💚Forest of Nisene Marks🌲Hike🥾Adventure 🌊 Beach 🏖️ Combo+ Social Dinner 🍽️

Hello Team🌿
We are heading to beautiful The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park for a fresh-air redwood adventure!
I went to scout the area already ✅

• Parking on the residential street — no fee and no issue
• Peaceful entrance
• Gorgeous redwood forest energy 🌲✨

About The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park
Located near Santa Cruz, this park's dense second- and third-growth redwood forest rises from near sea level to steep coastal mountains, offering picnic spots near Aptos Creek and 30 miles of hiking and biking trails in rugged semi-wilderness.

Off the beaten path, The Forest of Nisene Marks is a refreshing retreat from the busy towns and beaches along Highway 1 near Santa Cruz. Its dense second- and third-growth redwood forest rises from near sea level to steep coastal mountains.

Most visitors come to picnic near Aptos Creek or to hike, jog, or bike on 30 miles of trails in rugged semi-wilderness, rising from sea level to steep coastal mountains of more than 2,600 feet.

The park’s land has a bittersweet beauty. Almost all of today’s redwood forest was clear-cut in a 40-year logging frenzy from 1883 to 1923. When the loggers left the Aptos Canyon, the forest began to heal itself; now, the scars grow fainter with each passing year. The Forest of Nisene Marks is a monument to forest regeneration and the future—it is a forest in a perpetual state of becoming.

The park's name honors Nisene Marks, the nature-loving mother of the Salinas farm family that bought the land in the 1950s. Her children donated approximately 9,700 acres to the state in 1963 with the provision that the land never be developed. Today, the park showcases a forest in recovery, with rugged canyons and remnants of its once-bustling railroad and logging industry. A grove of ancient old-growth redwood trees near the Pourroy picnic area was preserved under private ownership and added to the park in recent years.

Here is our FUN flexible plan:
🌉 Option 1 – If the Bridge is Open
If the bridge is available to access the main park, we will continue deeper into the forest.
🌲 Beautiful redwoods
💚 Route: Out and back
🥾Length: Total hike: 5–6 miles
Parking: Free
Level: Moderate Challenging!
Elevation gain: 500 ft+
Dog: No!
🧘‍♀️ Calm, grounding forest therapy
🚫 Option 2 – If the Bridge is Closed
Currently, part of the trail only allows about 2 miles out and back because the bridge is not accessible.
No problem at all 😎
🧙‍♀️General Dr.Heidi always has a backup plan!
After our forest hike:
🚗 We drive a few minutes
🌊 Head to the beach
👣 Add about 3 miles beach walk
So it becomes:
🌲 Forest hike + 🌊 Beach walk combo adventure
Two different energies in one day — Redwoods + Ocean breeze = Perfect balance 💚💙
🍽️ After the Adventure – Social Dinner
Optional group dinner nearby for those who want to relax, eat, laugh, and connect.
Good food + good people + ocean air = happy life ✨
Important Notes
❗Layer up – forest can be cool
❗Bring water & snacks
❗Anyone who needs to leave early can manage your own time
❗Positive attitude required 😄
❗This is not just a hike.
💚It’s green exercise, fresh oxygen, and good social energy!
Looking forward to seeing strong hikers and happy faces at the trailhead 🌿💖

*Encouraging carpooling if you know each other well for everyone's safety. Please contact each other in a private message not in the message board. Thank you! https://www.groupcarpool.com/t/h5djx6

⏰Meet time: 12 noon
Aptos near The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park
GPS link coming soon...
🥾Hiking time: 12:30pm
📍To keep the group organized and manageable, detailed meeting instructions will be sent to those on the Going list by March 15, please be patient, no text message on the board or private message.

*Requested contribution suggested amount of $10-$20 keep the club going!
​*Note: Thanks for joining our wellness club event, it does take time and money to make it happen. To support/keep our group alive and active, You can help! Dr.Heidi kindly asks for a contribution, accepting in person.
Your contribution will help us cover our costs and make our Meetups going even better. Thank you for being prepared and supportive 🌿

Our meetup events have a very positive impact on people's lives, people meet, fall in love💘 meet new friends, HAPPY, better health, less stress, anxiety, depression, isolate being alone and got extra bonus for LOVE ​💞

*DO NOT ATTEND if you're experiencing any cold or flu symptoms, have a compromised immune system.

We are an intermediate hike group. Please be ready to keep up hiking with us from 5 miles to 8 miles without any health issues.

*LIABILITY WAIVER: The event host/organizer is not for everyone's emergency or medical services. By signing up for the wellness hiking event, you hereby release its organizers, hosts, and participants from any and all liability, claims, demands or causes of action that you now have, or may have in the future, for illness, injuries, damages, and/or economic loss of any kind or nature, arising in whole or in part out of the activities, advice, or information contained herein. You agree to full responsibility for your own health issues.

*Hike at YOUR OWN RISK. Open trails aren't necessarily free of hazards--by entering the wilderness, you assume responsibility for your safety and must use good judgment.

*Participation in this event is strictly voluntary! The event host/organizer assumes no responsibility for any injury, damage, or loss you may incur. You join and hike entirely at your own risk.

*DISCLAIMER: By participating in this wellness hiking event, you understand that Meetup event Host/Organizer assumes ABSOLUTELY NO responsibility and you have to assume all at your own risk of injury, damage, and economic loss, without limitation, and release host/Organizer of all liability.

If anyone wishes to join our hike team, please answer the RSVP question every time for everyone's safety in the group. If you are unable to send me a message confirming that you are in good health and you are able to hike 5 miles without health issues we CANNOT approve you come to the hiking event.
*Please don't just walk in Thank you for your cooperation!

I'm looking forward to meeting, hiking with you and making good memories together.
Yours in good health! Dr. Heidi💝

❤️American Heart Association BLS-CPR, Heartsaver CPR, First Aid Courses -Learn and Live!❤️
*Three courses available upon request:
https://visibook.com/ahacprfirstaid
*By taking this course, you're contributing to the safety and well-being of those around you.
*These skills are crucial for everyone to know, as they can help save the lives of loved ones, friends, or even strangers in the community.