BBFMP - Basis of Design - Public Draft - 2024-01-04 (Pages)

R E I M A G I N I N G

BIG BASIN REDWOODS STATE PARK

Facilities Management Plan BASIS OF DESIGN PUBLIC DRAFT

04 JANUARY 2024

Chapter 1 Critical Understanding Introduction The Big Basin Facilities Management

1. Critical Understanding

Plan (BBFMP) will assess site

This chapter establishes a shared

opportunities, constraints,

understanding of parkwide considerations

environmental considerations, and

regarding planning objectives, biological

visitor experiences to plan for new

resources, considerations for rebuilding,

facilities that restore access to the

circulation and access, utlitities, and life

park following the 2020 CZU Fire. The

safety planning.

document will provide recommendations for proposed facilities and helps streamline

2. Facilities Sites This chapter identifies

final design and environmental review.

the location of sites that will be explored

The BBFMP will be used by California State

for faciliites in the BBFMP. For each site,

Parks management, staff, and park partners.

there is an assessment of existing conditions considerations, opportunities, and constraints.

This Basis of Design Document includes preliminary technical studies and considerations for utilities, civil engineering, architectural concepts, senstive ecosystems, cultural resources, climate resilience, and energy systems. The document is presented in two chapters.

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Planning Objectives The Planning Objectives for the Big Basin Redwoods State Park Facilities Management Plan (BBFMP) emerge from the Guiding Principles that were developed during the Reimagining Big Basin Visioning Process.

The Planning Objectives will be used to evaluate planning and design decisions in the development of the preferred alternative, which will be presented in the final BBFMP.

Guiding Principles Prioritize Forest Health

Provide Equitable, Diverse, and Evocative Visitor Experiences

Diversify Transportation and Access Opportunities

Practice Land Stewardship

Include Indigenous Perspective

Foster Landscape Connectivity

Design with Reverence and Resilience

Engage the Park Community and Build Partnerships

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Planning Objectives Prioritize Forest Health • Structures and facilities will be sited and designed to allow forest stewardship projects to occur in priority areas and to increase forest resiliency in a changing climate.

• Structures and utilities will be sited and designed to minimize development within old growth redwood forest areas, to minimize fuel contributions from structures, and to minimize the need to remove hazard trees within old growth areas.

• Structures, parking, developed areas and trails will be sited and designed to minimize paving and soil compaction and to allow natural ecological processes to occur.

Provide Equitable, Diverse, and Evocative Visitor Experiences • Park facilities will strive to support pre-fire visitation for day-use, trail access, and overnight use while managing visitor use for other project goals.

• The park will provide diverse camping and overnight experiences, as well as a variety of day-use facilities and will have quality support amenities, programs and activities that support day-use and overnight experiences.

• Park facilities will be inviting and inclusive to diverse future California communities and educational and interpretive materials will include a variety of languages and perspectives.

Diversify Transportation and Access Opportunities • Maximize the efficiency of use, experience quality, and access equity to Big Basin by travel modes that are alternatives to lowoccupancy private vehicles.

• Maximize park access opportunities for lower income and underrepresented communities, and park visitors without access to a vehicle.

• Minimize vehicle congestion getting to the park, and pedestrian congestion and crowding within the park.

Practice Land Stewardship • Facilities will be sited and designed to allow effective long-term maintenance to create sustainable park recreational access for future generations.

• Park facilities will be sited and designed to consider future stewardship activities and to enable active forest management including Indigenous practices in the context of changing climatic conditions.

• The park will include adequate facilities needed for active stewardship activities including spike camps for stewardship corps, stewardship training facilities, operation and maintenance facilities and permanent and seasonal staff housing.

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Include Indigenous Perspectives

Design with Reverence and Resilience

• Facilities and recreational amenities will be sited and designed with input and consultation with Indigenous leaders and representatives.

• Structures and facilities will be sited and constructed to be resilient to hazards that will become more frequent and intense with climate change including severe winter storms, drought, and high-severity fire.

• The siting and design of facilities will include considerations that ensure that all interpretive and educational materials incorporate an Indigenous perspective.

• Park facilities will provide ceremonial space for cultural use by Indigenous groups and individuals.

Foster Landscape Connectivity • Park facilities will allow future connections to surrounding parks and recreation areas to provide regional recreational opportunities.

• Developed park areas will be sited and designed to promote continuous and connected areas of important habitats and to avoid fragmentation.

• Planning of facilities will incorporate considerations for a collaborative and regional approach to forest management that engages landowners and land management agencies of nearby properties.

