Braille Trail Details

Activities
- Mountain Bike
- Hike
- Trail Running
Riding Area

Soquel Demonstration State Forest
Santa Cruz, California
Difficulty Rating

Black Diamond Rate
Voted Difficulty

Black Diamond (13 votes)
Local Popularity
85 in Mountain Biking [+]
- 5 in Trail Running
- 75 in Hiking
Global Ranking

#2110 in Mountain Biking
Hiking SAC Scale

T3 Demanding Mountain Hiking
Trail Exposure

High Risk
Trail Type

Singletrack
Bike Type

DH, AM
Direction
Downhill Only[+]
Popular Direction Shown
- Downhill Only for Trail Running
- Downhill Only for Hiking
Climb Difficulty

Black Diamond
Physical Rating

Hard
Trail Visibility

Always easy to follow
Season

Whenever it isn't too muddy.
Dogs Allowed

Yes
eBike Allowed

No
TTFs on Trail

Berm, Bridge, Drop, Jump, Ladder Bridge, Log Ride, Rock Garden, Roller Coaster
Land Owner

CAL FIRE

Braille is steep and natural. The trailhead off Ridge Trail has signage to call the top. As you enter on a fairly flat sector, you'll do a couple esses and soon come to a log drop of about 3-4 feet, and from there, it gets fun. Looking around as you descend you'll see at least 5 ramp jumps built by trail gnomes. Inspect them before you try them, as at one time or another they have all been awesome. But conditions cause change. It is easy to skip them and try them at a later date. The other items you'll find as you descend are steep (steep) scalloped skinny lines over roots. There is a skinny bridge and a teeter totter about half way down (easy to go-round). You can choose one or the other, but hitting both at speed is tough as they are not in line. As you get closer to the bottom the trail weaves between redwoods and has one G-out that may catch you in the wrong gear forcing you over a skinny a redwood ramp - 3 ft. gully bridge. Near the bottom is a fat four foot high fatty log with a ramp up and a huck to flat on the other end. Easy to by-pass, rewarding to hit. A new-ish route at the bottom has you come out parallel to the fire road. It was done to reduce getting t-boned on the fire road, but it requires a pedal stroke or four to get off the Braille.

Access Info

Take the road outside the park to the crest at Eureka Canyon, then ride up Buzzard lagoon into Nisene, and then to Rosalita for the Demo entrance. Then ride Ridge to the second trail (past Coral). Signs at the trailhead call out Braille.

or

Go down the fireroad and take Sulphur up, turn right at the Helipad, then within 400m is the trailhead with signage.

Local Trail Association

Santa Cruz Mountains Trail Stewardship
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Traditionally Indigenous Territory

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week

3 rides
20 miles average

6 Months

155 rides
19 miles avg distance

All

951 rides
Last: Jun 20, 2026

c1	c2	c3	c4
January	February	March	April
May	June	July	August
September	October	November	December

update trails status or condition

Braille Trail Trail Reports

status	date	description
	Apr 26, 2026 @ 9:39am (America/Los_Angeles) Apr 26, 2026
	Apr 24, 2026 @ 11:43am (America/Los_Angeles) Apr 24, 2026	reporter A few slick spots still drying out from rain earlier this week, but totally rideable!
	Apr 23, 2026 @ 2:42pm (America/Los_Angeles) Apr 23, 2026	reporter 18” madrone blocking trail in the steep midsection. Climb over. Chainsaw needed.
	Feb 10, 2026 @ 11:09am (America/Los_Angeles) Feb 10, 2026	reporter CREW G starting point - reroute - decommission
	Feb 10, 2026 @ 10:53am (America/Los_Angeles) Feb 10, 2026	reporter crew F starting point -drains