Santa Cruz County 

Horsemen's Association

GLENWOOD OPEN SPACE PRESERVE, Scotts Valley

New trails open to equestrians!  

Nestled on the north side of Scotts Valley is the 170 acre Glenwood Open Space Preserve.  Once threatened by plans to develop a golf course and over 200 homes, a group of dedicated nature enthusiasts fought to protect this unique parcel of land that encompasses forests, meadows, riparian areas and wetlands.  Owned by the City of Scotts Valley and managed by Land Trust of Santa Cruz, Glenwood Preserve provides critical habitat for a number of rare and endangered species. 

The Glenwood Open Space Preserve consists of two properties, Glenwood WEST which has three miles of trails for hikers, dog walker and cyclists.  Glenwood EAST is open to hikers and equestrians.  Cattle graze within the boundaries of Glenwood EAST and care must be taken to close and lock perimeter gates.  The cows serve the important purpose of keeping grass within the preserve short enough so that rare and endangered plants and animals can thrive.  It Is very likely that you will encounter the cows during your ride, so if your horse has not been introduced beforehand, you might want to have a plan to manage the interaction.