A committed conservationist and local historian, Dr. Traci Bliss has authored or coauthored several chapters about redwood state parks and their beneficial impact on the environment. As a docent at Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park for more than five years, Dr. Traci Bliss regularly leads historic walking tours of the area and gives talks to civic organizations. Her relatives, William T. and Jennie Bliss Jeter, ensured that the ancient Redwood Grove, the core of today's park, became public land in 1930.
Officially designated in 1954, Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park covers more than 4,000 acres and five individual plant communities, ranging from old-growth coastal redwoods to big-leaf maples. The San Lorenzo River runs through the property, and many of the park’s facilities, including a picnic area where up to 400 people can gather and a 112-unit campground, are located near the San Lorenzo’s banks. Throughout the year, the state park hosts a number of guided events for individuals, groups, and families. During the summer, guests can participate in a bird walk, a two-mile long star stroll, and guided redwood walks, among others.
One of the most notable trails at Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, the Redwood Grove Loop Trail, weaves through one of the last old-growth groves of the trees in Santa Cruz. A trail with trees over 1,000 years old, it is less than a mile long and accessible by both strollers and wheelchairs. Other trails vary in length up to 12 miles and take visitors through different environments and historic locations, like 19th-century lime kilns.
Officially designated in 1954, Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park covers more than 4,000 acres and five individual plant communities, ranging from old-growth coastal redwoods to big-leaf maples. The San Lorenzo River runs through the property, and many of the park’s facilities, including a picnic area where up to 400 people can gather and a 112-unit campground, are located near the San Lorenzo’s banks. Throughout the year, the state park hosts a number of guided events for individuals, groups, and families. During the summer, guests can participate in a bird walk, a two-mile long star stroll, and guided redwood walks, among others.
One of the most notable trails at Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, the Redwood Grove Loop Trail, weaves through one of the last old-growth groves of the trees in Santa Cruz. A trail with trees over 1,000 years old, it is less than a mile long and accessible by both strollers and wheelchairs. Other trails vary in length up to 12 miles and take visitors through different environments and historic locations, like 19th-century lime kilns.
