Santa Cruz County Parks & Recreation Digest

Leisyka Parrott will oversee the management of more than 7,900 acres of public land in six onshore units in the California Coastal National Monument.

Henry W. Coe State Park was named as a possible location as California attempts to find new places where people can ride dirt bikes, dune buggies and ATVs.

In response to catastrophic damage this winter, Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks has established the Seacliff State Beach Recovery Fund.

JLL will prepare a dozen regional strategic plans to help the state marketing organization promote smart, sustainable tourism over the next decade.

If you needed an excuse to explore a natural treasure, here it is.

Big Basin Redwoods State Park opened four miles of newly renovated roads and trails.

Community members gathered at Felt Street Park in Live Oak to tend and beautify the park's concentric labyrinth of painted stones.

Tthe wait for a safe trail crossing the Moss Landing harbor just got longer after Caltrans employees discovered a deteriorating retaining wall.

A $115 million grant from the California Transportation Commission’s Active Transportation Program covers the funding gap for nearly 7 miles of the Coastal Rail Trail. Construction can begin as soon as 2025.

Avi Kwa Ame National Monument will protect sacred Native American sites, wildlife.

The local landmark that hosts daytrippers and hostel guests alike is about to undergo renovations that could increase public access.

Normal wear and tear in the 15 years since the park was installed has created another opportunity to remake the facility with elements that “appeal to individuals of all abilities, including those with mobility, cognitive, developmental, sight and hearing impairments.”

For the first time in three years, visitors won't need to book ahead to enter the park in 2023.

According to the BLM website, the property is currently accessible to the public only through guided hikes; however, the bureau has developed a recreation plan that includes 27 miles of multi-use trails for bicycling, horseback riding and dog walking with connections to San Vicente Redwoods and the North Coast Rail Trail.

Aptos Creek Road, the main entrance to the Forest of Nisene Marks State Park, has seen a large surge of traffic since the pandemic. What hadn’t changed, until now, was the poor condition of this narrow single-lane access route.

At its Oct. 6 meeting, the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission will analyze costs and funding strategies for continued construction and maintenance on 32-mile Coastal Rail Trail.

Many Santa Cruzans might think of the small Patagonia outlet store on River Street as the only local vestige of the iconic outdoor lifestyle brand. But the company’s ethos is also carried on by people like Kyle Thiermann.

All over California, wildfires have ravaged iconic landscapes. Places that once seemed permanent are disappearing—and researchers are having to rethink how best to protect them.

At the 28th annual Day on the Beach event, which took place at Cowell Beach, local nonprofit Shared Adventures helped people with disabilities enjoy the sun and sand and engage in a variety of ocean activities.

The CZU Lightning Complex fires brought big changes to Big Basin Redwoods State Park, providing an opportunity to reimagine the 120-year-old attraction. One planned change moves the main access point to a park-owned property known as Saddle Mountain.

The city of Santa Cruz will start construction on the second phase of Segment 7 of the multiuse Coast Rail Trail. According to transportation planner Claire Gallogly, the project will add “a great option for those of all ages and abilities to travel without a car.”

Senate Bill 1012, a law that will require California State Parks to restrict open fires, has been unanimously passed through the Committee of Water, Parks, and Wildlife. The bill instructs parks to work with the guidelines of local fire departments. The bill could appear before the full assembly in August.

Esabella Bonner, the 27-year-old who founded Black Surf Santa Cruz, tells Lookout Santa Cruz that although she grew up in Santa Cruz, she didn't consider entering the ocean until two years ago.

The Bureau of Land Management is issuing seasonal fire restrictions for lands managed by the Central Coast Field Office, which covers San Benito, Santa Cruz, Monterey and western Fresno counties. These restrictions are in addition to the year-round statewide fire prevention order.

The Bureau of Land Management is seeking nominations for positions on its California Desert District Advisory Council, Central California Resource Advisory Council, and Northern California District RAC.

Every day, scores of residents and visitors in San Mateo, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties take in views of the natural landscape, hike on nearby trails and enjoy the outdoors in spaces protected by Peninsula Open Space Trust.

Residents can now use their library cards to check out day passes for free access to more than 200 state parks. The move is part of a collaboration between California State Parks and the California State Library to provide more equitable outdoor access for all Californians.

The Local Agency Formation Commission of Santa Cruz County formalized the public takeover of a small private Opal Cliffs park. According to Executive Officer Joe Serrano, no objections were filed against the move.

Members of the public are invited to a Zoom presentation on Coastal Rail Trail Segments 8 and 9, which will extend along the Santa Cruz Branch Rail Line corridor, from Beach Street/Pacific Avenue to the east side of 17th Avenue.

In 2011, four onprofit partners—Sempervirens Fund, Peninsula Open Space Trust, Land Trust of Santa Cruz County and Save the Redwoods League—began revitalizing San Vicente Redwoods alongside the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band. Soon work will begin on a public trail system.

In a space located on Wharf Road, a new park is set to be built this fall. The Capitola Public Works Department plans to go to bid in the next few weeks, said Public Works Director Steve Jesberg.

One of Santa Cruz County’s most controversial independent coastal parks is about to come under public control. The board of a local jurisdictional boundary oversight agency has approved the dissolution of the Opal Cliffs Recreation District, located between Pleasure Point and Capitola.