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• All developed park amenities are aesthetically designed to create experiences that reference the historic character of Big Basin with reverence to the park’s natural landscape and history.

• Developed park facilities are planned to minimize carbon emissions associated with park visitation and operation and maintenance, are designed with sustainable materials, and incorporate renewable energy production when feasible.

Engage the Park Community and Build Partnerships • Park plans reflect public values and feedback, and the priorities expressed by the community and stakeholders during the facilities planning process, particularly reflecting the voices of under-represented communities.

• Park plans can be implemented with strong support from partners.

• Park facilities can be constructed in phases to provide the envisioned recreational experiences with available funds.

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Biological Resources Which of the following aspects of redwood trees do you find most inspiring?

More than two-thirds of respondents categorized the longevity and ability of redwood trees to live for thousands of years as the most inspiring aspect.

Other features many categorized as inspiring is their ability to recover from wildfires and the amazing and unique ecology of the species.

COAST REDWOOD ECOLOGY The iconic old-growth redwoods that characterize and garnered support for the creation and expansion of Big Basin Redwoods State Park are part of the coast redwoods forest ecosystem that is found in a relatively narrow band along the Pacific Coast, from central California to southern Oregon. This forest ecosystem depends on a maritime climate, which provides the relatively stable temperature, moisture, and fog that coast redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens) need. Forests that consist of nearly exclusive canopies of coast redwood are relatively rare, even in the humid north.

These stands are confined to alluvial flats and moist slopes. Valley floors that tend to be protected from high-severity fire and wind allow redwoods to grow old, with a potential life span well over 1,000 years, and create conditions that support their ability to grow much taller than other species and gain and retain dominance for centuries.

A codominant of the redwood forest is Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), another conifer that increases in abundance away from valley floors. This codominance is shared by hardwoods, such as tanoak (Lithocarpus densiflorus), madrone (Arbutus menziesii), and California bay (Umbellularia californica) on dry, south-facing slopes and higher elevations. Unlike Douglas fir, these hardwoods and the coast redwood have the ability to resprout after being cut or severely damaged by fire. This sprouting habit is also shared by evergreen huckleberry (Vaccinium ovatum) and sword fern (Polystichum munitum), two of the dominant understory shrub species in the forest. The ability to

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resprout by many of the dominant species in a redwood forest typically helps maintain a relatively high degree of vegetational stability after fire, wind, logging, or floods.

The park contains over 4,400 acres of old-growth redwoods, together with other rare plant communities, and numerous animal and plant species considered special status or of special concern. The Big Basin Redwoods State Park General Plan (California State Parks 2013) provides detailed descriptions of the natural resources within the park, including information on special-status species, sensitive natural communities, essential habitat features, creeks, and other wetlands.

climate change, these changes could eliminate some plant communities and animal habitats, greatly fragment other habitats, and cause some habitats to shift.

The moisture-dependent wetland, riparian, and redwood forest plant communities could be especially affected at the park.

The park is an important part of a regional mosaic of preserved lands in the Santa Cruz Mountains that provide valuable native habitats for wildlife. Restoring these habitats and protecting the sensitive resources within the park, as well as between the park and other surrounding public open space lands, is essential for maintaining healthy ecosystems.

Past and present human influences, including logging, agricultural production, fire suppression, wildlife feeding, introduction of non-native plants and animals, intensive visitor activities, and facility development have changed the conditions under which natural ecosystems have developed. The August 2020 CZU Lightning Fire Complex burned over 97 percent and dramatically altered conditions at the park. Together, these changes have created shifts in species composition and changes in the structure and pattern of plant communities and species populations. As a result, sensitive habitats, such as old-growth redwoods and riparian and estuarine areas have been impacted and native plant and wildlife values have declined. Opportunistic native and invasive non-native plant species have spread through open areas where they were previously excluded by dense shade and duff. While over 95 percent of redwoods survived the effects of the CZU Lightning Complex Fire, most of the codominant Douglas fir and other forest trees were lost, and regeneration by seed-dependent species is uncertain. In combination with trends of warmer temperatures and drier summer conditions observed as part of

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“When I really felt connected to nature I was alone; riding my horse on a wide trail surrounded by amazing old growth redwood trees swaying in the wind. They were singing!! As the light drifted through the canopy I felt as if heaven and earth had blended.

I felt happy and at total peace with the world.”

- Respondent to an online survey conducted Summer 2023

SENSITIVE RESOURCES The known presence of numerous specialstatus species,1 the abundance of sensitive natural communities,2 and the network of creeks, drainages, and other regulated waters, together with the largest oldgrowth redwood stands in the southern part of the range of coast redwood are all a reflection of the high sensitivity of the park.

