Big Basin RedwoodsBrochure |
Brochure of Big Basin Redwoods State Park (SP) in California. Published by California Department of Parks and Recreation.
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Big Basin
Redwoods
State Park
Our Mission
The mission of California State Parks is
to provide for the health, inspiration and
education of the people of California by helping
to preserve the state’s extraordinary biological
diversity, protecting its most valued natural and
cultural resources, and creating opportunities
for high-quality outdoor recreation.
“
These trees, because
of their size and
antiquity, were among
the natural wonders of
the world and should
be saved for posterity.”
California State Parks supports equal access.
Prior to arrival, visitors with disabilities who
need assistance should contact the park at
(831) 338-8860. If you need this publication in an
alternate format, contact interp@parks.ca.gov.
–Andrew P. Hill, 1899
CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS
P.O. Box 942896
Sacramento, CA 94296-0001
For information call: (800) 777-0369
(916) 653-6995, outside the U.S.
711, TTY relay service
www.parks.ca.gov
SaveTheRedwoods.org/csp
Big Basin Redwoods State Park
21600 Big Basin Way
Boulder Creek, CA 95006
(831) 338-8860
© 2011 California State Parks (Rev. 2018)
Photo courtesy of Ruskin K. Hartley
B
ig Basin Redwoods, California’s oldest
state park, covers more than 18,000 acres
ranging from sea level to more than 2,000feet elevation. This acreage launched the
state park movement in California.
Big Basin’s biggest attraction— literally—
is a rare stand of awe-inspiring, ancient
coast redwoods that are among the tallest
and oldest trees on Earth. Some measure
more than 300-feet tall and 50 feet in
circumference. Scientists estimate that
these trees may range from 1,000 to 2,500
years old.
Spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean,
lush waterfalls, more than 80 miles of roads
and trails, and a fascinating natural and
cultural history have beckoned millions of
visitors to Big Basin since 1902.
nati
Humans lived in or near Big Basin for at
least 10,000 years before the Spanish
explored the area in the late 1700s. The
Big Basin area was home to the Cotoni
and Quiroste tribes, two of more than 50
tribes comprising the
Ohlone culture of the San
Francisco and Monterey
Bay areas.
Grinding rocks, where
Native People pounded
acorns and other seeds
into flour, are evidence
that today’s parkland
served as the interior
“food basket” for coastal
people. They harvested
seeds of grassland plants in the meadows
and gathered soap root and other bulbs for
food and other uses. Parts of willow, sedge,
horsetail, and fern were used to create
baskets. They hunted elk, pronghorns,
and mule deer. The Quiroste and Cotoni
used fire and other land-management
practices to promote the growth of
useful plants and maintain a healthy and
productive ecosystem.
The Ohlone led resistance to the local
Spanish mission influence in the late 1700s.
Eventually, tribal culture collapsed in the
face of contagious European diseases,
natural-resource destruction, and the
suppression of their native customs. Today,
descendants of these tribes are working
toward federal recognition and revitalizing
their native traditions.
THE REDWOODS
Big Basin’s coast redwoods, Sequoia
sempervirens, are native to the United
States; they grow only along the coast from
southern Oregon to Central California.
The name Sequoia may
honor Sequoyah, the
19th-century inventor of
the Cherokee alphabet,
and sempervirens means
“ever living.” These trees
are part of a once-huge
ancient forest of which
less than 5 percent
remains. The redwood
is California’s official
state tree.
Sawmill, 1900
Sempervirens Club with the famous
Father of the Forest tree, 1901
The Santa Cruz redwood forest was first
noted in accounts of a Spanish coastal
expedition led by Gaspar de Portolá in
1769. Less than a century later, logging—
to meet the demands of the Gold Rush
and urban development — threatened to
deplete the forest. By 1884, the area’s 28
sawmills were annually processing more
than 34 million board feet of lumber, as
well as shingles, railroad ties, and posts.
PARK HISTORY
As logging continued, a battle to protect
the ancient trees in the heart of Big Basin
became the focus of citizens united to
save the redwoods. Photographer Andrew
P. Hill, journalist Josephine McCrackin,
writer-publisher Carrie Stevens Walter,
and a growing coalition of journalists,
politicians, artists, businessmen, and
scholars formed the Sempervirens Club in
May of 1900.
As Walter wrote, “Once gone, no human
power or ingenuity can replace them.
