Sunset

https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=544 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunset_State_Beach Sunset State Beach is a park and beach on Monterey Bay, in Santa Cruz County, California. It is approximately 1.5 miles (2.5 km) long, and located near Watsonville. It is surrounded by large agricultural fields west of the city of Watsonville. Manresa State Beach is to the north-upcoast of Sunset State Beach.

Sunset & Manresa State Beaches 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. Monterey Bay offers a chance to watch dolphins, sea otters and gray whales. Shore birds, white-tailed kites, western snowy plovers and red-tailed California State Parks supports equal access. Prior to arrival, visitors with disabilities who need assistance should contact the park at (831) 763-7062. This publication can be made available in alternate formats. Contact interp@parks.ca.gov or call (916) 654-2249. 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.™ Sunset and Manresa State Beaches 201 Sunset Beach Road Watsonville, CA 95076 (831) 763-7062 Cover photo courtesy of Mark Whitney © 2003 California State Parks (Rev. 2012) hawks make Sunset and Manresa their home. A peaceful campground under the pines, picnicking on the beach, and unmatched views of Monterey Bay make Sunset State Beach a favorite year-round destination. Manresa State Beach rewards visitors with sweeping views of bluff-backed sand and sea, including the Santa Cruz Mountains to the northwest and the forested hills of the Monterey Peninsula to the southwest. Sunset and Manresa state beaches are approximately one mile apart on Highway 1. Area History Long before the arrival of Europeans, the Ohlone lived along the coast between San Francisco Bay and Monterey Bay. They traded mussel and abalone shells, as well as dried abalone and salt for piñon nuts and obsidian. They also hunted small game, elk, deer, and bear. Sea mammals were a food source, and streams supplied salmon and trout. The mission system forever changed the lives of the Ohlone. The effect on their culture and traditions was disastrous, and their numbers were nearly decimated by exposure Walk-in campsites at Manresa State Beach to European diseases, to which they had no immunity. From the 1830s to the 1870s, Ranchos San Andreas and Bolsa del Pajaro encompassed the area. In 1852, John H. Watson claimed a half interest California pocket in Rancho Bolsa del Pajaro to build the mouse town of Watsonville. His claim was later overruled, but the town continued to grow. Pajaro Landing, built in 1868, became a major produce shipping point before Southern Pacific took over freight conveyance in the 1880s. In 1903 lumber dealer W. J. Rogers built Port Watsonville to offer steamship service to San Francisco, but the port went bankrupt by 1913. Dairy farmer William Van Laanen acquired the land in 1938. His widow sold eight acres to the State in 1983, adding to 159 acres that had been acquired in 1931 for Sunset State Beach. The Van Laanen farm complex near the entrance station includes a redwood frame farmhouse dating from the early 1900s. As private development increased in the area, residents concerned about losing public access to the beach became the driving force behind public ownership of sensitive coastal resources. Manresa State Beach was acquired by the State in 1948. NATURAL HISTORY Sunset State Beach supports four major plant communities and associated wildlife. • Coastal scrub—Mock heather, bush lupine, beach sagewort, Monterey spineflower, poison oak, sand gilia and seaside woolly sunflower cover the sandy slopes and dunes. Wildlife includes brush rabbits, dusky-footed wood rats and pacific gopher snakes. Song sparrows, rufous-sided towhees, American kestrels, red-tailed hawks and Anna’s hummingbirds are common. • Coastal woodlands—Introduced Monterey pine, Bishop pine and Monterey cypress are dominant. They support an understory of coyote brush and sea fig that shelters California pocket mice, pinyon mice, chestnut-backed chickadees and Steller’s jays. Eucalyptus trees are a gathering place for monarch butterflies. • Dune mat/Coastal strand—Park managers are replacing the habitat-destroying European dune grass with native beach bur, sand verbena and beach sagewort to attract once-plentiful native birds, such as white-crowned sparrows, California towhees, and dark-eyed juncos. The mouth of the Pajaro River shelters California brown pelicans, Caspian, elegant and royal terns, and California gulls. Deer mice and brush rabbits live in low dune vegetation. Reptiles include black legless lizards, northern alligator lizards and coast garter snakes. • Marshlands—The coast gum plant, pickleweed and coastal salt grass of the salt marsh areas attract cinnamon teals, savannah sparrows, meadow mice and raccoons. The willow, California bulrush and broad leaf cattail in the wetlands at the mouth of the Pajaro River provide food and habitat for cinnamon teals, mallard