This includes occurrence of 14 specialstatus plant species and 41 special-status animal species that have been confirmed or strongly suspected in or near the park, and seven sensitive natural communities recognized by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), including oldgrowth stands of redwoods. Figure 1A is from the 2013 General Plan and provides an overview of the known occurrences of sensitive natural resources.

Species of greatest concern in the Focus Area of the BBFMP include the Stateendangered and federally threatened marbled murrelet (Brachyramphus marmoratus) and the federally threatened California red-legged frog (Rana draytonii), indicator species for old growth forest and highly sensitive aquatic habitats in the park.

Critical habitat for both of these species, designated by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), extends over most of the park boundaries.

1 Special-status species are plants and animals that are legally protected under the state and/or federal Endangered Species Acts or other regulations, as well as other species that are considered rare enough by the scientific community and trustee agencies to warrant special consideration, particularly with regard to protection of isolated populations, nesting or denning locations, communal roosts, and other essential habitat.

2 Sensitive natural communities are natural community types recognized with a high inventory priority as sensitive by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife that must be assessed under the California Environmental Quality Act.

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HYDROLOGY Waddell Creek is the main river system within the park and 13,400 acres of the total 17,000 acres of the Waddell Creek watershed falls within the park. Waddell Creek is characterized by downcutting channels wherein the sediment transport capacity exceeds the sediment supply, typically evident by the presence of waterfalls (Rischbieter and Waldron,1998).

As Waddell Creek flows out of the confined mountainous headwaters onto the lower elevation coastal terrace, it deposits sediment and transitions to a meandering stream before eventually flowing into the Pacific Ocean at Waddell Beach (Rischbieter and Waldron,1998). Opal Creek is a 4.5 mile long tributary to Waddell Creek with a 2,300-acre watershed (Rischbieter and Waldron,1998). Much of the park facilities, trails, and public spaces lie within the Opal Creek watershed.

The geology within the park is predominantly sedimentary- mudstone and sandstone- which is a poor producer of groundwater (Wolf and others, 1973).

Subsurface flows pass quickly through the soil layer and surface as springs and seeps at fissures and other weak or unconsolidated areas (Wolf and others, 1973). However, Sequoia roots spread laterally and are concentrated in the upper 1-2 m of soil, which helps hold soil moisture (Kuhn, 2012).

Sequoias, particularly Coast Redwoods, benefit from saturated soil and seasonal standing water. In fact, Coast Redwood seedlings require more moisture than other redwood species for germination (O’Hara and others, 2017). In fact, studies within the park revealed that soil water storage was the most important factor in Coast Redwood density and distribution, followed by relative height above streams, and fog frequency

FIGURE 1A. SENSITIVE NATURAL RESOURCES

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“[It would be great to see] photos before and after the fire and interpretive information so I can learn more about how the forest is recovering- trails with signs along them to point out things I might not notice on my own.”

- Respondent to an online survey conducted Summer 2023

(Francis and others, 2020). Coast Redwoods tend to be most productive on alluvial flats with seasonally ponded water and sediment deposition (O’Hara and others, 2017).

In consideration of encouraging Sequoia recruitment, germination, and growth, the most important factors are minimizing or reversing the extent of soil compaction and hardscape features and discouraging channelized surface runoff (Kuhn, 2012). Coast Redwood stands prefer distributary channels with ponded water and saturated soils (O’Hara and others, 2017).

ECOSYSTEM SUCCESSION POST-FIRE Fire is an important natural process that is integral to the ecology of the park, the Santa Cruz Mountains bioregion, and natural habitats throughout California.

Many of the plant communities within this region, including some of those in the park, depend on periodic fires for renewal, regeneration, and maintenance of healthy ecosystems. This is especially true for the knobcone pine forest, northern mixed chaparra l, and Monterey pine forest communities. However, natural fire regimes have been greatly altered since Euroamerican settlement of the area. Subsequent land use conversion, resource utilization (e.g., by logging), introduction of non-native plant species, changes in temperature and rainfall level during the dry summer months as a result of climate change, and other factors, all contributed to the unimaginable conflagration collectively known as the CZU Lightning Complex Fire in 2020.

Prior to 1968, there was a policy banning prescribed burns in State Parks and, combined with wildfire suppression practices of the past, allowed for rapid overgrowth of understory trees and densification of forest structure throughout the park, a problem of growing concern throughout the Santa Cruz Mountains and elsewhere in forest and woodland habitats of California. Prescribed burns were adopted by the California State Parks in the 1970s, and they were commonly employed by the indigenous inhabitants prior to the 1790s, which helped control the understory growth and encouraged resiliency of the redwoods forests at the time (California State Parks 2023).

