Butano State Park in California, USA - map and visitor information

Research checked: 2026-11-01. Check linked official notices before travel.

Butano State Park protects redwood canyons and uplands near Pescadero on California’s San Mateo coast. Plan a forest walk with your own drinking water. Ben Ries Campground remains closed indefinitely after fire damage to the water system, while the separate backpacking Trail Camp is open by reservation.

Redwood canyon and recovering forest

Second- and third-growth redwoods shelter the canyon, with oak woodland, wetlands and chaparral higher on the slopes. The park’s trail network offers a choice of forest shade and ridge scenery. A short visit can focus on the redwoods rather than committing to a remote overnight route.

Know before you go

Fees, hours, and seasonal access

Water and backcountry preparation

Carry water into the backcountry. If using surface water, treat it before drinking. Mobile coverage is unlikely there. Allow enough daylight for the complete route: late arrivals are not permitted to begin a trail-camp trip after sunset.

Visit responsibly

Keep food secured and leave no crumbs, which helps protect nesting marbled murrelets. Do not feed wildlife or collect plants, mushrooms or wood. Drones are prohibited. Dogs are not allowed on hiking trails or in trail camps. In paved developed areas where dogs are permitted, an adult must hold a leash no longer than six feet.

Trail Camp reservations

Use the official backcountry trail-camp page for Butano Trail Camp, rather than treating Ben Ries as available. Reservations can be requested up to 60 days ahead. A submitted request is not a confirmed reservation: confirmation follows approval and payment. Camping is only in the assigned site, with a maximum of six people per site.

Trail-camp fees are USD 15 per site per night, plus an USD 8 nonrefundable reservation fee. No dispersed camping, smoking or ground fires are allowed. Backpacking stoves can be used except during extreme fire danger. Carry the backcountry permit and park only in designated trailhead parking.

Location and access

The park is at 1500 Cloverdale Road, Pescadero, CA 94060. It lies about 4.5 miles southeast of Pescadero via Pescadero and Cloverdale Roads, or three miles northeast of the Gazos Creek coastal access point via Gazos Creek Road. Use current entrance information alongside the official park brochure and trail map because its older campground information predates the fire.

Nearby parks

Año Nuevo State Park is a Highway 1 coastal option, about 20 miles north of Santa Cruz. Its seal-viewing access has separate arrangements, so check those before adding a wildlife visit. Pigeon Point Light Station State Historic Park is also on Highway 1, 20 miles south of Half Moon Bay. Both are road-accessible coastal stops after leaving the inland Butano approach.

Things to do

Walk through the redwood canyon, photograph the changing forest and use the mapped trails for a route that fits available daylight. The main park page describes Little Butano Creek Trail as a shorter redwood outing. Confirm the open route at arrival and avoid the dated Fire Road closure above. Longer routes and the Trail Camp need more water and time than a brief forest walk.

Facilities and accessibility

Day-use picnic areas and parking support a visit without camping. The older brochure identifies the visitor center and parking lot as generally accessible. Contact the park about the specific route and facilities needed, given the fire-related changes. There are no showers, and the campground’s normal facilities do not override its current closure.

About the park

Protecting the redwoods

Butano became a state park in 1957 to protect coastal redwoods from logging. Its broader cultural landscape lies within the ancestral territory of the Quiroste, whose descendants are among the people known today as Ohlone. The forest visible now also reflects logging and subsequent regrowth.

Habitats and wildlife

Redwood forest, oak woodland, riparian areas and chaparral create different habitats within the park. Woodpeckers and newts are among the animals described by the park. Enjoy sightings from the trail and keep food away from wildlife.

Contact

Official Butano State Park page. Visitor center: (650) 879-2040. Address: 1500 Cloverdale Road, Pescadero, CA 94060.