Big Basin Redwoods State Park in California, USA - map, photos and visitor information

Research checked: 2026-10-27. Check linked official notices before travel.

Big Basin Redwoods State Park protects ancient coast redwoods in California’s Santa Cruz Mountains. A visit now combines forest recovery with limited day-use access after the 2020 CZU Lightning Complex Fire. Choose an open route and secure parking before driving the winding roads to the historic park core.

Redwoods and a returning waterfall route

The forest’s regrowth is part of the visit. For a longer walk, the reopened 2.9-mile Sequoia Trail reaches Sempervirens Falls; combining it with 1.4 miles of the Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail creates a 4.3-mile loop from the main day-use area. Check the current open-trail map before committing to that loop.

Know before you go

Fees, hours, and seasonal access

Prepare for a recovering forest

Falling dead trees and damaged routes remain hazards in closed areas. Stay within the reopened network. Bring drinking water: the historic core has no potable water supply, although bottled water can be purchased at the kiosk. There is no cell service or Wi-Fi, so arrange return transportation and save your route before arriving.

Keep pets and camping gear within the rules

Dogs are prohibited on unpaved trails and fire roads. Leashed dogs may use the paved areas specified by the park, including the former headquarters parking lot and first mile of North Escape Road. Dogs are prohibited at Rancho del Oso’s interim campground.

Separate parking from coastal camping

Parking reservations are encouraged, with a limited first-come supply. Use the park-linked parking reservation guidance for current arrangements. Overnight trips use a separate system: Rancho del Oso has five reservation-only walk-in sites and one shared, first-come bike-in site. The official coastal campground page provides the booking form. Check in at 2 p.m. and out by noon; each site allows at most six people and two cars. Display the registration confirmation on the dashboard.

Two separate approaches

For the historic core, turn from Highway 9 in Boulder Creek onto Highway 236; the entrance kiosk is 9 miles along that winding road. Rancho del Oso is a separate coastal approach from Highway 1 north of Santa Cruz. Its closed northbound trail connection is not a route through to the historic core.

Nearby parks

Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park’s Fall Creek Unit is a practical day-use alternative along the Highway 9 corridor, with trailheads on Felton Empire Road. Castle Rock State Park is on Highway 35 southeast of its Highway 9 junction, giving a second road-accessible mountain option. Approach each by its own entrance rather than assuming a park-to-park trail is open.

Plan around the open trail network

Walk among recovering redwoods, choose the Sequoia waterfall loop when open, or ask the interim visitor center about guided walks. Use the official access notice and map link to choose a route of the right length. A historic trail name on an older map does not establish current access.

Basic day-use services and a small coastal camp

The historic core has chemical toilets, handwashing stations and an interim visitor center, with very limited services. At Rancho del Oso, the walk-in sites are up to about 200 feet from parking; sites 2 and 4 are generally accessible for visitors with limited mobility. Arrange specific accommodations before booking.

Coastal campers must store all food-related items in the locker and secure trash in the bin. No smoking, generators, drones or attachments to trees are allowed. Use only the supplied fire rings or barbecue grills; beach fires and wood gathering are prohibited. Bring locally sourced or heat-treated firewood. Quiet hours are 10 p.m.–6 a.m.; keep sound within your campsite, do not switch sites and observe the 10 mph entry-road limit.

California’s oldest state park

Protection and fire recovery

Acquired in 1902, Big Basin is California’s oldest state park. The 2020 wildfire changed both the forest and the way visitors use it. Limited day use and the interim coastal campground are steps in a longer recovery, rather than a return of every pre-fire service.

A forest in regrowth

Ancient coast redwoods remain the defining habitat. Watching new growth along an open route offers a way to understand recovery without entering closed, fire-damaged areas.

Contact

California State Parks manages Big Basin. Call 831-338-8860 and consult the official Big Basin park page before making final travel plans.