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In August 2020, the CZU Lightning Complex Fire broke out as a result of lightning strikes in the region, initially igniting the Waddell Fire, and eventually merging with other nearby lightning-initiated fires to create a massive complex fire (Potter, 2023). The fire burned a total of 86,509 acres in Santa Cruz County and 97 percent of the park.

Review of pre- and post-fire conditions using Sentinel NDVI3 mapping showed a dramatic loss of dense green plant cover across the park as a result of the CZU Lightning Complex Fire, including extensive loss of understory plants and very low crown retention (Potter 2023).

Big Basin Redwoods State Park is known most famously for its old growth coast redwoods, which are typically well adapted to withstand fire, with a high crown; fibrous, insulating bark; and clonal sprouting ability, meaning that they can re-sprout from stumps or damaged adult trees. While the coast redwoods in the park had very little crown retention following the CZU Lightning Complex Fire, an estimated 95 percent survived the fire and showed evidence of recovery and re-sprouting shortly after (Mahdizadeh and Russell 2021).

By contrast, Douglas fir, the co-dominant canopy species throughout much of the the park’s forests, lacks the ability for clonal sprouting post-fire and relies on regeneration from seed when its thick bark is insufficient to protect mature trees from intense fire, as was the case during the CZU Lightning Complex Fire. This limits their ability to regenerate following severe fire. As such, standing Douglas firs have had limited recovery following the CZU 3 Sentinel NDVI – The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) is a way of quantifying green vegetation from Sentinel satellite imagery.

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Lightning Complex Fire. Similarly, understory re-growth was initially minimal (Mahdizadeh and Russell 2021). Opportunistic native shrubs and invasive non-native species are now spreading through former forest and woodland stands and form dense cover that could prevent further seed establishment

by Douglas fir and other tree species in the BBRSP and raising questions about the viability of natural revegetation of damaged habitats, post-fire succession to other vegetation cover types, and continued fire risks.

As described in the 2013 General Plan, in some locations, such as publicly owned lands, it is feasible and appropriate to implement a well-planned program of prescribed fire to promote natural processes, rejuvenate and maintain healthy ecosystems, and address fuel loads.

Prescribed fires are used as a management tool to eliminate exotic weeds from native habitats, promote the growth of native plant species, and enhance wildlife habitat.

Prescribed fire continues to be an important tool to be implemented under safe weather conditions to restore healthy ecosystems and reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires. By reintroducing fire cycles to the ecosystem, healthy landscape-level ecological dynamics can be restored in a managed way that better protects both public lands and private property. Together with further studies, monitoring, and appropriate adaptive management, a primary goal of State Parks is to continue to protect and facilitate restoration of the redwood forest ecosystem, while recognizing the need to avoid and minimize disturbance to highly sensitive natural resources as part of implementation of the BBFMP.

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“Telling on the tale of the fire and especially focusing the resiliency of the forest and the animals that live there is really important.

Noting that part of the Gazos Creek Road canopy was unscathed might be helpful, too.

If waterfalls - especially Berry Creek - are intact and can be reached by trail again, that would be wonderful! And I literally dream of one day again running from Rancho del Oso to Henry Creek and back - my all-time favorite 10-miler!

- Respondent to an online survey conducted Summer 2023

CLIMATE CHANGE Climate change may affect the natural resources as well as built infrastructure and future recreation access in the park in various ways.

With projected warmer climate with anticipated more intense storms and longer and warmer periods of drought, in the long term the extent and composition of vegetation communities may change in response to changing climate.

Being at the southern part of the coast redwood range, the extent of coastal redwood forest may contract in Big Basin, making the resource more sensitive and rare in this part of the range in the future. In addition, the projected intensification of climate-related hazards to infrastructure such as severe wildfire and winter storm-related hazards of flooding, debris flow, landslides and wind will lead to increased vulnerability of built infrastructure in the park.

Some of the general climatic changes that will impact Big Basin Redwoods State Park are listed below.

• Longer periods of drought, more instances of extreme heat, reduced coastal fog, and more frequent high wind events could generate drier fuels and longer periods with potential for high severity wildfires.

• More erratic precipitation patterns with longer periods of drought result in direct stress to plant and wildlife communities, as well as more significant storm events causing coastal and inland flooding.

• Potential changes to coastal fog patterns could deprive coast redwoods of an important water source and could lead to reduction in overall redwood forest cover in the long term.

• Increased pests and pathogens can kill trees, providing additional tinder for wildfires.

