This is the first in a series of articles highlighting the
California State Parks in the greater Santa Cruz area.
Natural wonders
This is the first in a series of articles highlighting the California State Parks in the greater Santa Cruz area. Each month we will focus on a particular park and the unique natural and cultural features that park has to offer to nature enthusiasts, history buffs and recreation seekers. Depending on the time of year, the article will focus on what visitors can see and do in the park being described during the month it is featured.
For our first article, we are highlighting Natural Bridges State Park which hosts one of the larger overwintering sites of Western Monarchs in the United States. Every year in late summer and early Fall, the Monarchs begin to arrive to the park’s
Eucalyptus Grove which is also a state designated natural preserve. The park hosts a “Welcome Back Monarchs Day” the second Sunday of October and the official Monarch season begins. We hope you enjoy reading this first article.
Welcome Back Monarchs
Natural Bridges State Beach is located on the West Side of Santa Cruz and is home to a diverse population of plant and animal life. Within its 65-acre boundaries, one can visit six different habitats and the animals that call Natural Bridges home. In the fall and winter months, from October through February, monarch butterflies complete their annual migration to overwinter in the protected eucalyptus groves at Natural Bridges. Each fall, thousands of monarch butterflies make a 2,000-mile journey to California to stay at 100 overwintering sites within a mile of the coast from Stinson Beach to Los Angeles.
Natural Bridges’ ideal, temperate climate, shelter from the wind, and nectar sources combine to provide a perfect winter sanctuary for these amazing insects. Winter monarchs have a longer life span and live for 6-9 months. When clustered, they are going through a state of hibernation, not mating and eating only once a week. In the spring, the monarchs mate and go north looking for milkweed to lay their eggs on. Milkweed is the only plant the caterpillars eat and is toxic to most animals. The fact that the monarch caterpillars feast on the milkweed is what makes them toxic to birds. The poisons from the milk weed store up in the caterpillar’s body and, when it is transformed into a butterfly, the toxin is contained in the butterfly’s brightly colored wings. It is amazing to see thousands of monarchs cluster together in one place and we invite you to come and visit Natural Bridges for the experience of a lifetime.
The park’s visitor center offers public tours on weekends at 11am and 2pm from Oct. 16 through the end of January. This is a great way to learn about the monarch’s unique journey and life cycle. Join us in celebrating the return of the monarchs to Santa Cruz on Oct. 10 from 10am-4pm for a family event and experience the excitement of monarch crafts, games, live music, story telling and a parade with monarch superheroes. To learn more about our Welcome Back Monarch’s Day festival call the park at (831) 423-4609.
Natural Bridges also has amazing beaches, a natural bridge (hence the parks’ name) made out of mudstone and awesome tide pools. Tide pool tours are offered around low tides in the spring and summer, giving park visitors a unique experience of viewing intertidal animals in their natural environments. When visiting the tidepools you will see purple sea urchins, various colors of sea stars, anemones and mussels. Please remember to touch animals gently and keep them in the same pool in which they were found. This will ensure that our tide pools and the animals in them will be here for future generations to admire.
Within its small boundaries, Natural Bridges has many small treasures please visit us and learn about this special unique park in Santa Cruz. The park is open from sunrise to sunset daily, and our visitor center and park store are open seven days a week from 10am-4pm. For further information about Natural Bridges State Beach or questions regarding this article, please call Amber Cantisano at (831) 423-4609.
– By Amber Cantisano, Park Ranger
Things to do
Friday, Sept. 24
Predators on Silent Wings at Chitactac, 6:30pm-8pm
Come close to one of nature’s most graceful & magnificent creatures. Discover what “tools” owls have to make them superb at surviving in the wild. Play games, dissect an owl pellet and hear Native American owl tales. Chitactac Park is located on Watsonville Road in Gilroy at the Burchell Road intersection. Call (408) 323-0107 for information.
Saturday, Sept. 25
Redwood Hike at Mt. Madonna, 10am-noon
Explore the amazing redwood forest on this two-mile hike with a Park Ranger. Discover the many wonders of this unique eco-system. Bring hiking shoes, layered clothing, water and sun protection. There is a $5 vehicle fee to enter the park. Call (408) 842-2341 for information.
Art Show at the Almaden Quicksilver Mining Museum, (Sat.-Sun.)10am-4pm
Local artist Gillian Altieri will feature oil and watercolor paintings of historic New Almaden. Meet the artist who has beautifully immortalized the County’s first Historic District. Call (408) 323-1107 for information.
Sunday, Sept. 26
Youth Fishing Event at Vasona, 8am-noon
Get hooked on fishing with South Bay Fishing in the City. This is a hands-on educational and instructional event open to kids ages 5-15 with a parent. On-site registration opens at 8am. All equipment is provided. There is a $5 vehicle fee to enter the park.
Coyote Creek Bike Ride, 10am-1pm
Discover nature by bike on this easy-to-moderate six-mile ride with a Ranger along the Coyote Creek Trail. Meet at the Hellyer Park Velodrome. Bring a bike, helmet, repair kit, water and light snacks. Call (408) 225-0225 for information.
Monday, Sept. 27
Full Moon Paddle on Anderson Reservoir, 6:30pm-9:30pm
Discover local history and wildlife with Park Staff on a late night tour of Anderson Reservoir. Meet at the reservoir launch ramp with your kayak/canoe, life jacket and glow stick. Reservations required. Call (408) 846-8902.
Tuesday, Sept. 28
Blue Moon Paddle at Coyote Lake, 7:30pm-10pm
Navigate the calm water of Coyote Lake under the stars. Discover what the park has to offer round the clock. Bring your own kayak/canoe, lifejacket and glow stick. Reservations required. Call (408) 846-8902.
