Big Basin Redwoods Park Could Reopen This Summer

SANTA CRUZ, CA — The resilience at Big Basin Redwoods State Park is strong.

After almost two years of recovering from the tragic CZU Lightning Complex Fire that burned 97% of the park, officials announced the vision for reopening.

Limited access to the park could be available this summer, the announcement said.

But important changes had to be taken into consideration.

“The Reimagining Big Basin Vision Summary was created through a collaborative vision with months of public input,” according to release sent from California's Department of Parks and Recreation Thursday.

The summary draft outlines a “reimagined park that will be different from the Big Basin the public remembers, with facilities and services established outside of the old growth redwoods and areas with sensitive resources,” the release stated.

Alternative modes of transportation to the park including a shuttle and connectivity resources are also a top priority.

State parks has a list of strategies to follow for the reestablished park.

“While the CZU Lightning Complex Fire’s impacts to the park were tragic, the forest is incredibly resilient and regrowing,” California State Parks Director Armando Quintero said. “This is our time, as stewards of Big Basin Redwoods State Park, to increase the resiliency of the forest and equity of access to all Californians, and honor the deep history that makes this park so iconic. We look forward to our continued partnership with the public.”

The public is invited to discuss the draft at a community presentation June 3 from 5 to 7 p.m. The presentation is at Boulder Creek Recreation Hall, 13333 Middleton Avenue in Boulder Creek.

“Redwoods are too big for small dreams, and Reimagining Big Basin is ambitious: it prioritizes the oldest trees in the park, now and into the future,” Sempervirens Fund Executive Director Sara Barth said. “How visitors can access these areas and enjoy them will continue to evolve in future phases of planning, but it is paramount to protect the oldest forests so they can recover, thrive once more, and continue to establish the healthy forests of the future.”

Full access to the park could take several years, the announcement said.

See the announcement and more details here.