Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park - Geography

Geography

The main park covers approximately 1,750 acres (7.1 km2), and the separate Fall Creek (not to be confused with the Fall Creek farther north in San Mateo County) unit contains an additional 2,390 acres (9.7 km2). The park lies within the southern end of the Northern California coastal forests ecoregion. In the numerous stream canyons live large populations of coast redwood, coast Douglas fir, California bay laurel, tanbark oak, California hazelnut, bigleaf maple and many other native species.

Up-slope from the redwood forest are found transitional tree species such as Pacific madrone, along with a stand of Ponderosa pine, rare at such a low elevation. Some of the highest and driest ridge slopes in the park support fairly unique chaparral communities known as "elfin forests". The old-growth grove of coast redwood, approximately 40 acres (16 ha) in size, is located entirely in the original section of the park, surrounded by many species of fern and plentiful redwood sorrel. Surrounding areas, including the non-contiguous Fall Creek unit, were logged extensively in the mid-to-late 1800s for lumber and as fuel for the many lime kilns that used to operate in the area, such as the ones preserved at nearby Cowell Lime Works. Logging activities mostly ceased by the 1920s, and the second growth redwoods are now up to several feet in diameter.