What Do You Want to Do?
Our diverse parks and beaches have something for everyone. Find your next adventure!
Wildfire Recovery
Park officials have provided a look into what Big Basin is like now with 3D tours.
What's New
Dogs are welcome at select state parks and beaches — and our new guide will help you and your four-legged friend have a happy, safe and legal visit!
VISIT
Represent your favorite state park or beach — check out our collection of stickers, magnets, patches, pins and more!
SHOP
Guided elephant seal tours are back! The Natural Preserve at Año Nuevo State Park is hosting docent-led elephant seal tours through March 31!
LEARN
The painted baseboards and chair rails at Castro Adobe State Historic Park have been meticulously restored this fall.
READPlan Your Visit
Our Mission, Our Passion
Our local parks and beaches: thriving and available to all!
Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks (Friends) is a vital partner with California State Parks, creatively working to ensure our cherished local parks and beaches are thriving and available to all. Friends’ innovative and collaborative community partnership provides support and investment for education, equity and inclusion, conservation, facilities improvements, historic preservation and cultural events.
I want to help!Get News and Stay Connected
Join us for a tour at @wilder_ranch_state_park this Saturday at 1 p.m.! Discover what life was like a century ago on this innovative dairy ranch. This hour-long tour includes the 1896 water-powered machine shop, barns and other historic buildings. 🏠🐮
Learn more by visiting the State Park Events link in our bio!
#thatsmypark #WilderRanch #WilderRanchStatePark #statepark #castatepark #ranch #dairyranch #tour #historical
Our first weanling pod has formed!
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Once pups wean they move out of the breeding harems and form resting pods where there is less activity and risk of aggressive encounters with moms still nursing their pups.
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#AñoNuevoStatePark #NorthernElephantSeal #ElephantSeal #Seals #Weanling #WeanlingWednesday #WeanlingPod #BreedingSeason #WildlifeViewing #RespectWildlife #CAStateParks #GetOutside #ExploreMore #ThatsMyPark
Being a single mother is hard work!
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Elephant seal moms work around the clock to keep track of their pups in a chaotic sea of seals. These harems act as a nursery for these little cackling babies, as mom helps them pack on a couple hundred pounds to prepare for their next step to aquatic independence.
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These pupping beaches are closed to the public for their protection. Visitors that venture into the closed areas can distract mom from her #1 job and cause separation between mother and pup.
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Please observe them from designated viewing areas, so you can enjoy their natural behavior.
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Taken with a telephoto lens.
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#AñoNuevoStatePark #WinterWildlifeWonders #TuesdayTips #NorthernElephantSeals #ElephantSeal #PuppingSeason #Pups #Moms #RepectWildlife #WildlifeViewing #HelpMeStayWild #ThatsMyPark #CAStateParks
Here's your Monday Morning Otter Shot. A scruffy, hungry little pup getting ready to nurse.
https://www.elkhornslough.com
#otter #otters #otterlove #marinemammals #babyanimals #wildlife_photography #wildlife #wildlifetour #wildlife_shots #wildlifephotographers #sesamestreet #amazinganimals #NatGeo #elkhornslough #elkhornsloughsafari #mosslanding #montereycalifornia #californiawildlife #santacruznow #thatsmypark #santacruzcounty #VisitCalifornia #sustainabletourism #seemonterey #earthlovers
The answer to our latest history mystery is a pelton wheel! These devices are water powered turbines that could turn anything from belts used to power machinery to electric generators. The Wilders used these smaller pelton wheels to power lights in their homes and tools in the machine shop! Much larger versions of these turbines are still used today in hydroelectric power plants.
📍Uypi land
#wilderranch #castateparks #santacruz #wilderranchstatepark #thatsmypark #historymystery #peltonwheel
Earlier this week, State Parks volunteers and staff participated in the Snowy Plover Winter Window Survey (say that 5 times fast)! 🐤🔭🏖
Held all along the western coast of the US on the same day, this survey helps to track populations of the threatened Western Snowy Plover (𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘳𝘪𝘶𝘴 𝘯𝘪𝘷𝘰𝘴𝘶𝘴 𝘯𝘪𝘷𝘰𝘴𝘶𝘴) over time. This data is invaluable to scientists as they work to protect this species' habitat. Western Snowy Plovers breed on sandy coasts and beaches that are often also a popular choice for people - the disturbances caused by humans and their pets then make it near impossible for this bird to nest.
Want to help protect this cute little bird? Whenever you go to the beach, watch where you step, stay out of restricted areas, and make sure to follow all posted rules. You can also become a volunteer with us here at #HalfMoonBay State Beach to help monitor their population throughout the year!
#castateparks #thatsmypark #westernsnowyplover #Beach #statebeach #coastsidestateparks