• Rising sea-levels and increased coastal erosion.

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In consideration of these climate impacts, the BBFMP will explore alternatives for facility development that seek to create a park that can adapt to future climate conditions, including the following strategies for facility development: • Site facilities to allow ecological processes to occur, to allow restoration of ecological conditions to allow future adaptation to climate change, and to allow active management of natural areas for future resilience.

• Site and design recreation infrastructure to minimize vulnerability to hazards that will be amplified with climate change.

• Interpret and provide educational and informative materials and experiences for park visitors related to climate change and climate adaptation.

In addition to preparing for the impacts of climate change, California State Parks is working to reduce its greenhouse gas footprint in alignment with statewide carbon neutrality goals. As part of the FMP, design alternatives will include on-site renewable energy generation, shuttle systems to increase non-automotive accessibility, and other projects that could make progress toward this goal.

RESTORATION APPROACH Protection and effective management of the natural resources of the park is one of the major goals of the BBFMP, especially the protection of special-status plant and animal species, and management of regional habitat and linkages in the Santa Cruz bioregion.

successful rehabilitation and restoration to address the effects of past development, threats from non-native, invasive plant and animal species, and control of human influence on native animal behaviors. These include measures to prevent wildlife feeding and encourage the secure storage of human food to help prevent the disruption of natural wildlife processes and facilitate the health and existence of native wildlife species. Recovery from the devastating effects of the CZU Lightning Complex Fire will require ongoing study, monitoring, and likely continued intervention.

The BBFMP would be designed to be consistent with the 2013 General Plan recommendations to avoid and minimize disturbance to sensitive natural resources in siting new facilities, avoiding occurrences of special-status plants and animals, natural drainages and other wetlands, and high-quality stands of sensitive natural communities. These include guidelines for minimizing recreational facility development in areas of marbled murrelet nesting habitat, controls on noise-producing activities such as construction or maintenance activities during the marbled murrelet breeding season, and continued containment of human food and garbage with a strong public education program that addresses the detrimental effects they have on wildlife behavior and sensitive species. The devastating impacts on old-growth forest habitat from the CZU Complex Lightning Fire has undoubtedly created further complications in the continued presence of marbled murrelet at the park. Continued research, adequate restrictions, and careful management in old-growth forests will be important steps for recovery of this indicator species at the park.

The protection and perpetuation of native habitats and wildlife species is contingent on the adequate avoidance of sensitive natural resources and habitats, together with

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Cultural Resources Which of the following history and culture topics are you most interested in learning about at Big Basin?

Indigenous people and their experience living in the Santa Cruz Mountains

854

History of California State Parks and the importance of Big Basin as the first one

484

Big Basin’s role in the birth of the Conservation Movement

475

Indigenous practices to manage land for medicine and food

448

Logging industry history in the Santa Cruz Mountains

394

Remnants of historic buildings and structures

The damage assessment following the CZU Fire found that the fire burned away brush and dense vegetation revealing additional site features at previously identified historic archaeological sites. California State Parks will continue to evaluate the areas and prepare and evaluation for National Register eligibility.

California State Parks is also coordinating with the State Historic Preservation Officer regarding State-Owned Historical Resources Impacted by the CZU Fire and has proposed “Consultation with National Park Service staff to update or withdraw the National Historic Landmark nomination for the park.”

333

Indigenous village sites

277

How people have visited and enjoyed Big Basin over the years

171

Other

While the CZU Fire destroyed nearly all historic structures and museum collections, ongoing post-fire archaeological studies as well as new museum acquisitions aim to preserve artifacts and sites that substantiate thousands of years of cultural resources within the park. An updated Scope of Collections Statement was initiated in 2021 and describes the cultural resources lost during the fire, as well as new goals related to the fire response and recovery, salvaged collections, and new acquisitions collected post-fire and into the future.

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Survey respondents indicated strong interest in history and culture topics related to Indigenous people and their experiences living in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Other notable interests include Big Basin’s history as California’s first State Park and as a key location in the birth of the Conservation Movement.

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KEY SITE CONSIDERATIONS FOR PRESERVING HISTORY While building demolition and debris removal was part of the initial recovery and clean up, several elements from historic structures in the park were preserved in place. In cooperation with the Office of Historic Preservations, these will be nominated as California Points of Historical Interest to describe the resources lost, the tragedy of the fire and how Big Basin is rising again.

