Sanborn County Park facts for kids
Sanborn County Park is a large public park in the Santa Cruz Mountains in California. It covers about 3,453 acres (13.97 km2) and is owned by Santa Clara County. The park is next to Castle Rock State Park. It is managed by the Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation Department.
The park is mostly covered in forests. It's a great place for hiking and other quiet outdoor activities. Sanborn County Park is located between the town of Saratoga and Skyline Boulevard. In the summer, the park hosts the only outdoor Shakespeare plays in Silicon Valley.
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Exploring the Park: Trails and Views
Sanborn County Park is on the steep eastern side of the Santa Cruz Mountains. This means it has one of the coolest summer climates among Santa Clara County's parks. Tall redwood forests also help keep the hiking trails cool. This is great for visitors from June to September.
You will also find many different types of trees here. These include Coast live oak, Pacific madrone, Big leaf maple, and Tanbark oak.
The park is home to the first part of the Bay Area Ridge Trail in Santa Clara County. This trail goes along the ridge of the Santa Cruz Mountains. It then connects to the Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail, which continues all the way to the Pacific Ocean. The full Bay Area Ridge Trail is planned to go around the entire Bay Area. It will be about 500 miles long.
The Sanborn and San Andreas trails climb up the eastern mountain slope. They eventually meet the Cactus to Clouds Trail (also called Skyline Trail) and Skyline Boulevard. At the top of the park is Summit Rock. This spot is popular for rock-climbing. It also offers amazing panoramic views over Saratoga and the South Bay. You can easily reach Summit Rock from the Skyline Boulevard side.
In the park's southeastern corner, you'll find Lake Ranch Reservoir. This is a pretty, small mountain lake. You can get to it by a steep trail from the end of Sanborn Road. Or, you can take a longer, flatter trail that starts at Black Road. The Black Road trail winds high along Lyndon Canyon. It is not used as much, but it is very green and forested. This trail crosses many small riparian zones. These are areas along creeks that flow into the steep canyon. The canyon was originally formed by the San Andreas Fault.
Shorter, easier trails also go through the redwood trees. These trails follow creeks in the lower parts of Sanborn County Park.
How Sanborn Park Was Created
Sanborn County Park was created in the late 1970s. This was a time when the Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation Department was growing. Leaders like Robert Amery and Charles Rockwell helped make this happen. The county bought many pieces of land. The goal was to create more large county parks for quiet outdoor activities.
A big plan for Sanborn County Park was made during this time. This plan was like a guide for how the park would be used and developed. The county hired a company called Earth Metrics Inc. They prepared a special report called an Environmental Impact Report (EIR). This report studied how the park's development would affect the environment. This was required by the California Environmental Quality Act. Soon after, the County Board of Supervisors approved the park plan. Then, work began to improve roads and trails.
Plants You Can See
Besides the large trees mentioned earlier, the park has many other native plants. These plants were first studied in the Earth Metrics EIR report. Here are some examples of the plants, also called flora, you might see:
- Blue elderberry, Sambucus mexicana
- California maidenhair fern, Adiantum jordanii
- California mugwort, Artemisia douglasiana
- California poppy, Eschscholzia californica, which is California's state flower
- Elk clover, Aralia californica
- Flowering currant, Ribes sanguineum
- Miniature lupine, Lupinus bicolor
- Miner's lettuce, Claytonia perfoliata
- Poison oak, Toxicodendron diversilobum
- Slender tarweed, Madia gracilis
- Sticky cinquefoil, Potentilla glandulosa
- Toyon, Heteromeles arbutifolia
Planning Your Visit
Sanborn County Park is open all year round. However, you cannot enter after sunset. The park is located on Sanborn Road. To get there from Saratoga, drive about two miles (3 km) west on Highway 9. Then, turn left onto Sanborn Road and drive about one mile (1.6 km) to the park entrance.
You can camp overnight at the park. RVs are allowed in certain spots, but only a limited number. Pets are welcome, but they must be on a leash. They are allowed in picnic and RV areas, and on most trails. There is a fee to enter the park at all times.
It is very important to follow the rules here. You are not allowed to pick plants or damage trees. Not all parts of the park are accessible for people with disabilities. However, there is a special all-access trail that starts from the visitor center. You can find picnic tables and some grassy areas in a small part of the park.
Sanborn Science and Nature Center
The Youth Science Institute - Sanborn Science and Nature Center opened in 1982. It is a place where you can learn about science and nature. The center has live animals that live in the Santa Cruz Mountains. It also has exhibits about earthquakes and geology. You can visit an arthropod zoo and a garden with local plants.
The center offers nature and science programs for schools and groups. They also have after-school science programs and summer camps. Every May, the center hosts an annual Insect Fair.
