Año Nuevo

https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=523 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A%C3%B1o_Nuevo_State_Park Año Nuevo State Park encompasses Año Nuevo Island and Año Nuevo Point, which are known for their pinniped rookeries. Located in San Mateo County, the low, rocky, windswept point juts out into the Pacific Ocean about 55 miles (89 km) south of San Francisco and the Golden Gate. The reserve contains a diversity of plant communities, including old growth forest, freshwater marsh, red alder riparian forest and knobcone pine forest. Its four perennial streams support steelhead and coho salmon, and its wetlands are habitat to the rare San Francisco garter snake and California red-legged frog. Cultural resources include the remnants of a prehistoric Native American village site and a number of structures from the 19th century Cascade Ranch. In conjunction with adjacent and nearby public lands, the unit permits the protection of important regional ecological corridors.

Our Mission Año Nuevo State Park 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. Rugged Año Nuevo Point draws visitors from around the world to witness elephant seals mate, give birth, and rest from long sea voyages. California State Parks supports equal access. Prior to arrival, visitors with disabilities who need assistance should contact the park at (650) 879-2025. 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 Año Nuevo State Park Highway 1 at New Years Creek Road 20 Miles North of Santa Cruz Pescadero, CA 94060 (650) 879-2025 © 2012 California State Parks (Rev. 2016) Printed on Recycled Paper F ifty-five miles south of San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge, a low, rocky, windswept point juts out into the Pacific Ocean. This promontory was named Punta del Año Nuevo (New Year’s Point) for the day Don Sebastian Vizcaíno first sighted it on January 3, 1603. Between December and late March, northern elephant seals come ashore to rest, mate, and give birth on the beaches, sand dunes, and nearby offshore island. The sight of huge male elephant seals battling for mating rights is a unique and unforgettable natural spectacle that thousands of visitors come to witness each year. PARK HISTORY Native People When Sebastian Vizcaíno first saw what is now Año Nuevo Point, the area had already been occupied for thousands of years by the Quiroste people, a group of Ohlone Indians who lived here seasonally. Elephant seal colony in January The Quiroste hunted, fished, and gathered abalone and other shellfish from the sea. They made spear and arrow points, knives, and scrapers from chert stone gathered on the beach. The park’s Quiroste Valley Cultural Preserve safeguards the remnants of native Ohlone presence. Mexican California. Today’s Ohlone people have kept their ancient cultural traditions alive. Año Nuevo, used as pasture land by the missionaries, became a rancho in 1842 when Governor Juan Alvarado granted 17,753 acres to his uncle, Don José Simeon de Nepomuceno Castro of Monterey. American Settlers In 1851, Castro’s heirs sold the European Contact rancho to frontiersman Isaac The Ohlone people’s first Graham. Ten years later, the land Drawing of Ohlone hunter was bought by brothers Isaac, contact with non-natives by Mark Hylkema, 1987 came in 1769, when the George, and Edgar Steele, whose Spanish military commander dairy operated here for about 80 years. of the Californias, Gaspar de Portolá, The barns and other historic buildings at traveled overland to the area north of Año Nuevo date from the Steele Brothers today’s San Francisco Bay. Dairy era. After the 1791 founding of Mission Santa After World War II, the dairy industry Cruz, hundreds of Ohlone — including the changed. Row-crop farming took the place Quiroste — were baptized and brought of dairy cattle, thanks to new irrigation into the mission. Some Ohlone people technology. Segments of the Monterey who survived the Spanish mission system cypress windbreaks that the farmers eventually mixed with the larger culture of planted still survive. Año Nuevo Island As ship traffic increased along the coast in the mid-1800s, the shoreline became recognized as exceptionally dangerous to shipping — particularly the foggy, rock-strewn area between Año Nuevo and Pigeon Point. In 1872, the federal government installed a fog whistle on the island and added a five-story light tower in 1890. An automatic buoy replaced the light tower in 1948, eliminating the need for lighthouse staff. The former keeper’s residence has been maintained in a state of arrested decay since 1948. The State of California acquired Año Nuevo Island and a strip of mainland in 1958. To protect the wildlife that nests and breeds there, Año Nuevo Island is closed to the public. In 1985, 2,980 adjacent acres of coastal mountains from the former Cascade Ranch were added to the park. GEOLOGY The surf-resistant rock that forms Año Nuevo Point is known as the Monterey Formation. Starting as sedimentary clay and silt laid down beneath the sea 12 or 13 million years ago, it has gradually changed into a thinly layered mudstone, common throughout the Coast Range. The Monterey Formation was moved northward by tectonic activity along the San Gregorio Fault Zone, which cuts through the park. Small faults associated with the major fault zone are visible in the cliff face along the park’s south shore. Año Nuevo Island is part of the marine terrace that enters the sea from below the Santa Cruz Mountains. The terrace’s westerly port

