Big Basin Redwoods State Park - Santa Cruz County, California
Posted by: 
DougK
N 37° 10.956 W 122° 12.615
10S E 570101 N 4115421
Established in 1902, Big Basin Redwoods State Park is California's oldest State Park.
Waymark Code: WM6V91
Location: California, United States
Date Posted: 07/22/2009
Views: 11
Text from the plaque reads:
THE FIRST STATE PARK
A GROUP OF CONSERVATIONISTS LED BY ANDREW P. HILL
CAMPED AT THE BASE OF SLIPPERY ROCK ON MAY 15,
1900, AND FORMED THE SEMPERVIRENS CLUB TO PRE-
SERVE THE REDWOODS OF BIG BASIN. THEIR EFFORTS
RESULTED IN DEEDING 3500 ARES OF PRIMEVAL FOR-
EST TO THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA ON SEPTEMBER
20, 1902. THEIS MARKED THE BEGINNING OF THE CALI-
FORNIA STATE PARK SYSTEM.
CALIFORNIA REGISTERED HISTORICAL LANDMARK NO, 827
PLAQUE PLACED BY THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
AND RECREATION IN COOPERATION WITH THE CONSER-
VATION ASSOCIATES. SEPTEMBER 22, 1968.
Extracted from the Big Basin web site:
Big Basin Redwoods State Park is home to the largest continuous stand of ancient coast redwoods south of San Francisco, the park consists of over 18,000 acres of old growth and recovering redwood forest, with mixed conifer, oaks, chaparral, and riparian habitats. Elevations in the park vary from sea level to over 2,000 feet.
The park features family and group camping, tent cabins, backpacking camps, hiking, mountain biking, and equestrian trails. The park is open year round and reservations are encouraged during the summer.
The park has over 80 miles of trails. Some trails link Big Basin to Castle Rock State Park and the eastern reaches of the Santa Cruz range. The Skyline to the Sea Trail threads its way through the park along Waddell Creek to the beach and adjacent Theodore J. Hoover Natural Preserve, a freshwater marsh.
The park has a surprising number of waterfalls (e.g., Berry Creek Falls) and a wide variety of environments from lush canyon bottoms to sparse chaparral-covered slopes. Many animals such as deer, raccoon, coyote, fox, an occasional bobcat, mountain lion, and many bird species--including California quail, egret, heron, hawk, owl, woodpecker, and the endangered marbled murrelet--call Big Basin home. And of course there are always plenty of banana slugs!