Even the most
callous-minded
materialist does
not love to think
of this swirling
globe as a
treeless place.”
The Sempervirens
Club enlisted and
mobilized supporters
throughout the
state to join the
race to pass
legislation
that would
protect Big
Basin’s ancient
The forest supports a variety of
redwoods. In
life. Top to bottom: false turkey
tail fungus, western azalea,
March 1901,
banana slug
a State bill created
California Redwood Park (renamed Big
Basin Redwoods State Park in 1927).
In the 1930s, the Civilian Conservation
Corps constructed the redwood Nature
Lodge and Park Headquarters, a campfire
center, footbridges, cabins, stoves, and a
trail network.
Today, preservation of the park’s natural
wonders has returned to the forefront.
The emphasis is preservation of the
forest’s entire ecology, with its significant
geologic features, wildlife corridors, and
massive watershed.
The park continues to grow through
partnerships with private nonprofit groups
such as Save the Redwoods League and
the Sempervirens Fund.
NATURAL HISTORY
Ecology and vegetation
Some redwoods measure more than 300feet tall and 50 feet in circumference.
However, with no taproot, redwood trees
rely on a network of far-reaching roots
about six-feet deep, intertwined with
those of other redwoods. Soil compaction
is a danger to these roots. Knobcone
pine, Douglas-fir, red alder, madrone,
chinquapin, and buckeye also grow
here. The forest’s tanoak tree bark once
provided tannin for local leather tanneries.
Huckleberry, azaleas, wild orchids, ferns,
manzanita, Indian paintbrush, and poppies
dot the park.
Wildlife, Geology, and Climate
Foxes, coyotes, and bobcats live
throughout the park. Banana slugs feed on
organic matter, plants, and mushrooms on
the forest floor. Newts, lizards, and frogs are
bountiful in the coast’s damp, moist climate.
California quail, brown creepers, various
woodpeckers, owls, and flickers are some
common bird species found in the park.
Be alert for rattlesnakes, poison oak, and
ticks. Use caution if you see a mountain lion;
report aggressive encounters to park staff.
Geologically, the park’s rock formations
are a “Franciscan assemblage”— outcrops of
serpentinite, basalt, limestone, ribbon chert,
graywacke, sandstone, and shale.
Each season offers a different park
experience. The intense greens of mosses
contrast with the subtle colors of lichens
and mushrooms during wet winters. Rushing
waterfalls and wildflowers abound in the
cool, foggy spring. Find a shady getaway
from inland heat in summertime. Fall
offers pleasant weather without storms,
mosquitoes, or extreme heat.
Climate change affects the redwood
forest. Coast redwoods receive much of their
water and nutrients from fog drippings. A
2010 University of California, Berkeley study
found that the coast now has 75 percent
fewer foggy days than it did a century ago.
Mature redwoods can survive, but fewer
foggy days mean fewer seedlings mature
into trees.
RECREATIONAL ACTIvITIES
A year-round activity schedule can be
found on the park’s website. The park’s
Nature Lodge Museum and the Visitor
Center have natural and cultural exhibits.
The coastal Rancho del Oso Nature and
History Center offers exhibits and guided
tours; call (831) 427-2288.
Camping — 146 family campsites, four group
camping sites, tent cabins, backcountry trail
camps, and horse camping are available. For
complete camping options and reservations,
visit www.parks.ca.gov/bigbasin or call
(800) 444-7275. For reservations to the
Interpretive programs at the campfire center
Rancho del Oso Horse Camp near Waddell
Beach, call (831) 338-8861. For Little
Basin Group Camp information, call
(831) 338-3314.
Backpacking — Big Basin has five
backcountry trail camps for backpackers.
These trail camps are connected to a
wider network of trails throughout Portola
Redwoods State Park, Castle Rock State
Park, and Butano State Park. This network of
trail camps gives backpackers the chance to
take multiday trips along the famed Skyline
to the Sea Trail and beyond. Reservations
and permits are required, and no dispersed
camping is permitted. For information
and reservations, visit www.parks.ca.gov/
scmtrailcamps.
Trails — Big Basin’s 80 miles of roads
and trails introduce visitors not only
to the redwoods, but to the park’s
different habitats and plants. Guided hikes
are scheduled.
The easy stroller- and
wheelchair-accessible
Redwood Loop Trail
winds a half-mile
through the ancient
redwood environment.
