Rancho del Oso (Big Basin Redwoods State Park)

Camping is now available at the Rancho del Oso Unit of Big Basin Redwoods State Park, three years after the CZU Fire tore through the area.
The Horse Camp at Rancho del Oso on the coastal side of Big Basin has been rehabilitated and is open for walk-in, non-equestrian camping. This campground will be open on a temporary basis in partnership with Save the Redwoods League and Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks while there is no equestrian trail access on the coast side of the park. There five walk-in campsites available by reservation and one shared non-reserved bike-in site. Learn more about camping and make a reservation.
The campground will be reinstated as a Horse Camp once equestrian trails have been restored. It will be several years before the park is fully reopened.
Rancho Del Oso is the coastal side of Big Basin, located north of the town of Davenport on Highway 1. The Marsh Trail is open for hiking. The trail is teeming with life —rabbits are frequently seen scurrying off the trail, while dragonflies swoop over the water and birds flit among the willows growing near the creek. Other nearby trails remain closed due to fire damage. Waddell Beach, across Highway 1 from Rancho Del Oso, is known worldwide as one of the spots for windsurfing and kite surfing.
*Photo credit to Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks.