10/06/2026
Some places are worth knowing a little better.
Here are five things about Henry Cowell and Big Basin Redwoods State Parks, two of California's most remarkable places, right in the Santa Cruz Mountains:
Big Basin is California's oldest state park, established in 1902 to protect ancient redwoods that visitors still experience today.
Some of Big Basin's redwoods are more than 1,000 years old, and many that survived the 2020 CZU Fire are now producing new growth.
Henry Cowell's tallest tree reaches roughly 277 feet.
Henry Cowell's old-growth Redwood Grove covers just 40 acres, yet holds trees that have been growing for well over a thousand years.
Since 1973, Mountain Parks Foundation has worked in cooperation with California State Parks to support both parks, helping make educational programs, student field trips, interpretive materials, volunteer programs, and visitor experiences possible.
For more than 50 years, our work has been built on a simple idea: when people experience these places and understand what makes them extraordinary, they're more likely to help protect them for the next generation.
https://www.mountainparks.org
