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Hecker Pass: Highway 152, Santa Cruz Mountains, California
Photo: LPS.1 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · cropped

Drives California Santa Cruz and Monterey

Hecker Pass: Highway 152

CA 152, Hecker Pass Highway, Hecker Pass Road · Gilroy → Watsonville

Twisty10.6 mi20 min1,200 ft climbHigh point ≈ 1,300 ftOne way
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The drive

Hecker Pass Highway is the western end of Highway 152, a winding two-lane road across the Santa Cruz Mountains. The drive starts in the wine country west of Santa Teresa Boulevard in Gilroy, where wineries line the road, and heads west toward the coast.

It climbs through oak and redwood to the pass, about 1,300 feet up, with Mount Madonna County Park just north of the summit. Then the descent is tighter, with views over the Pajaro Valley, and the drive ends at the foot of the grade, about two miles before Hecker Pass Road becomes East Lake Avenue in Watsonville.

It is 10.6 miles and takes about 20 minutes, with two twisty stretches, one near the top and one on the way down.

Along the way

  1. Gilroy (west of Santa Teresa Boulevard)
  2. Watsonville (Hecker Pass Road)
Elevation
1,200 ft of climbing · high point ≈ 1,300 ft
GilroyWatsonville
Curves
Mostly moderate, with two twisty stretches
GilroyWatsonville
GentleHairpins

Good to know

  • Outside the Gilroy end the highway has one lane each way, narrow shoulders and no median.
  • Expect cyclists and weekend traffic going to the wineries and Mount Madonna County Park.
  • Caltrans listed no restrictions on Hecker Pass when checked; its only Highway 152 advisory was high winds near Pacheco Pass, east of Gilroy.

Open all year, weather permitting. Roads close for snow, fire, storms and repairs: before you set off, check Caltrans: Highway 152 road conditions.

Questions about this drive

How long does Hecker Pass take to drive?

Hecker Pass on Highway 152, from Gilroy to the foot of the descent toward Watsonville, is 10.6 miles and takes about 20 minutes.

How twisty is Hecker Pass?

Hecker Pass Highway is mostly moderate with two twisty stretches, a winding climb through oak and redwood and a tighter descent toward the Pajaro Valley.

Is Hecker Pass open in winter?

Highway 152 over Hecker Pass is a year-round state highway. Caltrans' road conditions page shows any closures.

Where is Mount Madonna County Park on Hecker Pass?

Mount Madonna County Park is just north of the summit of Hecker Pass, reached from Highway 152.

What you get in the app

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Distance, time, elevation, curves and intensity are from Carve's route. Checked 2026-10-28.

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Map of Hecker Pass: Highway 152, from Gilroy to Watsonville