NATURE & HISTORY CENTER HOURS
Saturdays and Sundays, noon – 4 pm

SPRING & SUMMER PROGRAMS AT RANCHO DEL OSO

BIrding walks
The last Sunday of each month
At 10am from the Nature & History Center

And coming soon…
Nature Journaling and Junior Ranger Programs

SAVE THE DATE: AUGUST 9
A CELEBRATION OF HULDA HOOVER MCLEAN


Naturalist, writer, artist, teacher, and civic leader.
Hulda’s former home was transformed into the
Rancho del Oso Nature and History Center 40 years ago.
The event will feature speakers, nature journaling,
and watercolor workshops.


DOCENTS WANTED
Have you ever considered volunteering at a State Park?
Rancho del Oso is looking for new docents to welcome visitors and
introduce them to the natural and cultural history of the area.
To sign up, go to Get Involved – Volunteer.

 

RANCHO DEL OSO WELCOME CENTER
Open Saturday and Sunday noon – 4pm on the north side of Waddell Creek.
Stop in to see the interactive exhibits and beautiful wall murals.

 

THE HOOVER LOOP TRAIL IS OPEN
The trail begins across from the Nature and History Center and provides an up close look
at the recovering Monterey Pine forest, spring wildflowers,
and sweeping views of Waddell Beach, Año Nuevo island, and beyond.

Monterey Pine seedling

CAMPING AT RANCHO DEL OSO


Five walk-in campsites are now available by reservation in the former Horse Camp, with parking nearby.  A sixth, non-reserved, shared bike-in site is also available. Horse camp will eventually be reinstated for equestrian use once trail access is restored. In the meantime campers can enjoy a great location on  Santa Cruz county’s north coast. The Nature & History Center and Hoover loop trail can be accessed via the Marsh trail and Waddell Creek seasonal bridge, May through October.

To make a reservation or for more information, visit: https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=31302

 

The green sections of the park are open. ALL OTHER TRAILS REMAIN CLOSED

OPEN
The north side of Waddell Creek is open for pedestrian use from the gate at Hwy 1 to the gate just past the picnic area and bathrooms. On the south side of the creek, the Hoover loop trail begins across from the Nature and History Center. The Marsh trail connects both sides of the creek during the dry season (usually May – October) when the seasonal bridge is in place.

CLOSED
The Skyline-to-the-Sea and Bypass trails remain closed due to hazardous conditions left by the August 2020 CZU Complex Fire and excessive rains in 2023. Please honor these closures for your personal safety, as well as to allow these fragile areas time to recover.
For up-to-date trail information, go to https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=28975
To read about the long term plan to re-store and re-open the entire park, visit https://reimaginingbigbasin.org/

 

 

 

 

SCHOOL FIELD TRIPS
Call the Nature and History Center (831) 427-2288 or use our contact page to arrange a trip for your class.

Scrub Jay

 

GUIDED BACKPACKING
Guided Backpacking is cancelled at Big Basin until further notice.
Check the CASPBA website: https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=28503
or these Santa Cruz Mountain Parks for info about their programs:
Portola Redwoods State Park https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=539
Castle Rock State Park https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=538