Manresa State Beach 205 Manresa Beach Road • La Selva Beach, CA 95076 (831) 761-1795 Manresa State Beach rewards visitors with sweeping views of bluff-backed sand and sea, including the Santa Cruz Mountains to the northwest and the forested hills of the Monterey Peninsula to the southwest. This beach features a beautiful expanse of sea and sand, with surf fishing, surfing, and recreation. FEES: Registration fees are required upon entry. Campsites hold a maximum of eight people. The camping fee includes one primary vehicle and one towed-in licensed vehicle or trailer. Due to parking limitations, one additional vehicle is permitted. An extra vehicle fee will be assessed for each day. VEHICLES: All vehicles must remain on the pavement at all times. Vehicles must be parked in the Upper Lot for the duration of the stay. The Lower Twenty-Minute Lot is specifically for campers who are loading and unloading their vehicles. While loading and unloading, we ask that you stay on designated trails and walkways and that your vehicle is parked in a marked parking space. SPEED LIMITS are posted and strictly enforced. Remember, children and adults frequently cross the roadways. Please drive carefully. QUIET HOURS are from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Radios and other soundproducing devices must not be audible beyond your immediate campsite, regardless of the time of day. Generators may only be used from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. DANGER: Please stay off the cliffs and only use park paths to access the beach. The cliffs are unstable. CHECK-OUT TIME is at 12 p.m. (noon). Your camping permit provides day-use entrance to other state parks and state beaches until sunset. If you wish to extend your stay, you may re-register at the entrance station on a night by night basis, provided that camping spaces are available. Re-register no later than 12 p.m. (noon). DOGS must be on a leash (six feet maximum in length), picked up after, and controlled at all times. Do not leave your dog unattended at the campsite, and keep your pets inside at night. Dogs are permitted on paved roads, in day-use areas, in campgrounds, and on Manresa SB. WASTE WATER: No water or effluent may be discharged onto the ground. Payment of camping fees at Manresa SB qualifies registered vehicles to utilize the dump station at New Brighton State Beach (1500 Park Ave., Capitola, CA 95010). RESPECT PARK PROPERTY: Help us maintain the park’s natural beauty by respecting California State Parks property. Please do not cut, carve, or drive nails into tables, posts, day-use areas, or trees. WILD ANIMALS: For your safety, do not feed the wild animals. Wild animals can be aggressive, dangerous, and may carry disease. WOOD: Please do not gather wood. Wood may be purchased at the entrance station or through the Campground Hosts. The purchase of wood supports Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks, which contributes to California State Parks interpretive programs. CAMPFIRES: Fires must be confined to camping stoves, state park fire rings, or state park dayuse grills. Fires are not allowed in makeshift rock fire rings, on tables, on the ground, or in the sand. SHOWERS: Pay showers have been installed to help conserve water resources. Showers operate with payment of quarters only. Two quarters will provide two minutes of heated shower time. Change is not available at the entrance station of the park. WARNING: Campsites are vulnerable to theft at any time. Secure valuables and equipment in your vehicle, and report any suspicious activity to park staff. TRASH: Please remove all trash from the beach. CAMPING RESERVATIONS: You may make camping reservations by calling (800) 444-7275 (TTY 800-274-7275). To make online reservations, visit our website at www.parks.ca.gov. ALTERNATE FORMAT: If you need this publication in an alternate format, contact interp@parks.ca.gov. Manresa State Beach N Self Registration Oc ean YOUR SITE #: _______ Accesible Feature CH ific CH P UPPER LOT (overnight parking) Camp Host WILLOW CAMPS Campfire Center P P P Pac LEGEND Day-Use Parking Park Entrance 13 12 14 Parking 15 Pay Showers 4 1 26 25 20 Lawn Area/No Tents 21 5 3 2 24 19 Trail 7 16 18 Stairs 6 8 11 10 17 Restrooms 9 22 P 23 LOWER LOT (20 min.) 61 60 62 27 B N c ea 57 28 29 33 34 58 64 63 h Tr a i l 30 32 35 36 40 38 56 55 54 53 45 31 44 BAY CAMPS 42 43 46 37 41 LUPINE CAMPS 52 51 47 39 59 49 50 48 For Emergency, Dial 911. © 2004 California State Parks (Rev. 2016) 

