Purisima Creek (San Mateo County) facts for kids
Purisima Creek is a stream located in San Mateo County, California. It is about 8 miles (12.9 kilometers) long. The creek begins near a place called Sierra Morena. From there, it flows west until it reaches the Pacific Ocean. This happens about 2.3 miles (3.7 kilometers) south of Miramontes Point.
A large part of the land around Purisima Creek is now protected. It is part of the Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve. This preserve helps keep the natural environment safe.
History of Purisima Creek
The area around Purisima Creek has a long history. The first Europeans to explore California by land were from Spain. This group was called the Portolá expedition. They traveled through this area in 1769. They even camped near the creek on October 27, 1769. This was a very early visit by Europeans.
Streams Joining Purisima Creek
Purisima Creek gets water from several smaller streams. These smaller streams are called tributaries. They flow into Purisima Creek, adding to its water.
- Walker Gulch
- Whittemore Gulch
- Grabtown Gulch
- Soda Gulch
Wildlife and Ecology
The California Academy of Sciences has an interesting discovery from Purisima Creek. They have a piece of a skull from a tule elk. This skull piece was found about one mile inland from where the creek meets the ocean. It was discovered in 1951.
Tule elk (Cervus canadensis nannodes) are a type of elk found only in California. People once thought that all tule elk had disappeared from California by 1873. That year, hunting elk was finally banned by the California Legislature. However, a small group of elk were later found alive. These survivors were in southern San Joaquin County, California. All the tule elk herds we see today are descended from those few survivors.
