48 PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM {due west} heart of Big Basin remain closed, a small interim campground at Rancho del Oso offers six places to pitch your tent. WHAT’S AHEAD Looking to the future, the Reimagining Big Basin initiative outlines a plan for rebuilding visitor facilities—just not in their original locations. “Early planners weren’t expecting to get a million visitors a year coming by car from Highway 280 and Highway 17,” Garret says. “The silver lining of the fire is that now we have an opportunity to redesign the park so that it can handle that kind of visitation while also lessening the impacts on the natural resources.” Experts say that as long as there have been redwoods at Big Basin, there have been fires, but a wildfire of the magnitude of the CZU Complex hadn’t been seen for hundreds of years. One reason is that advancements in wildfire suppression have led to a buildup of overgrowth, Garret says, leaving parks like Big Basin vulnerable to extreme fire events that are intensified by climate change. Save the Redwoods League, California State Parks and a coalition of other partners are proposing a new forest stewardship plan that includes thinning and prescribed burning, techniques employed by the region’s indigenous people for thousands of years. Their hope is to help keep Big Basin’s redwood forests healthy in a warmer, drier climate. If it works, visitors will be able to appreciate the beauty of these ancient giants for generations to come. VISITING BIG BASIN Big Basin Redwoods State Park is open for limited day use. Parking reservations at the primary day use area are recommended ($6 per vehicle plus a $2 reservation fee, or $10 per vehicle without a reservation). No fees or reservations are required for day use at Rancho del Oso. Hop on a seasonal shuttle at the Saddle Mountain parking area, a pilot program that allows visitors to make a reservation and get a ride into the park, or take advantage of Santa Cruz Metro’s expanded seasonal bus route on weekends. Check parks.ca.gov/bigbasin for trail maps and updates. PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF: FRIENDS OF SANTA CRUZ COUNTY STATE PARKS
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