Sunset State Beach 201 Sunset Beach Road • Watsonville, CA 95076 (831) 763-7063 Sunset State Beach features pine trees, mountainous sand dunes, and oceanside picnic spots. Bordered by large agricultural fields west of the city of Watsonville, the beach is a year-round destination for thousands of visitors. FEES: Registration fees are required upon entry. Campsites hold a maximum of eight people and three vehicles. The camping fee includes one primary vehicle and one towed in, licensed vehicle or trailer. Additional vehicles will be charged an extra vehicle fee. VEHICLES: All vehicles must remain on the pavement at all times, with the exception of the Pine Hollow Loop and the dirt overflow parking area directly across from the Dunes Loop. If extra vehicles will not fit in the campsite parking area, the vehicles must be parked in one of the overflow parking lots located outside the Dunes and South Camp loops. QUIET HOURS are from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Radios and other soundproducing devices must not be audible beyond your immediate campsite, regardless of the time of day. Generators may only be used from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. SPEED LIMITS are posted and strictly enforced. Remember, children and adults frequently cross the roadways. Please drive carefully. CHECK-OUT TIME is at 12 p.m. (noon). Your camping permit provides day-use entrance to other state parks and state beaches until sunset. If you wish to extend your stay, you may re-register at the entrance station on a night by night basis, provided that camping spaces are available. Reregister no later than 12 p.m. (noon). DOGS must be on a leash (6 ft. maximum in length), picked-up after, and controlled at all times. Do not leave your dog unattended at the campsite and keep your pets inside at night. Dogs are permitted on paved roads, in day-use areas, and in campgrounds. Except for service dogs, dogs are not allowed on Sunset State Beach, due to environmentally sensitive areas. CAMPFIRES: Fires must be confined to camping stoves, state park fire rings, or state park day-use grills. Fires are not allowed in makeshift rock fire rings, on tables, on the ground, or in sand. SHOWERS: Pay showers have been installed to help conserve water resources. Showers operate with payment of quarters only. Two quarters will provide two minutes of heated shower time. Change is not available at the entrance station of the park. WILD ANIMALS: For your safety, do not feed the wild animals. Wild animals can be aggressive, dangerous, and may carry disease. WASTE WATER: No water or effluence may be discharged onto the ground. Payment of camping fees at Sunset State Beach qualifies registered vehicle(s) to utilize the dump station at New Brighton State Beach (1500 Park Avenue, Capitola, CA 95010). WOOD: Please do not gather wood. Wood may be purchased at the entrance station or through the Campground Hosts. The purchase of wood supports Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks, which contributes to California State Parks interpretive programs. RESPECT PARK PROPERTY: Help us maintain the park’s natural beauty by respecting California State Park property. Please do not cut, carve, or drive nails into tables, posts, day-use areas, or trees. WARNING: Campsites are vulnerable to theft at any time. Secure valuables and equipment in your vehicle and report any suspicious activity to park staff. CAMPING RESERVATIONS: You may make camping reservations by calling (800) 444-7275 (TTY 800-274-7275). To make online reservations, visit our website at www.parks.ca.gov. ALTERNATE FORMAT: If you need this publication in an alternate format, contact interp@parks.ca.gov. YOUR SITE #: _______ an Entrance Station Upper Shade Ramada ce P O c ifi c Priva te ad Ro Pa BEACH TRA IL P ATIO Accessible Campsite Campground: Group DUNES Campfire Center Campground: Hike & Bike Locked Gate P i z e d v eh i c Picnic Area Ranger Station le s on l y Restrooms Trail 60 PINE 64 62 45 43 44 40 42 HOLLOW 57 CAMP 39 41 58 56 55 38 54 Glider Port P 2 1 3 © 2004 California State Parks (Rev. 2016) P For Emergency, 911. 49 48 46 47 61 Lower Shade Ramada To Pajara Dunes 5 4 6 7 37 35 SOUTH 36 34 CAMP 8 33 9 32 CH 10 31 30 11 12 14 28 29 13 27 16 15 26 17 18 19 25 24 22 20 23 21 68 66 N Viewpoint Dial 90 65 Author Pay Showers 51 59 53 Parking 67 63 52 69 88 89 50 SAND CH Sandy Beach Accessible Feature Camp Host 87 Sh e ll Ro a d # CAMP 85 RESTOR LEGEND 77 76 79 75 74 82 73 80 72 84 81 DUNES 83 71 70 86 78 N Sunset State Beach Sunset Beach Rd.