Hike After Work: Cotoni-Coast Dairies [California Coastal National Monument]

Join us for a Healthful Hikeful, a bite sized sunset hike at Cotoni-Coast Dairies (CCD). CCD is the on-shore unit of the California Coastal National Monument, which just opened to the public this past weekend! (We had a special preview hike back in November, with two BLM rangers, who took us on a grand tour of all 9 miles of open trails.)

Background
“Prior to European arrival, the Cotoni (pronounced “Chotoni”) Tribe made their home on the coastal prairie known today as Cotoni-Coast Dairies. In the 1860s, Swiss farming families acquired the land from Spanish grantees and developed the site into a dairy. Today, the BLM collaborates with the local tribes to develop recreation trails that ensure important cultural resources are not impacted.”
BLM CCD Overview

“Just eight days before the end of his presidency, President Barack Obama added the Cotoni-Coast Dairies property—on the north coast of Santa Cruz County—to the California Coastal National Monument.”
Sempervirens CCD Overview

KQED Podcast, 2021, A New National Monument
Santa Cruz Museum

Native Plants of CCD

Where to meet:
Meet in the parking lot about 1 mile north of Davenport at the intersection of Cement Plant Road (parallels Hwy 1) and Warrenella Road (aka “Warnell Truck Trail” on Google Maps).

Schedule:
Arrive by 6:30, hike departs at 6:40pm

Facilities:
Restrooms and cell service are available at the parking lot.

Route:
We will do Loop 1. Loop 1 (details below) is very well maintained, so ticks and poison oak should not be a problem at this time of year if you stay on trail.

CCD Trails:
The trail system currently consists of 3 loops that gradually increase in hiking difficulty. The trailhead is located in the parking area. Lower Loop 1 (2.5 miles) gradually climbs the marine terrace, with part of this loop following the Agua Puerca Creek drainage.
Loop 2 is 1.5-2 miles that takes us through redwoods, Douglas firs, and oaks, down into the Molino Creek riparian area. From there hikers can either return to the marine terrace and back down to the trailhead, or cross Molino Creek to the 3rd loop. This last 3-mile loop has a 1000’ climb within a 1 mile stretch — difficult by most standards. The path tops out on the upper terrace and meanders through some of the 2020 CZU burn area, oak groves, and across marine terraces.
Loops 1-2 will take around 2-3 hours to complete.
Including Loop 3 in the hike will add another hour or two.

Suggestions of what to bring if you return to complete all three loops:
Water, snacks, sun protection, wind protection, rain protection, long pants, closed-toe walking/hiking shoes, trekking poles, binoculars, cameras.
Hazards include ticks, poison oak, poison hemlock, rattle snakes.

Legal Disclaimer: The organizers and hosts in this group are not professional guides, and each person who signs up for a trip/meetup/ or outing is responsible for his or her own safety and the safety of his or her guests and property. Outdoor activities are inherently hazardous. By signing up for this hike, or any other event organized by this group, you are acknowledging that you are aware and have made your guests aware of the risks, dangers and hazards associated with vigorous outdoor activity and freely accept and fully assume all such risks, dangers and hazards, and further agree to release and discharge “Connect Outdoors”, the organizer, assistant organizers, event organizers and event hosts of this Meetup group from and against any and all liability arising from your and your guest's participation in the group activities. As always, this is a “Participate at your Own Risk” event.