Nuestra Misión Parque Estatal Año Nuevo La misión de California State Parks es proporcionar apoyo para la salud, la inspiración y la educación de los ciudadanos de California al ayudar a preservar la extraordinaria diversidad biológica del estado, proteger sus más valiosos recursos naturales y culturales, y crear oportunidades para la recreación al aire libre de alta calidad. La escarpada Punta de Año Nuevo atrae a visitantes de todo el mundo para presenciar cómo los elefantes marinos se aparean, tienen California State Parks apoya la igualdad de acceso. Antes de llegar, los visitantes con discapacidades que necesiten asistencia deben comunicarse con el parque llamando al (650) 879-2025. Si necesita esta publicación en un formato alternativo, comuníquese con interp@parks.ca.gov. CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS P.O. Box 942896 Sacramento, CA 94296-0001 Para obtener más información, llame al: (800) 777-0369 o (916) 653-6995, fuera de los EE. UU. o 711, servicio de teléfono de texto. www.parks.ca.gov Año Nuevo State Park Autopista 1 en New Years Creek Road 20 millas al norte de Santa Cruz Pescadero, CA 94060 (650) 879-2025 © 2012 California State Parks (Rev. 2016) crías y descansan de sus largos viajes marinos. A cincuenta millas al sur de San Francisco y el puente Golden Gate, una punta baja, rocosa, azotada por el viento sobresale hacia el Océano Pacífco. Este promontorio fue nombrado Punta del Año Nuevo (New Year’s Point) por el día en que Don Sebastián Vizcaíno lo vio por primera vez el 3 de enero de 1603. Entre diciembre y fnales de marzo, los elefantes marinos del norte llegan a la costa para descansar, aparearse y tener sus crías en las playas, dunas y en la isla cercana a la costa. Ver a los elefantes marinos machos luchar por sus derechos de apareamiento es un espectáculo natural único e inolvidable que miles de visitantes vienen a presenciar cada año. HISTORIA DEL PARQUE Pueblos nativos Cuando Sebastián Vizcaíno vio por primera vez lo que hoy es Punta de Año Nuevo, el área ya había sido ocupada por miles de años por los Quiroste, un grupo de indios Ohlone que vivían aquí por temporadas. Colonia de elefantes marinos en enero Los Quiroste cazaban, cultura más grande de la California pescaban y recolectaban mexicana. Los Ohlone de hoy han abulones y otros moluscos del mar. mantenido vivas sus tradiciones Hacían puntas de lanzas y fechas, culturales ancestrales. cuchillos y espátulas Año Nuevo, usado como un de piedra chert que pastizal por los misionarios, pasó recolectaban en la playa. a ser un rancho en 1842 cuando el La Reserva Cultural de Valle gobernador Juan Alvarado concedió Quiroste (Quiroste Valley 17,753 acres a su tío, Don José Cultural Preserve) del Simeón de Nepomuceno Castro parque protege lo que de Monterey. queda de la presencia Colonizadores estadounidenses de los Ohlone nativos. En 1851, los herederos de Castro Dibujo de un cazador Ohlone, Contacto europeo vendieron el rancho al colonizador de Mark Hylkema, 1987 Isaac Graham. Diez años después, la El primer contacto de tierra fue comprada por los hermanos Isaac, los Ohlone con personas George y Edgar Steele, quienes operaron no nativas ocurrió en 1769, cuando el una lechería allí por cerca de 80 años. Los comandante militar español de las establos y otros edifcios históricos de Año Californias, Gaspar de Portolá, viajó por tierra Nuevo datan de la era de lechería Steele al área al norte de lo que hoy es la Bahía de Brothers Dairy. San Francisco. Después de la segunda guerra mundial, la Después de la fundación de la Misión industria lechera cambió. El cultivo en hileras Santa Cruz en el año 1791, cientos de Ohlone, tomó el lugar del ganado lechero, gracias a incluidos los Quiroste, fueron bautizados nuevas técnicas de irrigación. Partes de los y traídos a la misión. Algunos Ohlone que cortavientos de cipreses de Monterrey que sobrevivieron al sistema de misiones los granjeros plantaron todavía sobreviven. españoles con el tiempo se mezclaron con la Isla de Año Nuevo A medida que aumentó el tráfco de barcos a lo largo de la costa a mediados del siglo XIX, la línea costera fue catalogada como excepcionalmente peligrosa para navegar; en particular el área nublada y rocosa entre Año Nuevo y Punta Pigeon (Pigeon Point). En 1872, el gobierno federal instaló una alarma de neblina en la isla y agregó un faro de cinco pisos en 1890. Una boya automática reemplazó al faro en 1948, lo cual eliminó la necesidad de personal para el faro. La residencia del cuidador antiguo se ha mantenido en un estado de decadencia inerte desde 1948. El Estado de California adquirió la Isla Año Nuevo y una franja de la tierra frme en 1958. A fn de proteger la vida silvestre que anida y se reproduce allí, la Isla de Año Nuevo está cerrada al público. En 1985, 2,890 acres adyacentes de montañas costeras del antiguo Rancho Cascade se añadieron al parque. GEOLOGÍA La roca resistente al oleaje que forma Punta de Año Nuevo es conocida como la Formación Monterrey. Come

