Gilroy to Watsonville Scenic Drive 4K | CA-152 Hecker Pass | Santa Cruz Mountains, California

Hello everyone, and welcome back to another video. In this drive, we embark on a scenic drive from Gilroy to Watsonville, California, traveling westbound along State Route 152, also known as the Hecker Pass Highway. This 104-mile major east-west corridor winds through both the Diablo Range and the Santa Cruz Mountains, serving as a vital link between the Pacific Coast and the San Joaquin Valley. Our route begins in Gilroy, the southernmost city in the San Francisco Bay Area. It is famously nicknamed the "Garlic Capital of the World", thanks to its renowned annual Garlic Festival celebrating the region's agricultural roots. As we make our way along CA-152, the road transforms into the Hecker Pass Highway, climbing through the lush and winding terrain of the Santa Cruz Mountains and passing near Mount Madonna County Park at approximately 1,339 feet. After cresting the pass, we descend into Watsonville, the largest city in the Pajaro Valley, located in Santa Cruz County. Known for its fertile farmlands and rich agricultural history, Watsonville sits at the edge of California’s Central Coast and serves as a vibrant gateway to the Monterey Bay. I hope you enjoyed this beautiful drive along CA-152 through the Hecker Pass, and don’t forget to like and subscribe to AKTheTraveler for more immersive 4K scenic road trips!

This video was recorded on May 2, 2025

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Chapters:
0:00 Title & Highlights
0:48 CA-152 West - Leavesley Road
2:50 CA-152 West - Monterey Road
3:47 CA-152 West - 1st Street
6:07 CA-152 West - 1st Street & Hecker Pass Highway
7:52 CA-152 West - Hecker Pass Highway
20:24 CA-152 West - Hecker Pass Road
28:35 CA-152 West - East Lake Avenue
36:09 Main Street - Watsonville, CA
37:22 End of video in downtown Watsonville, CA

Music Used:
(All of the songs used are from the YouTube Audio Library and are automatically listed in order)