Which statement correctly describes UCSC’s surrounding geography?

• A. Wilder Ranch State lies to the east of campus and Pogonip lies to the west.
• B. Henry Cowell Redwoods lies to the north and Monterey Bay lies to the south.
• C. Wilder Ranch State lies to the west of campus and Pogonip lies to the east.
• D. Wilder Ranch State lies to the south and Monterey Bay lies to the north.

Answer: (C)

Understanding UCSC’s surrounding geography means picturing what sits on the immediate west and east of the campus. Wilder Ranch State Park lies along the coast to the west of UCSC, while Pogonip Open Space sits to the east, toward the foothills. This creates a clear west–east lineup with the campus nestled between these two landmarks. That exact arrangement—Wilder Ranch to the west and Pogonip to the east—best matches how the campus sits on the map. The other statements mix in landmarks or directions that aren’t as directly adjacent to the campus, so they don’t describe the immediate surroundings as precisely.