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| California Redwood |
John Muir said, "The mountains are calling and I must go." This is how I feel every time I return to the west. The Rockies and Sierra Nevada mountain ranges dwarf the mountains of the east, but there's one smaller mountain range that shouldn't be missed if you're visiting the California coastline–the
Santa Cruz Mountains.
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| Father of the Forest, Big Basin |
Home to the tallest living organisms on Earth,
Sequoia sempervirens–commonly known as California Redwoods–grow up to 350 feet tall, over 50 feet in circumference, and can live up to 2,500 years. These awe-inspiring, humble giants only grow in northern California and southern Oregon and only 5 percent of this ancient forest remains. The California gold rush and subsequent logging destroyed most of it before 1900.
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| Nature's Skyscrapers |
A mecca for outdoor adventurers, naturalists, and photographers, Big
Basin offers spectacular views of the Pacific, waterfalls, and wildlife.
Year round camping, hiking, and interpretive campfire programs are
among the most popular recreational activities in the park.
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| Banana Slug |
In May 1900, a coalition of journalists, politicians, scholars and others banned together, determined to save what was left of this amazing forest and started California's conservation movement. Established in 1902,
Big Basin Redwoods State Park (so named in 1927), is the state's first state park and is comprised of more than 18,000 acres of forest and 80 miles of trails.
Gateway to Big Basin is the small mountain town of
Boulder Creek.
Built during the 1870's to support the logging industry, this tiny
place gives those who pass through a peek into California's history. Six
miles south of Boulder Creek on Route 9 is Felton, home of
Roaring Camp Railroads. A bit of a tourist attraction, the area's first railroad has offered tours through the Redwoods since 1875.
Ano Nuevo, Butano, and Castle Rock State Parks lie just outside Big
Basin and are among the other wonderful State Parks in the Santa Cruz
Mountains.
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| Downtown Big Basin |
No matter where you go in Santa Cruz County, the sites are beautiful, the energy is positive, and the vibes are all good.
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| Santa Cruz Mountains |
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