Directions and Parking Fees Cancellations and Exchanges Guided walks take place rain or shine. There are no ticket exchanges or refunds for cancellations, no-shows, or late arrivals. Refunds are issued only when the park cancels a walk. As much notice as possible will be given in the event of a cancellation. Año Nuevo State Park is located on State Route 1, approximately 20 miles north of Santa Cruz and 35 miles south of Half Moon Bay. Año Nuevo is about a 1.5 hour drive south of San Francisco. Allow extra time during rainy weather. Parking fees are collected from all vehicles, except grades 4 through 12 school groups with guided walk reservations.  Auto Regular…………....$10.00  Auto Senior (age 62+)…..$9.00  Bus (10-24 passengers)...$50.00  Bus (25+ passengers)....$100.00 Facilities and Resources A Marine Education Center features natural history exhibits, an educational video, and a parkstore. Picnic tables, restrooms, and drinking fountains are on the premises. There is no food available for purchase inside the park. PLEASE REMEMBER      You must be on a guided walk to view seals during this period. Make a reservation ahead of time. All natural and cultural features are protected by law and may not be disturbed or removed. No pets are permitted. No umbrellas or baby strollers. No smoking. Año Nuevo State Park 1 New Years Creek Rd. Pescadero, CA 94060 (650) 879-2025, 8:30am to 4:30pm Recorded Information: (650) 897-0227 www.parks.ca.gov/anonuevo ©2019 California State Parks Fees subject to change without notice. Visit the parks website for current fees or call the park to verify. Año Nuevo State Park Guided Seal Walks Año Nuevo State Park is home to a large colony of Northern Elephant Seals. Seal activities and population counts vary widely from December through March. The park offers docent led guided walks between December 15th and March 31st. These guided walks feature the elephant seals in their natural habitat. To view the seals during this period, you must be on a guided walk. Elephant seal viewing requires a 3-mile moderate hike over varied terrain, including sand dunes. They operate daily from early morning to midafternoon, rain or shine. What will I see? Many adult seals have come ashore by mid-December. Bulls often engage in battles for breeding access to females. Pregnant females come ashore to have pups, with births reaching a peak by late January. Mothers nurse their pups for a month before weaning their pups, mating, and heading back to sea. By early March most adult seals have returned to the sea, leaving behind hundreds of weaned pups. Groups of pups play in the dunes and learn to swim in the tidepools before heading out to sea. What should I bring? Winter weather at Año Nuevo can be extreme and unpredictable. Be prepared for windy, rainy conditions, as well as muddy trails. A warm jacket, layered clothing, sturdy shoes, and rain gear are strongly advised. Bring bottled water for drinking on the trail.     Umbrellas and baby strollers are not permitted for safety reasons. Cameras and binoculars are welcome. No food is allowed on the tour, but you may picnic in designated areas before or after. Pets are not allowed in the park and cannot be left inside parked vehicles in the parking lot. GUIDED WALKS ARE OFFERED FROM DECEMBER 15 THROUGH MARCH 31 Advance reservations are recommended for these guided walks, to ensure space will be available when you arrive. PUBLIC SEAL WALKS Public seal walks operate daily for individuals, families, or groups.  Starting October 20th, tickets go on sale as early as 56 days in advance, and no later than one day before arrival.  Price per ticket: $7.00 plus $3.99 per ticket for the reservation fee.  Children age 4 and under are free and do not need a ticket.  Children age 17 and under require one adult chaperone for each 10 children.  Each walk has a capacity of 20 people, including chaperones. RESERVATIONS To reserve your guided public, school group, or equal access guided walk: CALL 1-800-444-4445 ReserveCalifornia Hours of Operation (PST) Daily 8am-6pm Reservations can also be made online at: www.reservecalifornia.com ReserveCalifornia is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. Unreserved tickets for each day are sold at the park, first come first served, beginning at 8:30am. SCHOOL GROUP SEAL WALKS School group walk tickets are offered weekdays for grades 4th through 12th only.  Tickets for all school group walks go on sale the first Saturday in October at 8am.  Price per school group ticket: $21.00  Each ticket allows entry for up to 20 students plus two required adult chaperones, for a total group size of 22.  School groups without the required number of adult chaperones will not be admitted on the school group walk.  Each caller may purchase up to four school group tickets. EQUAL ACCESS GUIDED WALKS RESERVATIONS Seal walks are available on an accessible boardwalk for visitors needing mob