Visitors can see Opal
Creek, some of the
larger old-growth trees, a redwood ring, and
the giant Mother and Father of the Forest
trees. Rated moderate, the Sequoia Trail
passes spectacular Sempervirens Falls. A
strenuous hike on the Berry Creek Falls
Trail passes many of the largest old-growth
redwood trees, Berry Creek, and its four
waterfalls. The 33-mile Skyline to the Sea
and restrooms. See http://access.parks.
ca.gov for details.
Sempervirens Falls
Trail runs from Castle Rock State Park through
Big Basin to Waddell Beach at Rancho del
Oso. During the winter, seasonal bridges on
the Skyline to the Sea Trail are removed when
Waddell Creek is high.
ACCESSIBLE FEATURES
Restrooms and showers are accessible. Parking,
eight campsites, three tent cabins, the main
picnic area, and several trails are accessible, as
are the main Visitor Center, Park Headquarters,
the Rancho del Oso Nature and History Center,
please
• All natural and cultural features in the
park are protected by law and may not
be disturbed or removed. Collecting is
prohibited, including down wood.
• Purchase firewood from the park store
or camp hosts.
• Be prepared for mosquitoes in summer.
• Feeding wildlife is prohibited by law.
• Be crumb clean! Please do not leave
food out— not even a crumb. Use
food lockers and don’t leave any
food unguarded.
• Dispose of all trash properly. Recycle
glass, plastic, and aluminum.
• Except for service animals on a leash no
longer than six-feet long, dogs are never
allowed on any trails, unpaved service/
fire roads, in any portion of Rancho del
Oso, or on Waddell Beach.
THE mARBLED mURRELET, a seabird about the size of a robin, is a redwoods inhabitant
listed as endangered in California and threatened in the U.S.
The murrelet nests high on a limb in the redwood canopy,
hundreds of feet above ground. The bird travels up to
30 miles at dawn and dusk to feed on herring, smelt,
or anchovies as it swims through the ocean. The
murrelet parents trade off for morning and evening
feeding; the mother hatches only one chick per
year. Marbled murrelet eggs and babies are prey to
the park’s corvids — jays, crows, and ravens. They are
first attracted to food or crumbs left by humans, and
then the corvids notice the murrelet nests high in trees.
Photo Courtesy of Rich MacIntosh
big
The establishment of Big Basin Redwoods
State Park in 1902 marked the beginning of
the preservation and conservation movement
in California and provided the vision for the
hundreds of California state parks
we enjoy today.
In 1900, San Jose
photographer Andrew P.
Hill photographed the
coast redwood trees in
Felton Grove, now part of
Henry Cowell Redwoods
State Park. The then-owner
of the forest accused Hill of
trespassing and demanded
Andrew P. Hill his negatives. Hill refused
self-portrait, 1915
and left, vowing to himself to
save the trees for future generations and “make a
public park of this place.”
After a landmark meeting at Stanford University
in May of 1900, Santa Cruz businessmen led
Hill, journalists, and politicians on an excursion
to Big Basin, an ancient forest threatened by
logging. After three days of exploring the forest’s
wonders, the group elected officers and formed
the Sempervirens Club.
The club and its growing team of supporters
pushed the State Legislature to approve a bill to
purchase the land. The bill passed unanimously.
Thus was established California Redwood
Park— known since 1927 as Big Basin Redwoods
State Park.
Andrew P. Hill photographed much of the
early history of Big Basin:
Father of the Forest redwood, ca. 1915
Sempervirens Club annual meeting,
ca. 1915
Campfire benches and
tents, ca. 1915
nearby
Año Nuevo State Park
20 miles N of Santa Cruz on Hwy. 1
Pescadero 94060 (650) 879-2025
Butano State Park
1500 Cloverdale Road
Pescadero 94060 (650) 879-2040
Castle Rock State Park
15000 Skyline Blvd.
Los Gatos 95030
(408) 867-2952
This park receives support in part
through two nonprofit organizations:
Mountain Parks Foundation (inland areas)
525 N. Big Trees Park Rd., Felton, CA 95018
(831) 335-3174 • www.mountainparks.org
_______
Waddell Creek Association (Rancho del Oso)
3600 Highway 1, Davenport, CA 95017
(831) 427-2288 • www.ranchodeloso.org
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State Park
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Big Basin Redwoods
Campground
Major Road
10
Legend