Austin Creek

https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=452 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austin_Creek_State_Recreation_Area Austin Creek State Recreation Area encompasses an isolated wilderness area. It is located in Sonoma County, California, adjacent to Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve, with which it shares a common entrance. Its rugged topography includes ravines, grassy hillsides, oak-capped knolls, and rocky summits offering glimpses of the Pacific Ocean. There are 20 miles (30 km) of trails, panoramic wilderness views, and camping (both back-country and vehicle-accessible). The remains of Pond Farm artists' colony (dating from the 1940s) are also included in the Austin Creek SRA.

Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve Austin Creek State Recreation Area 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. The cathedral-like trees of Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve complement the rolling, tree-studded California State Parks supports equal access. Prior to arrival, visitors with disabilities who need assistance should contact the park at (707) 869-2015. 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 SaveTheRedwoods.org/csp Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve Austin Creek State Recreation Area 17000 Armstrong Woods Road Guerneville, CA 95446 (707) 869-2015 or (707) 865-2391 District Office © 2011 California State Parks (Rev. 2017) hills of neighboring Austin Creek State Recreation Area. A rmstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve and Austin Creek State Recreation Area share a boundary, but the parks are quite different from each other. Serene, 805-acre Armstrong Redwoods  —  shaded by ancient coast redwoods  —  has been a cool summer escape for generations of park visitors. Temperatures are moderate, with fog year-round. The nearly 6,000 tree-studded acres of Austin Creek provide a bright, sunny place best experienced in spring and fall; summer temperatures here can reach 100 degrees. PARK HISTORY Native People Before the early 1800s, the Kashaya Pomo people lived along the coast and what is now called the Russian River. The ocean and the river’s plentiful resources sustained the Kashaya people. With the construction of nearby Fort Ross in 1812, the lives of the Kashaya were abruptly altered. Fur trappers from the RussianAmerican Fur Company arrived at the fort, seeking sea otter pelts and a place to grow food for their Alaskan outpost. For nearly 30 years, the Russians employed numerous Kashaya Pomo people as agricultural laborers—many of whom lived around the fort or in nearby villages. Some Kashaya women intermarried with the Russian immigrants. Today Kashaya Pomo and other native groups still live in or visit the area to gather leaves, roots, and other natural ingredients needed to make some of the world’s finest, most sought-after Native American baskets. Colonel James B. Armstrong Ohio native Colonel James B. Armstrong was one of the very few 19th-century lumber barons who appreciated both the intrinsic beauty and the commercial uses of the redwood groves. In 1874 Armstrong moved to Sonoma County with his wife and family. They built their home in Cloverdale, where he invested in orchards and real estate there and in Santa Rosa. Working with crop plants, Colonel Armstrong became a lifelong friend of agricultural pioneer Luther Burbank. Upon his arrival in Sonoma County, Armstrong began to purchase land in the dense redwood forest 2.5 miles north of Guerneville. He saw that thousands of acres of seemingly inexhaustible redwoods were being reduced to clear-cut tree stumps (thus inspiring Guerneville’s original name, Colonel James Armstrong in 1883 Elizabeth Armstrong Jones, ca. 1900 Colonel Armstrong Tree “Stumptown”). To preserve some of his land from this fate, he deeded 600 acres of the ancient forest to his daughter Kate, with plans for an arboretum and natural park. The Armstrong family allowed the public to visit and enjoy the beauty of the peaceful redwoods. Armstrong later bought the Big Bottom Sawmill and cut and processed millions of feet of redwood lumber. The redwoods he had deeded to Kate remained intact; 400 of those acres eventually became Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve (SNR). Armstrong’s other daughter Elizabeth (Lizzie) and her husband, Reverend William Ladd Jones, dedicated the Colonel Armstrong Tree. This “monarch of the forest,” chosen before his death in 1900, commemorates Armstrong’s vision of saving ancient redwoods. The State of California acquired the grove in 1934; by 1936 Armstrong Redwoods State Park was open to the public. Armstrong Redwoods became a reserve in 1964, after insight into its ecological importance suggested that this vital resource should be more effectively managed. That same year, the State began acquiring the land which now comprises Austin Creek State Recreation Area (SRA) to provide camping and recreational facilities and preserve important wildlife corridors. Since then, Save the Redwoods League has protected nearly 1,700 acres in Austin Creek SRA. NATURAL HISTORY The remaining coast redwoods (Sequoia tree voles. Hound’s tongue and common madia make seasonal displays in the sparse understory, which is also home to wood

Austin Creek State Recreation Area Bullfrog Pond Campground 17000 Armstrong Woods Road, Guerneville, CA 95446 (707) 869-2015 or (707) 865-2391 Russian River District Office Austin Creek State Recreation Area is adjacent to Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve and is accessed through the same entrance. Austin Creek offers twenty miles of trails for hiking, backcountry camping and equestrians. Campsites at Bullfrog Pond are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Tables, fire rings, flush toilets and potable water are provided, but no showers are available. PARK FEES are due and payable upon entry into the park. Use the self-registration system at the campground entrance. The campsite fee covers one vehicle. There are additional fees for extra vehicles, with a maximum of two vehicles. VEHICLES: You may park up to two vehicles at each campsite. For safety reasons, vehicles more than 20 feet long or towing any type of trailer are not permitted at Austin Creek SRA. Vehicles may only be parked in your assigned campsite or the overflow parking areas. OCCUPANCY: Eight people maximum are allowed per campsite. GENERATORS may only be operated between the hours of 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. ALCOHOL and glass containers are not allowed beyond your campsite. FIRES/FIREWOOD: Fires are only allowed in fire rings provided. Collecting dead or downed wood is prohibited. Firewood is available for sale at the entrance station. BICYCLES are allowed only on paved roads or fire roads. Bicycle riders under age 18 must wear a helmet. Bicycles ridden after dark must have a light. Please ride safely. CHECK-OUT TIME is noon. Please vacate your site by that time. Check-in is 2 p.m. DOGS must be kept on a leash no longer than six feet and under human control at all times. They are permitted on paved roads or in your campsite only. Dogs are not permitted on fire roads or trails (except for service dogs). Dogs must be confined to a vehicle or tent at night. Please clean up after your pets. SPEED LIMIT: The maximum speed limit is 15 mph. When pedestrians, bicyclists and children are present even 15 mph might be too fast. Use good judgment. Austin Creek SRA Armstrong Redwoods SNR Bodega Bay Hwy 12 QUIET HOURS are from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Radios and other sound-producing devices must not be audible beyond your immediate campsite. To ensure an enjoyable experience for everyone, please do not disturb other campers, regardless of the time of day or night. Discover the many states of California.TM California State Parks General Info: (800) 777-0369 or 711, TTY relay service or www.parks.ca.gov ALTERNATE FORMAT: This publication can be made available in alternate formats. Contact interp@parks.ca.gov or call (916) 654-2249. Austin Creek State Recreation Area Bullfrog Pond Campground Ranger Station (707) 869-2015 24 LEGEND Extra Parking Locked Gate Restrooms Bu llf ro g 23 Unpaved Road Po nd Water Faucet 22 1 4 2 st dg Fi re Campground Entrance 3 5 e Self Registration Ri to Ranger Station, 3 miles 13 14 7 Ea Vista Point Lot R ig 9 15 17 19 N 16 18 20 21 10 gs 11 12 Fir e Rd . Map not to scale. Rd 8 6 . For Emergencies Dial 9-1-1. © 2011 California State Parks