Just an hour from San Francisco sits California’s first state park, boasting towering redwood groves that are over 1,000 years old. Founded over 100 years ago, Big Basin Redwoods is California’s oldest State Park, located in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
The historic park boasts the largest continuous group of ancient coast redwoods south of San Francisco. The ancient redwoods range from 1,000 to 1,800 years old, and can be as tall as the Statue of Liberty.
The park has many accessible trails perfect for taking in the incredible trees, including the popular Redwood Loop Trail. The trail is only about half a mile, and passes by the tallest and widest trees in the park. It’s perfect for those who want an easy nature walk, while still seeing some of the most impressive trees.
History of Big Basin Redwoods State Park
The park was founded in 1902 by the Sempervirens Club, a group determined to preserve the massive redwoods. The club urged the state to pass a bill to purchase the land, turning it into the first of many state parks in California’s history.
2020 wildfire
Unfortunately, in 2020, major wildfires swept the area, covering 97% of the park, drastically changing the landscape. Many of the original buildings were lost in the fire. While it may look very different from it did during its founding, most of the old-growth trees survived the fire. Luckily, the park is recovering over time, with new growth and animals returning to the park showing rapid improvement.
Today, the park still has many hiking trails and recreational activities available for visitors. T. You can find current updates about the park here.
