Rancho Del Oso Nature and History Center
Encyclopedia
Rancho Del Oso Nature and History Center interprets the cultural and natural history of the area of Rancho del Oso -- ranch of the bear -- which became part of California
's Big Basin Redwoods State Park
, in the 1970s. The center is located on Highway 1 16 miles north of Santa Cruz, California.
Rancho del Oso has trails that traverse the park habitats. There are soggy marsh
es, grassy meadow
s, gurgling creeks
, hardwood forest
s and pine forests. There are ancient redwood groves and cascading waterfall
s. Trails vary greatly in length from one mile to 13 miles.
The area is a newer section of Big Basin. It is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean
at Waddell Beach, where the Waddell Creek
watershed
drains from the Santa Cruz Mountains
into the sea
. The site is also near the end of the hiking enthusiast's Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail
. Only trails provide access to the Big Basin headquarters.
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
's Big Basin Redwoods State Park
Big Basin Redwoods State Park
Big Basin Redwoods State Park is a state park in the U.S. state of California, located in Santa Cruz County, about northwest of Santa Cruz. The park contains almost all of the Waddell Creek watershed, which was formed by the seismic uplift of its rim, and the erosion of its center by the many...
, in the 1970s. The center is located on Highway 1 16 miles north of Santa Cruz, California.
Rancho del Oso has trails that traverse the park habitats. There are soggy marsh
Marsh
In geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of wetland that is subject to frequent or continuous flood. Typically the water is shallow and features grasses, rushes, reeds, typhas, sedges, other herbaceous plants, and moss....
es, grassy meadow
Meadow
A meadow is a field vegetated primarily by grass and other non-woody plants . The term is from Old English mædwe. In agriculture a meadow is grassland which is not grazed by domestic livestock but rather allowed to grow unchecked in order to make hay...
s, gurgling creeks
Stream
A stream is a body of water with a current, confined within a bed and stream banks. Depending on its locale or certain characteristics, a stream may be referred to as a branch, brook, beck, burn, creek, "crick", gill , kill, lick, rill, river, syke, bayou, rivulet, streamage, wash, run or...
, hardwood forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
s and pine forests. There are ancient redwood groves and cascading waterfall
Waterfall
A waterfall is a place where flowing water rapidly drops in elevation as it flows over a steep region or a cliff.-Formation:Waterfalls are commonly formed when a river is young. At these times the channel is often narrow and deep. When the river courses over resistant bedrock, erosion happens...
s. Trails vary greatly in length from one mile to 13 miles.
The area is a newer section of Big Basin. It is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
at Waddell Beach, where the Waddell Creek
Waddell Creek
Waddell Creek is the name given to both the creek and the watershed that run through Big Basin Redwoods State Park in Santa Cruz County, California...
watershed
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
drains from the Santa Cruz Mountains
Santa Cruz Mountains
The Santa Cruz Mountains, part of the Pacific Coast Ranges, are a mountain range in central California, United States. They form a ridge along the San Francisco Peninsula, south of San Francisco, separating the Pacific Ocean from San Francisco Bay and the Santa Clara Valley, and continuing south,...
into the sea
Sea
A sea generally refers to a large body of salt water, but the term is used in other contexts as well. Most commonly, it means a large expanse of saline water connected with an ocean, and is commonly used as a synonym for ocean...
. The site is also near the end of the hiking enthusiast's Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail
Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail
The Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail is a 29.5-mile hiking trail that descends from the ridge of the Santa Cruz Mountains in Northern California to the Pacific Ocean, passing through Castle Rock State Park and Big Basin Redwoods State Park. Big Basin is California's first state park...
. Only trails provide access to the Big Basin headquarters.