Three Northern California Parks Just Got a Lot Bigger. Here’s What Changed.
Earth Day came with some big news for Northern California’s public lands. Three state parks across the region are growing thanks to a series of land donations announced Wednesday as part of Governor Newsom’s State Parks Forward initiative.
Together, the additions bring more than 800 acres into public hands at no cost to the state, expanding wildlife habitat, trail access, and coastal preservation in Mendocino, Nevada, and San Mateo counties. Here are the parks that grew:
Montgomery Woods State Natural Reserve, Mendocino County
Save the Redwoods League donated 453 acres of second-growth coast redwood and oak woodland to Montgomery Woods State Natural Reserve, growing the reserve by 16%. The addition, known as Atkins Place, also brings 1.25 miles of high-quality stream habitat for imperiled salmon-family fish. The League said the donation was always part of a longer vision for the reserve, and Earth Day made for a fitting moment to make it official.
South Yuba River State Park, Nevada County
The Bear Yuba Land Trust donated 218 acres to South Yuba River State Park, completing a milestone trail advocates have long worked toward. The Rush Creek property donation means the iconic Independence Trail is now fully within the state park’s boundaries. The 4.7-mile trail holds a significant place in outdoor recreation history as the first wheelchair-accessible wilderness trail in the United States when it opened. A 2.5-mile western section remains closed due to damage from the 2020 Jones Fire.
Pigeon Point Light Station State Historic Park, San Mateo County
The Peninsula Open Space Trust donated 133 acres of coastal bluff land to Pigeon Point Light Station State Historic Park, more than tripling the park’s total footprint. The addition connects the park to Cloverdale Bluffs and enables a 1.5-mile extension of the California Coastal Trail along the San Mateo Coast.
All told, it was one of the better Earth Days Northern California’s public lands have ever seen.
