Lompico, CA

Lompico lies in the Santa Cruz Mountains between Felton, Ben Lomond and Scotts Valley, a hillside community of ridges and creek canyons that began in 1927 as a collection of summer cabins. Forest dominates the view. Redwoods, madrone and oak cover the slopes, and the creek that runs through the area gives the hillside its sound. Housing is spread thin across the hills, with most lots wooded and many reached by shared lanes that leave the main road. Outsiders know the area for the reservoir next door. Loch Lomond Reservoir, named for the Scottish lake, has a recreation area where visitors fish, rent boats and walk the trails, and that draws day visitors. Past the boundary in Ben Lomond, Quail Hollow Ranch County Park adds hiking trails with some long views. The nearest everyday services are in Felton. Beyond that, Scotts Valley has the larger stores, including a Target, and Santa Cruz sits a longer drive down the canyon. Zayante Creek Market & Deli has stocked shelves for the surrounding hill communities since 1942 and is the closest place to pick up lunch. Because the community has no commercial strip of its own, people tend to combine errands into a single trip down the hill. Summers are warm and dry, and the hillside shade helps keep things comfortable. In winter the rains arrive and the creek fills. The lanes branching off the main road are narrow and steep, so visitors should plan to drive slowly. Getting around depends on Lompico Road, which climbs from the valley floor into the hills. Besides the two small parks and the market, there are few gathering points on the hill. What the place offers is a hillside setting with water, trees and trails close by, and the trade is a daily drive. In Lompico the hills do the work that a town center does elsewhere.