Our Mission Henry Cowell The mission of State Parks is to provide for the health, inspiration and education of the people of California by helping This lush redwood Redwoods to preserve the state’s extraordinary biological diversity, protecting its most valued natural and forest, with sun cultural resources, and creating opportunities State Park for high-quality outdoor recreation. glimmering through trees along the , California State Parks supports equal access. offers visitors Prior to arrival, visitors with disabilities who need assistance should contact the park at a peaceful retreat. (831) 335-4598. This publication can be made available in alternate formats. Contact [email protected] 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.™

SaveTheRedwoods.org/csp Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park Day Use: 101 North Big Trees Park Road Felton, CA 95018 (831) 335-4598 Campground: 2591 Graham Hill Road Scotts Valley, CA 95060 (831) 438-2396

© 2011 California State Parks (Rev. 2013) H enry Cowell Redwoods State Park San Lorenzo River was a major source of inspires calm reflection among ancient fish for the Sayante people, allowing them giant redwoods and sunny sandhill ridges. to exchange steelhead and with The park’s historical significance and its neighboring tribes for acorns, obsidian and spectacular scenery draw travelers from all other resources. around the world. Early Entrepreneurs Visitors can enjoy hiking, horseback Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park is riding, picnicking, swimming, camping and located on a former land grant. First owner fishing on more than 4,650 acres of forested Pedro Sainsevain acquired this land around and open land in the . 1846 and went into the lumber business. He The park’s groves of old- and second- built a lumber mill near the park’s present- growth redwoods flank the San Lorenzo day picnic area. Known as “Rancho Rincon,” River. In the serene Fall Creek Unit, a the land included a large, old-growth few miles north of the main park, hikers redwood forest. Over the years, this tract experience a verdant, fern-lined river changed ownership many times. Much of the General Frémont tree: (left to right) General canyon and encounter the remnants of a surrounding land was logged, but the giant successful lime-processing industry. John C. Frémont, his wife Jessie Benton trees in the grove were never cut. Frémont and their daughter Elizabeth PARK HISTORY In 1867 Joseph Warren Welch bought 350 acres, including the 40-acre virgin Lieutenant John C. Frémont was reputed Native People redwood stand now known as the park’s to have camped in this tree’s fire-hollowed The Sayante tribe, a subgroup of the . Welch built an elaborate base during an 1846 expedition to survey culture, lived in this area before Spanish vacation resort in 1868, naming it the “Big the shortest route between the Atlantic rule. They found plentiful shelter, water and Trees Grove.” The ancient trees attracted and Pacific oceans. When the tree was food both on the land and in the river. The dignitaries from around the world, including dedicated to him in 1888, then-General Frémont was reported to have said, “It makes a great story; let it stand.” Heating raw Creating the Park limestone in kilns In 1899, a fateful afternoon in a resort called for several days Welch’s Grove started a movement that yielded lime used forever changed the way people regarded in mortar and redwoods. Andrew P. Hill, a photographer and plaster — staples writer, was taking photographs of the coast of the building redwoods in the grove. As he was doing so, the industry. owner of the resort saw him and demanded Massachusetts the glass-plate negatives. Hill refused and native Henry Cowell left angry. Believing that these huge old bought an interest trees should be protected for all to see, Hill in the thriving Davis founded the Sempervirens Club. and Jordan Lime The Big Trees Grove resort operated until Company in 1865. 1930 when Santa Cruz County took over Cowell renamed control, calling this land “Santa Cruz Big Trees his venture the IXL County Park.” The hard work of advocate W.T. Lime Company in Jeter, president of Santa Cruz County Bank, 1888. At its highest was influential in creating the county park. demand, 80% of In the early 1950s, Samuel “Harry” Cowell lime came from proposed combining his adjacent family- Santa Cruz County. owned property with the county park property Kilns were built to create a single park. Named after his on the North Fork of father, Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and Fall Creek to convert the quarried rock into was dedicated in 1954. The Fall Creek Unit Benjamin Harrison. usable material. Hundreds of thousands of was later deeded to the State in 1972 by the cords of wood were burned over the years Cowell family’s foundation. Fall Creek and Henry Cowell to keep the kiln fires burning — leaving the Fall Creek Unit, the northern section of hills bare. Eventually, raw limestone and Natural History Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, is log supplies dwindled as concerns about located about ¼ mile west of the town of Geology deforestation arose and lime processing Felton. The 2,390-acre area contains nearly Located in the rugged Santa Cruz Mountains, became obsolete. The Fall Creek kilns the entire Fall Creek watershed, extending Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park provides closed in 1919 after nearly 70 years of full- southeast from Ben Lomond Mountain. a fascinating geologic view into the landscape. scale operation. The Ben Lomond Fault runs along the The San Lorenzo River flows through the park, Today, the old IXL lime kilns can be base of the mountain, exposing huge roughly following the path of the Ben Lomond seen along the South Fork Trail; the second- amounts of limestone. This limestone was Fault. Stream erosion and fault movement are growth redwoods nearby testify to nature’s formed by heat and pressure crystallizing the primary forces that have helped shape resilience as the hillsides