Samuel P. Taylor

Samuel P. Taylor 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. Majestic redwoods, open grasslands, and pristine creeks unite in a stunning display of natural beauty California State Parks supports equal access. Prior to arrival, visitors with disabilities who need assistance should contact the park at (415) 488-9897. If you need this publication in an alternate format, contact interp@parks.ca.gov. 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 Discover the many states of California.™ SaveTheRedwoods.org/csp Samuel P. Taylor State Park 8889 Sir Francis Drake Blvd. Lagunitas, CA 94938 (415) 488-9897 California freshwater shrimp photo courtesy of Dr. Larry Serpa, The Nature Conservancy © 2009 California State Parks (Rev. 2015) at Samuel P. Taylor State Park. S amuel P. Taylor State Park’s landscape ranges from shady canyon groves to oakstudded grasslands to the rolling hills atop Barnabe Peak. Nestled in the wooded countryside of west Marin County, the 2,882acre park invites visitors to camp, bike, ride horses, and savor a piece of paradise. This redwood forest community enjoys a mild climate varying from dense fog and rain to full sun. Summer temperatures average in the low 80s, while winter days drop to the low 50s with frequent rainfall. PARK HISTORY Native People Archaeological evidence shows that the indigenous Coast Miwok people inhabited the area now known as west Marin County for at least 3,000 to 4,000 years before Spanish missionaries and settlers arrived. The Miwok, one of the most populous native groups in California, have a cultural heritage that includes shamanism and complex, elaborate languages. The Coast Miwok lived on nature’s abundance, sustaining the land and coastal waters by fishing and hunting only for what was consumed and burning the grasslands after their seed harvest to encourage new growth. European explorers began incursions into Coast Miwok tribal lands in the 1500s. By the 1700s, the Spanish mission builders had forced many Coast Miwok natives into servitude. The land was taken over by Spanish and Mexican land grantees, and many Miwok tribespeople died from diseases introduced by the settlers. Today, Miwok descendants continue to live in or near Marin County. Samuel P. Taylor The 1848 discovery of gold drew fortuneseekers to California. The son of a paper mill owner on New York’s Hudson River, adventurous Samuel Penfield Taylor purchased a schooner with some friends and set sail for San Francisco Bay. Upon arrival in 1849, 22-year-old Samuel found a wooden cask filled with eggs floating near shore. He cooked the eggs and set up a food stand on the beach. Food sales proved profitable. With his earnings, Samuel P. Taylor Taylor and a partner opened a lumberyard in San Francisco; two years later he left for Hawkins’ Bar, Tuolumne County, to pan for gold. In 1852, at the peak of the gold rush, Taylor shipped just over 21 pounds of gold dust to his San Francisco bankers. The gold dust netted Taylor $5,692; that quantity is worth more than $400,000 today. Taylor found and purchased 100 acres in western Marin County from Mexican land grantee Rafael Garcia. Drawing on his father’s paper mill experience, Taylor opened the first paper mill on the west coast. The Pioneer Paper Mill Company used rags, rope, jute, and wood pulp to make paper. The company grew rapidly due to demand for paper and expense of importing it from the east coast. The bustling community of Taylorville grew up around the paper mill. In 1874 the North Pacific Coast Railroad built a narrow-gauge railroad running from Sausalito through Marin to serve Point Reyes and Tomales Bay. The route was important to commerce and brought tourists to the area. Camp Taylor, one of California’s first recreational camping sites, became an extremely popular northern California weekend destination from the late 1870s to the early 1900s. Guests were encouraged to spend summers in the wilderness, where they could camp, swim in the millpond, fish, hunt, explore the natural wonders, and relax. NATURAL HISTORY Chert and sandstone underlie well-drained soil that hosts profuse vegetation. Shaded, fern-filled groves of coast redwoods, Sequoia sempervirens, are found along the canyon bottoms and up the north-facing slopes. The striking Aralia californica, or elk clover, displays immense leaves with huge creamcolored flowers blossoming in early summer. Oak and madrone hardwoods dominate the park’s grasslands. Pioneer Paper Mill Wide, grassy slopes characterize Devil’s Gulch. A succession of native wildflowers adds an ever-changing highlight to the landscape  —   buttercups and milkmaids early in the spring, followed by Indian paintbrush as summer approaches. Live oak, laurel, Douglas-fir, and madrone trees grow in this part of the park, as do big-leaf maples that drop their leaves in fall. Madrone cabins are wheelchairCamping  — The main accessible. The South Creek campground has about 60 Trail follows Lagunitas Creek for single-family campsites approximately 1.5 accessible with restrooms, hot miles, complementing