Browns Valley / Hazel Dell Road Ride | Cycling in Santa Cruz County
This 29-mile road ride from our Aptos location includes a veritable tour of bucolic Corralitos, a small rural town known for its wineries, farms, and infamous Corralitos Market & Sausage Company. Enjoy beautiful views, a lovely mix of sunshine and shade, moderate ascents and flowy downhills.
After parking along Aptos Creek Road outside of our store, pedal toward Nisene Marks State Park, then make a quick right onto Aptos Village Road. In .2 miles, turn left onto Trout Gulch Road, keeping right in another .6 miles to merge onto Valencia Road.
From here, you’ll spin your way through 3.2 miles of gently rolling forested road. Keep your ear out for the calming sound of the nearby creek.
When you come upon a quaint white church (Valencia Hall), you’ll turn left onto Day Valley Road for another 5.2 gorgeous miles. Day Valley starts you off with a climb; after you reach the top, you’ll roll on down to Freedom Boulevard. Don’t get too crazy with your speed on that descent, as the intersection comes up on you in no time!
Take a left on Freedom Boulevard for a hot second, turning left onto Hames Road in .1 mile. This .6 mile section of Hames — we’ll call it “Baby Hames” — is a short climb then quick descent to Pleasant Valley Road. Make a right onto Pleasant Valley but hop back on Hames right away by taking a left in .1 mile. This part of Hames — “Big Hames” — offers up a sizable hill you have to take on at the beginning of the 1.4 mile stretch. Be cautious on the descent as it’s a quick one with sharp turns.
You’re now in pastoral Corralitos, and you’ll stay straight as Hames turns into Browns Valley Road. Stay on Browns Valley by turning left in .4 mile and by staying left in another .8 mile. Browns Valley turns into Hazel Dell Road 11.1 miles into your route.
This part of your ride starts off with open pastures, cows galore, and lovely flower gardens along the way. It then becomes wooded and shady as you “stair step” climb for several miles. Up you’ll go, then the road will level out some, but … don’t worship false summits. Up you’ll go again, and that pattern will repeat a few times all the way to the top.
Once you hit the real summit at Windy Hill Winery, glory in your well-earned descent as the terrain opens up and you’re offered a beautiful marsh view. At the intersection of Mt. Madonna, which is 3.4 miles past the spot where Browns Valley turns into Hazel Dell, you’ll be greeted by horses and plenty of flowers. Be sure to stop here for a photo as you look back on Hazel Dell before resuming your fun, fast descent to Casserly Road in 1.4 miles.
Pro tip: Want more elevation? A left onto Mt. Madonna offers the opportunity for hill repeats … get after it ‘til you’ve reached your quota, then rip that descent to Casserly.
At Casserly, you’ll make a sharp right and pedal for another 1.4 miles, enjoying the sights that include a golf course and flower nurseries along the way. You’ll then turn right onto Green Valley Road, then turn left onto Pioneer Road in just .3 miles.
Pioneer — which you’ll be on for 1.3 mile — starts out with a descent, then gives you a short climb before you cross Amesti and veer left at the fork to get on Varni Road. Whooo hoooo you’re back on the downhill, riding fast for just about a mile to Corralitos Road.
Make a right onto Corralitos and pedal for 1.5 fast, flat miles to a left on Hames. Here you’ll retrace your route back to our Aptos store: Hames to a quick right onto Pleasant Valley; quick left back onto Hames; merge right onto Freedom; quick right onto Day Valley; right onto Valencia; merge onto Trout Gulch; right onto Aptos Village Road; and finally a left onto Aptos Creek Road.
La voila! 29 miles of rolling hills done with spectacular scenery done and dusted!
Get the Ride Spot route here.
Tag us in your social posts — we’d love to see your pics from this ride! @rideepicenter #ride831
Special thanks to Epicenter ambassadors Lindsay and Leslie for sharing their photos from a recent Browns Valley / Hazel Dell ride with friends Eve and Lauren!
