount Hermon Road. Exit the freeway here and stay right onto Mount Hermon Road. Stay on this road as it goes through the city of Scotts Valley. Mount Hermon Road ends at an intersection with a signal (Graham Hill Rd.). Turn right at this light. You will immediately come to another lighted intersection (Highway 9). Turn right again. Stay on Highway 9 in this northerly direction for 15 miles. You will be traveling through several mountain towns. You will eventually come to the town of Boulder Creek. In Boulder Creek there is one stop sign. At this stop sign you will turn left onto Highway 236/Big Basin Way. Stay on this highway for 9 miles and you will enter the Park. Proceed to Park Headquarters.

Route 2 (From San Francisco, Saratoga, Sunnyvale, Palo Alto)

Take either the 101 freeway south or 280 freeway south. From there take the 85 freeway south. Exit 85 at Saratoga Road. Turn right and head west on Saratoga Road. After a few miles, you'll encounter a signal. Pick up Highway 9 here; take a right and drive through the quaint shopping area of Saratoga. The road then begins to climb into the mountains. Stay on 9 as it winds through the mountains for 12 miles. You will then see a sign for Highway 236/Big Basin. Turn right onto Highway 236 and continue on this road for 9 miles until you come to Park Headquarters.

Route 3 (From California Highway 1, Santa Cruz, Half Moon Bay)

Take Highway 1 to Santa Cruz. Take Highway 9 north for 15 miles. You will pass through several mountain towns and eventually arrive at the town of Boulder Creek. In Boulder Creek there is one stop sign. At this stop sign you will turn left onto Highway 236/Big Basin Way. Stay on this road for 9 miles and you will enter the Park. Proceed to Park Headquarters.

Detour

Should Highway 9 be closed near Santa Cruz, exit Highway 1 at Ocean Street. Turn right onto Graham Hill Road at the fist signal you come to on Ocean. This road will take you into the town of Felton, where you will turn right onto Highway 9. Highway 9 winds through several mountain towns and eventually comes to the town of Boulder Creek. In Boulder Creek there is one stop sign. At this stop sign you will turn left onto Highway 236/Big Basin Way. Stay on this road for 9 miles and you will enter the Park.
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Check-in starts at 2:00 PM at the Big Basin Gift Shop during store hours.  After the store is closed, the Tent Cabin Host will do check-in until 6:00 PM during the off-season and 8:00 PM starting May 28 (Memorial Day weekend) through Labor Day.  The Tent Cabin Host is located in the Huckleberry Loop just inside the entrance gate and across the lower restrooms.  If you arrive after 6:00 PM, off-season or 8:00 PM, peak season, there is a self check-in process. There are signs with instructions of the self-check in process outside the camp host site.

Site selection is on a first come, first serve basis after you have registered.
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Yes, we have a campground map as a PDF file.  Click HERE for a printable version of the map.  You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view the map, if you do not have Acrobat Reader go HERE for a free download.

Store hours are 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM from Memorial Day through Labor Day and 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM in the off season.

The store has a gift shop, self-service snack and deli bar and a camper store that sells a variety of camping supplies including firewood.
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Bring all the camping supplies you would normally bring to go camping with the exception of your tent unless you have more than 4 people in your group and are pitching a tent next to your Tent Cabin.
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From the inside the tent cabin door can be secured with a hook latch on the inside.  If you are leaving to go on a hike or daytrip, you can bring a padlock to secure your cabin from the outside.
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No, there are no swimming or fishing facilities at Big Basin State Park.

Yes, Big Basin Tent Cabins are very safe for solo campers.  There is an onsite camp host and rangers patrol the campground frequently.
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Yes, the mosquitoes are very bad.  Please bring insect repellent or if you forget, you can pick some up at the Big Basin Redwoods Store.
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