• Stone Steps at the Headquarters Building • Chimney of Big Basin Lodge Additional locations with previous structures of historic significance may offer opportunities for interpretation: FORMER HEADQUARTERS & NORTH ESCAPE ROAD The Administration Building, the Outdoor Theater and Campfire Circle, and Nature Lodge/Museum were central to the Big Basin experience prior to the CZU Fire and reflected years of park history. Memorializing these structures, along with picnic areas and trails built by the CCC could be important to interpreting this area in the future.

LOWER SKY MEADOW Lower Sky Meadows Residential District (NR# 14000662) was partially destroyed with only a single building remaining (Residence 10). California State Parks determined that as an individual resource, Residence 10 does not appear to be a significant example of architecture; however, it could be reused.

UPPER SKY MEADOW The former CCC Camp near Upper Sky Meadow was not previously considered a destination for park visitors. As a historic resource, the site could be used as an interpretive feature if new visitors are anticipated to use this area in greater numbers.

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Considerations for Rebuilding “Home to our fourlegged, winged, finned, and plant kin; they have provided us with all that we needed for millennia—we will care for them. Resting place of those that came before us and cradle of those yet to come, they are sacred—we will protect them.”

Amah Mutsun Tribal Band

With the opportunity to re-imagine the Park’s facilities comes great responsibility. The ancient redwood forest requires care and stewardship to sustain in to future generations.

Every effort should be made to ensure a healthy, sustainable, and resilient forest ecosystem. Human habitation and visitation must defer to the needs of the larger ecology.

Equally important is the need to open this important natural resource for the enjoyment of the public and honor the rich history and deep personal memories that are inextricable from the Park’s identity. Public facilities should be accessible and equitable. Buildings should function with durability and dependability.

And all new construction should serve to inspire reverence of the delicate environment.

Historically, Big Basin Redwoods State Park facilities were developed ad-hoc. Structures were built in waves, and for much of the Park’s life, there was no unifying plan. As Park attendance continued to grow in the second half of the twentieth century, visitor sites in the old growth core required expansion with parking, roads, and other infrastructure.

During peak seasons and weekends, the old growth core became extremely crowded, and the visitor experience began to take a toll on the forest health.

Rebuilding Park facilities starting from a unifying plan offers the opportunity to restore the balance between natural context and human presence. The plan must be responsive to the sensitive ecosytem and reverent to the history of redwood cohabitation.

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RESPONSIVE TO THE SENSTIVE ECOSYTEM The first Guiding Principle is to prioritize forest health. While necessary for the sustainable function of the Park and the protection of its natural resources, buildings also have the potential to inflict lasting negative impact on their surroundings, both immediate and distant. Much about the forest ecology has been learned since the construction of the forst Big Basin buildings, and while there is still much to learn, there are important lessons building and siting that must be implemented for a sustainable Park future. Function and site sensitivity will guide each design response. Buildings will need to co-exist with the fragile and evolving ecosystem. Rebuilding must, at the least, not inhibit the natural functions of the forest, while striving to actively assist a healthy and thriving forest ecology.

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REVERENT TO THE HISTORY OF REDWOOD COHABITATION A spectrum of sites and uses implies a spectrum of building types. The deep connection to historical buildings should be carried forward into the future. Of equal importance is listening to and learning from the perspectives of Park tribal partners who have inhabitated these lands with reverence and collaboration for generations.

Fire resilience must be taken seriously and strategies must be deployed to all structures, particularly to those buildings and sites that are of highest value. The most successful interventions are those that carry our most cherished memories of the past alongside our highest aspirations for the future to create sites that nurture, educate, and inspire.

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The variety of sites at the Park suggests a spectrum of structures for a multitude of uses. At sites that are particularly sensitive, delicate structural systems, deference to the needs of the trees, and porosity for natural hydrological patterns will be needed.

Other sites may be previously disturbed or have minimal ecological fragility, and at these locations, structures may grow and concentrate use, alleviating the need for construction elsewhere.

RESPONSIVE TO THE LAND Building structures will be selected based on use and their impact to the soil and root systems below. Certain structures may benefit from non-traditional foundation systems. Larger buildings that accomodate a variety of users may require more impactful foundations for durability and ease of accessibility, such as the main visitor contact station.

RESPONSIVE TO THE REDWOODS The Park has a variety of trees and tree habitats. Different species and settings will require different sitings of buildings. Previously, traditional structures were located very close to very old redwoods. Instead of risking the vitality of high-resource trees, building siting will be reverent to these specimens.

There may be opportunities for situating buildings closer to trees. These may include small buildings such as cabins or small residences, and may include areas where younger and/or non-redwood trees are thriving.

