Our Mission The Forest of The mission of California State Parks is to provide for the health, inspiration and early ten thousand education of the people of California by helping N Nisene Marks to preserve the state’s extraordinary biological diversity, protecting its most valued natural and acres of forest offer cultural resources, and creating opportunities State Park for high-quality outdoor recreation. a hushed oasis with panoramic ocean views from its hilltops. California State Parks supports equal access. Prior to arrival, visitors with disabilities who need assistance should contact the park at (831) 763-7062. If you need this publication in an alternate format, contact [email protected]. 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 The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park Aptos Creek Road, off Soquel and State Park Drive, Aptos, CA 95003 (831) 763-7062 © 2012 California State Parks (Rev. 2016) The 1880s cost of building this railroad, part of today’s main Fire Road, was estimated at $50,000 per mile. The Loma Prieta Mill became the largest in the 19th-century Santa Cruz Mountains until disastrous landslides during San Francisco’s 1906 earthquake paused logging efforts. Reforestation began when the lumber company planted 50 acres of redwood and non-native eucalyptus seedlings. Logging resumed from 1909 until 1924, when most he serene trails within The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park give scant hint of the of Loma Prieta’s mill was dismantled and Tredwood forest’s turbulent natural and human history. For centuries, the jagged terrain of abandoned—after processing 140 million these 10,000 acres saved the original trees from loggers and settlers. Today the second- and board feet of redwood. third-growth forest canopy in earthquake country shades a recreational oasis with 30 miles of The Marks family of Salinas deeded more maintained trails and roads for hiking, biking, and running. than 9,000 acres to the State for use as a public park in 1963. Named for matriarch Nisene (a Danish name) Marks, the gift PARK HISTORY deed specified that the “natural preserve” The local first people were the Costanoans during the Gold Rush building boom, but be used for camping, hiking, and nature (now known as Ohlone). The native people lumber interests found the steep canyons study. Other donations have increased park harvested resources on impenetrable for logging acreage to nearly 10,000 acres. The Forest the edges of the forest, giant redwoods. of Nisene Marks honors forest regeneration but little evidence exists In 1880, however, the and preservation efforts. that they ever lived among Southern Pacific Railway these deep redwoods. Two (SP) arrived in nearby Mexican land grants to the Monterey. SP financed Castro family in 1833 and the purchase of tree- 1844 partially form the filled Upper Aptos boundaries of today’s park. Loggers on platform supported Canyon, the Loma Prieta Shortly after California by springboards, ca. 1895 Lumber Company, and became a state in 1850, the Loma Prieta Railway. loggers built wooden skids and used oxen Chinese laborers cut and graded the rail teams to drag smaller harvested trees line seven miles up the canyon. By 1883, for “split stuff” and tanbark. The forest’s standard-gauge railway tracks had been built more reachable redwoods were milled to haul the huge redwood logs to mills. Photo courtesy of the Santa Cruz Museum Art and History Historic logger’s cabin (lost in 1982 flood) GEOLOGY HABITATS Fetid adder’s tongue, a disagreeable- Three earthquake In the cool and quiet semi-wilderness of the smelling plant, grows among the redwoods faults—San park, tall trees shelter creeks and canyons. along the Buggy Trail. Andreas, San Park elevation ranges from sea level to more Five percent of the park is covered in Gregorio, and than 2,600 feet. The park contains grassland, Northern maritime chaparral containing Zayante— scrub, chaparral, woodland, and forest coyote brush and woolyleaf manzanita. influence the riparian communities. Other habitats include a purple park’s geology. Eighty percent of the hilly park needlegrass grassland and a red alder The San Gregorio is covered in coast redwood riparian forest. Fault runs slightly (Sequoia sempervirens) forest, The Forest’s southeast of park with trees ranging in age diverse boundaries. The from 80 to 120 years old and topography, Zayante Fault reaching 125 feet tall. These abundant water, crosses the park’s second- and third-growth and varied plant Aptos Creek redwoods often sprout life support Canyon while from the collar surrounding many species of the San Andreas cut stumps; the sprouts are wildlife, including Fault, extending usually genetically