The Long Way
Santa Cruz County
A person leans at an impossible angle inside a slanted wooden room.
Plate I. Tilted cabin demonstration, The Mystery Spot. From mysteryspot.com
Tall redwood trees reach up toward the sky in a dense forest.
Plate II. Redwood trees, The Mystery Spot. From mysteryspot.com
A narrow dirt hiking trail winds through a forest with tall trees and steep slopes.
Plate III. Hiking trail, The Mystery Spot. From mysteryspot.com
A narrow dirt path winds through a wooded area with dense trees and foliage.
Plate IV. Hiking trail, The Mystery Spot. From mysteryspot.com
A dirt path winds through a dense grove of eucalyptus trees.
Plate V. Eucalyptus grove trail, The Mystery Spot. From mysteryspot.com
A narrow dirt path winds through a dense forest with tall trees.
Plate VI. Hiking trail, The Mystery Spot. From mysteryspot.com
A photo showing a leafy tree with reddish-brown bark and green foliage.
Plate VII. Trees along The Mystery Spot hiking trail. From mysteryspot.com

The Mystery Spot

Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz County, California. Gravitational anomaly; We are open 365 days a year!

Details

Map. Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz County, California. Larger map
Where
465 Mystery Spot Road, Santa Cruz, CA 95065. Directions
When
We lead 2-5 tours per hour and tickets may be purchased same day up to 2 hours in advance.
Getting there
From HWY 1 North: 1. Take the Ocean Street exit. 2. At the third stoplight, turn left onto Water St. 3. At the first stoplight, turn left onto Market St. 4. Follow for 2.9 miles and the Mystery Spot will be on your left.
Fees
Total charge per advance ticket is $12.00. Children 3 and under are free.
Hours
Monday to Friday: 10:00AM-4:00PM Saturday-Sunday: 10:00AM-5:00PM.
Access
Parking is $5 per vehicle payable upon arrival by cash, check, or debit/ credit card.
Walk-in or reserve
You can purchase tickets at the door for $12, however we usually sell out during the holidays and on weekends.
Phone
(831) 423-8897
Established
1941.

A gravitational anomaly located in the redwood forests just outside of Santa Cruz, California.

Notable Events

  1. 1939George Prather bought the land on which the spot sits from a lumber company. kqed.org
  2. 1940sPrather dubbed the place the Mystery Spot and opened it as a roadside attraction in the early 1940s. kqed.org
  3. 2014The Mystery Spot was listed in the California Register as a California Historical Landmark, countersigned by the Director of California State Parks on August 22, 2014. mysteryspot.com

People

  • George Prather, designed, built, and managed The Mystery Spot.
  • Bruce, George Prather's son; managed The Mystery Spot with his father.
  • Mr. Prather, Original owner.

Sources

  1. mysteryspot.com/visit-us
  2. ohp.parks.ca.gov/ListedResources/Detail/1055
  3. mysteryspot.com
  4. mysteryspot.com/history-of-the-mystery-spot
  5. mysteryspot.com/what-is-it
  6. mysteryspot.com/california-historical-landmark
  7. kqed.org/news/11889331/whats-behind-one-of-californias-most-ubiquitous-bumper-stickers