RESPONSIVE TO THE HYDROLOGY Maintaining functional hydrological patterns if critical for forest ecosystem health. Wherever possible, buildings will respond to vicinity’s hydrological analysis, and will move out of the way of these systems. Some buildings and corresponding exterior hard-surfacing will disrupt these patterns to some degree. Every effort will be made to support proper water flow while maintaining safe, effective structures for all users.

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Small, Low User Intensity,

Large, High User Intensity,

Minimal Value Structures

Maximum Value Structures

Pin Drilling and Micro Piles

Grade Beam Footings

Slab-On-Grade with Beams

Light-Touch Structures

Medium Weight Buildings

Large and/or Multi-Storied

Minimal Flow Disruption

Mitigated Disruption

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Engineered Hydrology

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Architectural style should be guided not only by sustainable and resilient strategies, but also by the deep emotional connection between the public and the natural resource.

Buildings should honor their historical context while not defaulting to mimicry of past styles. At the same time, facilities must be efficient, functional, and flexible to ensure Big Basin Redwoods State Park remains an example of forward-thinking stewardship for our natural resources.

REVERENT OF HISTORY The destroyed buildings of the old Big Basin Headquarters were some of the most cherished structures in the CA State Parks system. They left indelible marks on everyone’s experience of the Park. Where appropriate, new stuctures will remember this past and help to maintain a continuous identity for Big Basin from before the fire to after.

Honoring these structures can take many forms, and care must be taken to ensure suitable evolution of the historical style and avoid disingenuous replication. Building use will also impact the decision process for architectural expression.

REVERENT OF VULNERABILITY Years of extensive research and concensus on best practices for building in wildfire-prone locations will inform the interventions. Site considerations such as ground slope, fuel load, plant proximity, access, and moisture are variables that will be used to determine safe and sensible building interventions.

Materiality is critical to ensure the building withstands smaller fires and can be occupied shortly after. Buildings will be detailed to limit combustible protrusions, protect openings and vents, and protect vital structural elements.

Some sites may be locations for safe harbor, and enhanced resiliency measures must be introduced for sheltering in place.

REVERENT OF USER Each structure will serve a different use and purpose. Users may spend anywhere from a few hours to a few years at the Park. Some areas will be public-facing, and some will see almost no non-staff visitors. This variability implies a variation in architectural response.

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Prioritizing Historical Likeness

Prioritizing Functionality

Historical

Interpretive

Modern

Roof Detailing Wood

Inlets & Openings

Metal

Protected Structures

Cement

Masonry Safe Harbor

The Visitor

Shorter Stay, Exploration, Discovery

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The Steward

The Resident

Longer Stay, Permanence, Research

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FIRE RESILIENCE STARTS WITH SITE MANAGEMENT The variety of sites at Big Basin Redwoods State Park require a variety of responses to ensure fire resilience. These diagrams represent a roadmap to best practices to prioritize the building. Given the sensitive forest context, some of these approaches may not be feasible and ecosystem health should be paramount. Those locations should consider lower-value structures, or ensure that the materiality and detailing of buildings is maximally protected.

Resiliency hubs ­— building that are able to accomodate large gatherings of people during an emergency as they await rescue —

should be considered throughout the Park.

At different distances from any building, different landscaping approaches should be used in order to maximize opportunity for defensible space and the slow of fire towards structures. Where existing landscape is vital to forest health, additional measures should be taken at the building scale.

While these vary in size of name depending on the source, the zones presented here have relied on the most common delineations; where no common dimension exists, a conservative approach should be taken.

Building Ignition Area Defensible Space Reduced Fuel Zone Buffer Zone

Buildings shown for diagram purposes only and does not represent any suggested design.

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BUILDING IGNITION AREA This is the highest priority zone. Create a 5’ wide non-combustible zone around the building and outdoor occupied areas to reduce the potential of building ignition from wind-blown embers.

DEFENSIBLE SPACE This well-irrigated zone encircles the structure for at least 30’ on all sides. The goal is to maintain a landscape that, if ignited, will not readily transmit fire to the structure. This area must provide a defensible space for fire suppression equipment in the event emergency response is needed. In areas with steep slopes, like canyons and ridge lines, this zone can increase to 150’, especially on the downhill side of lots.

REDUCED FUEL ZONE This area aims to slow ths peed of wildfire by eliminating continuous, dense vegetation.

Irrigation should extend into this area and all loose debris should be removed on a regular basis. “Fuel breaks” should be used whenever possible to slow fire progression and encourage flames to leave canopies.

Planting should be “lean, clean, and green.”

BUFFER ZONE This area serves as a buffer to adjacent property conditions and should slow fire progression across the property. Existing vegetation should be thinned of highly flammable material and ground debris removed. Design should allow for fuel breaks and planting should be lean, clean, and green as well as irrigated when possible.