identical raccoons, cougar, Trees shifted by the nearly the entire to the parent tree. A few deer, yellow- Loma Prieta quake length of the state, old-growth redwoods still legged frogs, twist as they grow to parallels the park’s survive within the park. and the popular Fetid adder’s tongue self correct. northeastern Redwood species banana slug. border below Santa Rosalia Ridge. once grew throughout Native birds The San Andreas Fault’s devastating 6.9 Asia, Europe, and North include the magnitude earthquake caused upheaval America. The remaining American dipper, throughout Northern California in 1989. range of coast redwood is winter wren, and That quake was named after Loma Prieta limited to the Pacific Coast fog saw-whet owl. (“dark hill”), the mountain near the quake’s belt between Oregon and the Coho salmon and epicenter in the park. Big Sur coast. steelhead spawn Ancient sea floor sedimentary rocks— Scientists fear that climate in the Bridge and Banana slug mostly sandstone, chert, and siltstone with change, with decreasing fog Aptos creeks. embedded marine fossils—are found in and increasing temperatures, ACCESSIBLE INFORMATION the Aptos and Bridge creekbeds. For most will result in even more Accessibility is continually improving, but of the park’s history, it was a shallow inland redwood habitat loss. there are currently no wheelchair-accessible sea. The park’s unstable sandy and loamy activities at the park. For updates, visit soil is susceptible to landslides. Sequoia sempervirens http://access.parks.ca.gov. RECREATION The 2,700-acre Soquel The park lies north of Demonstration State Forest Aptos Village on Aptos north of the park is managed Creek Road in Santa Cruz by the California Department County. Weather can be of Forestry and Fire Protection. changeable year round. Advanced mountain bikers can Picnic tables and ride the loops within the demo barbecue pits are forest by entering on Ridge available. Trail campsites Trail at the end of the Aptos are located six miles from Creek Fire Road. the trail camp parking lot at the West Ridge Trailhead. The trail camp has no water, and fires are prohibited. To reserve, call the Sunset State Beach kiosk at (831) 763-7063. Trails Loma Prieta Grade Trail follows a steam railway bed from the mill to Hoffman’s Historic Site, named after a logging superintendent. This site was a camp that once housed 100 loggers and mill workers. PLEASE REMEMBER Trail, the Split Stuff Trail, the Terrace • All natural and cultural features are Trail, and the Vienna Woods Trail. protected by law and may not be • Except for service animals, dogs are disturbed or removed. allowed only on Aptos Creek Fire Road • To prevent erosion of the slopes, stay on and four single-track trails (named marked trails; observe all trail postings. above) below the steel bridge. Dogs • By law, bicycling and mountain biking are are prohibited beyond the gate at the allowed only on the Aptos Creek Fire Road Porter picnic area parking lot. Animals and four single-track trails below its steel must be attended and on leashes no bridge. Cyclists may use the Aptos Rancho longer than six feet at all times. Maple Falls at end of Bridge Creek Trail 1400 The Forest of 1200 9 85 to San José 2000 Big Basin Los Henry W Nisene Marks Redwoods Castle 101 Coe SP 1000 17 SP Rock Gatos Hihn’s State Park Mill SP Morgan 800 San Hill Rd Lorenzo 9 River Scotts A m Corra 1 Valley The Forest of a l Highland Henry Cowell y a Redwoods SP Nisene Marks SP Rd Davenport New Brighton SB 152 Br Wilder Ranch SP Gilroy ai lle Seacliff 800 Natural Bridges SB T San Andreas Fault ZoneWay Watsonville Rd ra SB 1 il 1000 2000 Santa Cruz 37° 05’ 00” San Juan C Santa Cruz Mission SHP Capitola r Tractor Manresa SB, Bautista e Road e Ridge idge Sunset SB k Sawpit R Trail Monterey 1200 PACIFIC Fremont SOQUEL DEMONSTRATION OCEAN Bay Trail Castroville 101 Peak SP 1600 Long T r STATE FOREST a Road i 1400 l 1 1800 0 5 10 15 Miles 2000 Santa Rosalia 183 Hihn’s (CA Mill DEPT OF FORESTRY AND FIRE PROTECTION) Trail 0 5 10 15 20 25 Kilometers 2000 Salinas Hester Ridge Trail Road Santa Rosalia to Monterey Marina idge R Mountain k 2529ft, 771m ee 1800 r re C i F 1600 Creek R i d g e 1200 k e e r 1000 C Hinckley 1200 2000 Cusac Eureka ks Trail Rd Sugarloaf Mtn Creek Lone Tree Canyon 1268ft 800 2000 386m 1000 Prairie Buzzard Hinckley THE Jose y le s 800 ck 1200 o n Basin t i p 2000 H A San FOREST OF 1400 600 Lagoon 1600 NISENE MARKS Soquel - Fire Road 1200 Sand Point Overlook STATE PARK Road West Ridge 1600ft Trail Camp 488m Road 1000 Rd 800 Soquel 400 Trail 1000 1200 2000 Hinckley1400ft Ridge R i d g e 427m Ridge Five Finger Falls Springs White’s Maple Road Lagoon 2000 Creek West Falls Road White’s Buzzard 1400