Larkspur Creek facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Larkspur Creek |
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Tidal portion of Larkspur Creek near confluence with Corte Madera Creek and with Mt. Tamalpais in west background. Courtesy of Charles Kennard, Friends of Corte Madera Creek.
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| Native name | Arroyo Holon |
| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| Region | Marin County |
| City | Larkspur, California |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Knob Hill, Marin County, California 880 ft (270 m) 37°56′10″N 122°33′48″W / 37.93611°N 122.56333°W |
| River mouth | San Francisco Bay Corte Madera, California 7 ft (2.1 m) 37°56′10″N 122°33′48″W / 37.93611°N 122.56333°W |
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Larkspur Creek is a short stream, about 3.5 miles long, in Larkspur, California. It flows east and joins Corte Madera Creek just before reaching Richardson's Bay. The town of Larkspur, and therefore the creek, was named by Georgiana Wright. She was from Britain and the wife of a developer in 1887. She thought the pretty lupine flowers on the hills looked like larkspur flowers.
The Story of Larkspur Creek
In 1834, a large piece of land called Rancho Corte Madera del Presidio was given to John Reed. This land stretched all the way to Larkspur Creek.
An old newspaper article from 1914 shared some interesting memories. Daniel Taylor, who worked for a trading company, arrived in Larkspur in 1849. He said the area was a "wilderness" with lots of wild geese.
The area known as Baltimore Canyon, where Larkspur Creek flows, got its name from a sawmill. This sawmill was brought all the way from Baltimore, Maryland by boat around Cape Horn! It was used to cut down the huge redwood trees on Mt. Tamalpais.
Taylor remembered the "majestic redwoods" that once covered the area where Larkspur is today. Some of these trees were as wide as eight feet and stood 300 feet tall! He also told a story about hunting a 375-pound black bear (Ursus americanus). He said the bear was "beautiful" and provided a feast for the workers for a whole week.
By the early 1860s, most of the forest had been cut down. Judge Samuel Gardiner, who lived near the canyon in the early 1900s, said there were "thousands of redwood stumps" left behind. These stumps were five to 15 feet wide.
Judge Gardiner also described the creek itself. Where it is now only about two feet deep in summer, it used to be about nine feet wide and 25 feet deep! He remembered seeing many night herons (Nycticorax nycticorax) in the early 1900s. These birds nested in the redwood treetops in Baltimore Canyon. Every night, they would fly to the marsh to hunt for shellfish, returning at dawn.
Animals and Nature at Larkspur Creek
Larkspur Creek is home to some special animals. In 1981, Steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) were found living in the creek. These fish are a type of rainbow trout that can live in both fresh and saltwater.
The upper part of the creek is protected by the Baltimore Canyon Open Space Preserve. Here, you can find young steelhead trout and Pacific giant salamanders (Dicamptodontidae) in the pools of water that stay year-round.
A beautiful waterfall called Dawn Falls is located at the top of the canyon. It's a spectacular 30-foot waterfall, especially during the wet winter months and early spring. It's a great place to see the natural beauty of the area.