the 3 showers, and piped accessible miles of the Cross drinking water. Some Marin Trail. For updates, visit parking spaces can hold http://access.parks.ca.gov. small trailers or RVs; none have hookups. Wildlife PLEASE REMEMBER The Madrone Group Black-tailed deer, raccoons, and skunks are • The park and its natural Camp can be reserved for common. Coyotes, bobcats, and gray foxes may and cultural resources are up to 50 people. Four cozy be spotted; river otters are seen occasionally. protected by state law. Lagunitas (Papermill) Creek cabins at Madrone may Rarely, mountain lions come out in the daytime. Nothing may be disturbed each be reserved for up to five people. On Barnabe Peak, turkey vultures circle or removed. There are three sites at Devil’s Gulch. Two while kestrels and red-tailed hawks watch for • Firearms and hunting are prohibited. tent-only sites can each accommodate up prey. Swallows, owls, and woodpeckers nest in • Dogs (except for service animals) are to 10 people. The larger, equestrian-usethe park. permitted only in campgrounds, picnic only campsite has a corral, hitching racks, In the late fall through winter, coho salmon areas, paved trails/roads, and the Cross and water troughs; it can accommodate up and steelhead trout migrate from the ocean to Marin Trail. Pets must be on a six-footto 20 people. spawn in Lagunitas (Papermill) Creek. Sadly, maximum leash and confined to a tent or vehicle at night. fewer fish make these annual runs; both the Picnicking  — The park’s main picnic area • Poison oak can trigger coho and steelhead are now endangered sits in a shady grove along Lagunitas Creek. a severe rash. Stay in species. Fishing is no longer permitted in Each site has a table and barbecue. Piped developed areas to Lagunitas Creek or within the park. drinking water and restrooms are nearby. avoid the plant. The California freshwater shrimp, Syncaris The reservable Redwood Grove and Irving • Please help preserve pacifica, is another endangered species. group picnic areas hold groups of up to 80 the natural features of Lagunitas Creek is one of the few prime and 30 people, respectively. the park by staying on the habitats left for this two-inch crustacean. Reservations  — To reserve a cabin, trails and respecting the signs campsite, or group picnic site, RECREATION designating trail usage. call (800) 444-7275 or visit www. Trails — A wide network of NEARBY STATE PARKS parks.ca.gov/samuelptaylor. fire roads and hiking, nature, • Mount Tamalpais State Park and equestrian trails wind 3801 Panorama Highway, Mill Valley 94941 ACCESSIBLE FEATURES through the park. The scenic, (415) 388-2070 Parking, campsites, restrooms, paved Cross Marin Trail • China Camp State Park and showers in the Creekside and follows the historic North From Hwy. 101, go east on North San Orchard Hill loops, the Azalea Pacific Coast Railroad rightPedro Road for 5 miles to the park Hill picnic area, and day-use of-way; vehicular traffic is (415) 456-0766 California freshwater shrimp restroom are accessible. Two very limited. Legend Samuel P. Taylor S t ate P ark 0 400 0 60 G AT E 800 600 935ft 285m LC Picnic Area Ranger Station Viewpoint 600 Dr a sM ar i n Sir Lagunit as C Francis 80 0 A 1 Mile 1 1.5 Kilometers G f ter de ra Samuel P. Taylor SP to Novato 1 37 Sacramento San Pablo Bay Sir Franc Bou is D l ev ar rak e d 600 Point Reyes 800 NS China Camp SP San Rafael Vallejo Pinole to Kent Lake Golden Gate NRA 580 Eastshore SP N 0 0 5 10 Mi 10 Angel Oakland Island SP SAN FRANCISCO EA Fire 101 Daly City 20 Km Thornton SB 4 80 Mount Tamalpais SP Roa d GE 101 Olompali SHP OC 1000 Sh a N ge RID 0.5 0.5 IC IF 800 Rid Olema Rd YO This park receives support in part through a nonprofit organization. For more information, contact Marin State Parks Association P.O. Box 285, Novato, CA 94948 (415) 454-4679 0.25 0.25 to Mendocino Shafter Bridge T N S 0 C PA 80 0 C Bo 200 D e 40 0 400 r ak l ra i nT a ri sM ard ev ul IL r e ek os Cr D 600 nas k Tomales Bay SP A Boli ee 0 0 40 200 Tra il 400 W Cr as nc is Irving Pioneer Tre Camp Taylor © 2009 California State Parks (Rev. 2015) rd va le Bo u 800 1000 ke ad Waterfall to 101 C NA Parking P Restrooms il LI Locked Gate ’S Ro Park Entrance 600 BO Horse Campground Accessible Trail Golden Gate National Recreation Area a Tr 600 Multi-Use Trail: Hike/Bike/Horse Intermittent Stream e NRA Group Picnic Area 600 l rai xT G AT E 00 00 10 800 o ad rail ar ss M in T 20 0 12 it Redwood Grove GOLDEN Unpaved Trail: Hike & Horse IL Grave s South Creek Trail 600 Group Campground Fire Lookout e rna b Madrone 400 Unpaved Trail: Hike Barnabe Peak Taylor’s Grave Site Old Paper Mill Site Cabins 1466ft 447m Old Dam Site O Dirt Road: Hike/Bike/Horse gu t Rd P 2000 20 V eR Cr o E Ba 20 0 in Campground Si rF ra Po 40 0 D Devil’s Gulch Paved Road La 1 l’s vi SAMUEL P. TAYLOR STATE Stairstep Falls PARK Cro s De e r to De Devil’s Gulch Trail h GU Gu lc 200 Ro ad H 800 20 0 600 0 40 800 600 Deer Point 0 40 0 80 NRA Bridge nit 100 GOLDEN Major Road 80 880 Robert W. Crown SB Candlestick Point SRA San Bruno Mountain SP