become forested layers of tiny sea creature fossil remains. this land. once again. The northern part of the park is composed of the park. Manzanita, bush poppy, of soft sandstone and mudstone, with fossil Coyotes, chamise, sticky monkeyflower evidence that it was once a shallow inland bobcats, and ceanothus all bloom sea, including sand dollars and shark teeth. and black- in spring. The Ben Lomond The southern portion of the park consists tail deer spineflower and Ben Lomond of harder granite and schist formed from roam freely buckwheat, found only in this magma. These geologic factors determine throughout area, add to the distinctive the vast diversity of flora and fauna that the park Santa Cruz sandhills ecosystem. inhabit the park. Three of the park’s four main searching for Native plants such as ecosystems — redwood, riparian (streamside), food, water California poppy, coyote brush and sandhill chaparral — were shaped as a and shelter. and lupine endure among result of these processes. The human-made Plant non-native grasses, thistle and grassland is the park’s fourth main ecosystem. Communities sweet pea in the grassland. Wildlife Among the world’s tallest old-growth The riparian forest that once The park’s four distinct ecosystems allow for coast redwoods, the largest trees covered this area is now many wildlife viewing opportunities. Watch surrounding the Redwood Grove Loop reclaiming its former territory. for white-tailed kites and white-crowned Trail may be up to 280 feet (85m) tall and Recreation sparrows flying above the grasslands looking 1,500 years old. Plentiful rain and coastal fog Weather changes quickly in the Santa Cruz for their next meal. supply moisture to sustain their growth. Mountains. Temperatures range from the upper Along the San Lorenzo River, listen for California bay trees, tanoaks and hazelnut 30s to mid-50s in winter and from the high 40s the belted kingfisher and catch a glimpse of shrubs adapt to the shade beneath the to the 80s in summer. the great blue heron. This year-round river redwoods. Clover-like redwood sorrel Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park offers is home to endangered steelhead trout, carpets the forest floor, along with wild camping and a large day-use area. Limited providing a nourishing place for the fish ginger, trillium and milk maids. catch-and-release steelhead fishing attracts to spawn. The nearby San Lorenzo River supports anglers to the San Lorenzo River. Visit www. In the forest, the melody of the Pacific wren a remarkable riparian ecosystem. Large dfg.ca.gov for licensing regulations, updates and the clicking sounds of the dark-eyed western sycamore, black cottonwood, white and fishing restrictions. junco echo through the forest. Keep your eyes alder and California box-elder trees offer Equestrians may use the main park trails as peeled for banana slugs moving along the cooling shade for river inhabitants. The posted. Bicycles are not allowed in Fall Creek path and Western gray squirrels leaping from arroyo willow stabilizes the river’s banks. Unit. Observe all trail postings. limb to limb. On the ridgetops of the sandhill The privately owned Roaring Camp and Big The wrentit’s lilting song and the scrub ecosystem, drought-tolerant plants with long Trees Railroad adjoins the property outside the jay’s screeching calls fill the air in the taproots flourish in the sandy soil. Here, in main park. The train takes passengers on a rail sandhill chaparral ecosystem. Two rare one of the world’s five marine ponderosa tour through the forested area of the park. endemic insect species, the endangered pine communities, ponderosa and knobcone Zayante band-winged grasshopper and the pines grow along the ridge tops and Mt. Hermon June beetle, inhabit this area surround the park’s observation deck. Camping This park is supported in part through the Sites are open seasonally. For details Mountain Parks Foundation Please Remember and site-specific advance reservations, 525 N. Big Trees Park Road call (800) 444-7275 or visit the website at • All natural and cultural features are Felton, CA 95018 · (831) 335-3174 www.parks.ca.gov. protected by law; do not disturb them. www.mountainparks.org Trails: • Camping and fires are permitted only in Redwood Grove Loop Trail — Walk the designated areas. self-guided loop to view the tree named for • Dogs on a six-foot-maximum leash “Pathfinder” Lt. John C. Frémont. are allowed only in picnic areas and Ridge Fire Road near Pine Trail — The campsites and on Meadow Trail, Pipeline observation deck at one of the park’s highest Road and Graham Hill Trail. points offers vistas of the . • All pets must be attended at all times and confined in a tent or vehicle at night. Fall Creek Unit • Except for service animals, dogs are not Open for day use only, Fall Creek includes permitted to use other trails, fire roads or almost twenty miles of connecting trails. the Fall Creek Unit. Parking and trailheads are marked on Felton • Camping, bicycles, smoking and fires are Empire Road off Highway 9. prohibited in the Fall Creek Unit. • Stay on established trails and out of all ACCESSIBLE features undeveloped areas and wildcat trails. The Redwood Grove Loop Trail is • Be alert for rattlesnakes and mountain accessible for about three-quarters of a lions. Check for ticks after hiking. mile. The campground has accessible sites • Poison oak can be identified by its with restrooms and showers. The Visitor leaves—they grow Center and Mountain Parks Store are both in groups of three accessible; curbside pickup and drop-off with gently lobed is recommended for people with mobility edges. The plant issues. For accessibility updates, visit may appear as http://access.parks.ca.gov. a bush, vine, or Nearby State Parks ground cover with green or reddish • Big Basin Redwoods State Park leaves. Many people 21600 Big Basin Way, Boulder Creek 95006 are allergic to its oil. (831) 338-8860 • 1401 Coast Road, Santa Cruz 95060 “Leaves of three—let it be.” (831) 423-9703 Zayante

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