Santa Cruz County Parks & Recreation Digest

On April 29, the administration released rules for Yosemite Park Reservations in the coming months.

The second annual 'Day in the Park' was held on April 26 at San Lorenzo Park.

Renovations to the Capitola Community Center at Jade Street Park are set to begin, with construction expected to last about one year.

Entrance is free to all National Parks on April 19 to kick off the annual National Parks Week this year from April 19-27. Get ready to get outdoors to celebrate America's Best Idea.

Following the retirement announcement from current manager Zeke Fraser, the Santa Cruz County Fair has begin the search for a replacement.

Roaring Camp Railroads will be hosting the second annual Santa Cruz Mountain Mushroom Festival on May 3 and 4.

Following the partial collapse of a section of the popular Capitola coastal path, local officials are uncertain about whether repairs can be, or should be, made.

Rural counties are some of the most reliant on federal funding and federal workers. But some still welcome Trump’s upcoming cuts to forestry and other departments

A major rockslide has closed the Highway 140 entrance to Yosemite National Park. Read on for details.

Billions of state and federal dollars are spent on Lake Tahoe. But is all this attention actually protecting this unique treasure? Pollutants pour in, while development continues. Funding has shifted in focus to tourism and traffic projects, while money spent directly on fixing the lake has declined.

Read on for a look at the work being done to build a new trail network at the Cotoni-Coast Dairies National Monument, which is set to open to the public this summer.

Read on to learn more about the recent prescribed pile burns at Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, and how they improve the health of the forest.

State prisoners have long been a part of California’s firefighting force. Hundreds of them now are deployed in Los Angeles County.

An after-action interview with City of Santa Cruz lifeguards Isaiah Mullen and Sam Hofmann following their rescue of two construction workers when the end of the wharf collapsed.

The Coastal Commission mandated protection of seabirds nesting under the Santa Cruz Wharf might have been a factor in the latest storm damage.

A bit of Bay Area Cold War history and great Bay Area views await visitors to Mount Umunhum in the Santa Cruz Mountains above San Jose. At 3,486 feet, Mount Umunhum is among the highest peaks in the Bay Area.

The mayor and city manager of Santa Cruz held a December 27 press conference and provided details about damage to the wharf, noting that a structural assessment would be required to determine when and if it would be safe to reopen. Read to learn more.

Learn about the bill introduced by Rep. Jimmy Panetta which would initiate the process to designate the communities neighboring the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary as a National Heritage Area, and what that would entail.

County Park Friends announced that the goal to raise $1 million for the Treasure Cove inclusive playground at Jade Street Park in Capitola has been met. Read on to learn more about the project.

Learn about the coming annual return of thousands of elephant seals to Año Nuevo State Park, and the recent upgrades to park facilities.

Read on to learn about the partnership to build a skate park at Pinto Lake.

Get the details about the California State Parks prescribed burns at Wilder Ranch State Park over the next two weeks and resulting temporary trail closures.

The Peninsula Open Space Trust this week announced the purchase of over 1,300 acres of land on the southeast edge of Santa Cruz County, southwest of Gilroy.  

Your donation to County Park Friends will help raise $30,000 for scholarships so local youth can participate in Santa Cruz County parks and recreation programs. Click to learn more.

A project to restore native plant species and sensitive habitat has led the City of Santa Cruz Parks and Recreation department to close the San Lorenzo Park Benchlands to public access.

The 41-acre Año Nuevo Vista parcel has been acquired by the Sempervirens Fund land trust providing a possible future link between Año Nuevo and Butano state parks.

A public forum about the future of Seacliff and New Brighton state beaches will be held on September 26, hosted by California State Parks and Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks.

The completion of a project to improve the floating walkway and signs on the Neary Lagoon Wildlife Refuge Interpretive Trail is being celebrated with a ribbon cutting ceremony on September 17.

In their August 27 meeting, the Watsonville City Council approved moving forward with a complete restoration of the City Plaza gazebo.

The Santa Cruz City Council voted unanimously to approve $400,000 in funding necessary for the reopening of the Harvey West Pool by Memorial Day 2025.

The recently restored Capitola Wharf is preparing to reopen soon, and a community work day is scheduled for September 7 to install some crowdfunded final items.

In their August 21 meeting, the Scotts Valley City Council approved the first update to the Parks Master Plan since 1996.