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The materials and detailing of a building constitute the last line of defense during a wildfire event. Nearby fuel management often has the most impact on building survival rates during wildfires. Careful siting with contextual considerations — including site slope, adjacent topography, natural vegetation, natural vegetation, hydrological patterns, average moisture levels, prevailing winds, among other factors – must intersect to inform appropriate building location and design.

Fire protection zones vary in width based on site conditions. A site on a steeper sloped will have wider zones because of the increased speed that fire travels on a slope.

0-20% Slope

20-40% Slope

>40% Slope

FIRE-RESILIENT ARCHITECTURE Each structure will have its own set of considerations and challenges. Highervalue strutures may have more fire resiliency strategies employed, while smaller, lessvaluable structures may have fewer safety elements employed in order to reduce cost and sit more comfortably in the forest context. Roof and wall materials will be selected to minimize rish of falling ash and embers. Openings, vents, and overhangs must be carefully detailed to prevent flame spread. Exterior measures, such as sidewall sprinkler systems, should also be considered.

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MAPPING APPROPRIATE SITE STRATEGIES

to approach each site with programmatic function and site sensitivity guiding the design.

Applying the methods of responsiveness and reverence yields different opportunities and constraints for buildings, program, and function. Each site is situated in a unique context, and therefore a set of unique interventions will be required. A unifying architecture will help to create a singular park identity while maintaining the flexibility

Grouping individual opporutnity sites togethering into distinct areas helps set the framework for a coordinated park-wide facilities plan. The map below analyzes different site areas using the tools described in the previous sections. The capacity of each individual site will be studied further, however, this high-level anaylsis begins to reveal what is possible and appropriate for

RR

LSM USM

M HQ

S

W/H

N

LB SM/P

EARTH

FORM

TREES

FIRE

WATER

USE

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each individual opportunity area. Before understanding program requirements, each site has been understood through its capacity to hold structures generally. Some key takeaways include:

example, Roger’s Road could be a longterm group camp or stewardship training site with limited structures; or Upper Sky Meadow can be a satellite maintenance facility to serve uses along Lodge Road.

• The Saddle Mountain, Potter, and Norabella area has a high potential for buildable area, as has been utilized in the past and present. Moderate- to low-sloping conditions, previously disturbed ground, and proximity to other structures suggests density increase to be a contextual fit. While there are some areas of dense ecology and fuel, negative impacts can be minimized and access/ evacuation is well-served.

• Other sites, such as Sequioa, Gate House, and Jay Camp, could also support small built structures. For a thorough description of opportunities and contstraints at all sites, see Chapter 2: Facilities Sites.

• Little Basin has a significant amount of mild topography and could support a variety of building types. However, difficult fire access, some sensitive forest areas, and complex hydrology create limitations in program and use opportunities.

• The former Headquarters area has the highest ecological sensitivity, negatively altered hydrology, and difficult fire access.

The visitor experience could benefit from contact stations in this area, however, they should be limited, light-on-the-earth structures that support restoration efforts.

Given the large size of Big Basin Redwoods State Park, consideration must be given to the desired and implementable organizational structure. These decisions will help inform the degree to which each individual facility relies on other facilities, near or far, for normal and abnormal functions. This structure has implications for communication, resource storage, administrative duties, residental communities, visitor experiences, and forest management.

The following pages describe relevant organizational concepts with positive and negative considerations. For this analysis, facility needs have been organized in to three categories: Visitor-Serving, Operations & Maintenance, and Staff Residential.

• Lower Sky Meadow, Wastahi, and Huckleberry benefitted from relatively mild fire consumption, and have also been previously disturbed. There are a variety of micro-sites within this area, however, multiple structures could co-exist in the small complex of sites, particularly at Lower Sky Meadow, given its gentle topography, relatively good access, manageable ecosystem sensitivity, and access to infrastructure needs.

• Roger’s Road, Upper Sky Meadow, and Mortensen are relatively isolated sites, each with challenging topography, limited fire access, and varying degrees of ecological sensitivity. These sites could serve well as single-use areas. For

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PRIMARY + SATELLITES A primary facility area ­— such as the Saddle Mountain, Potter, and Norabella sites — would serve as the main point of administration, maintenance, and communication for the entire park. Visitor experience always begins at one contact station, and staff residences are mostly concentrated in a single neighborhood. This organization allows centralized decision and resource control, but lacks flexibility and may cause bottlenecked experiences.

“CENTRAL VILLAGE”

NODAL A distributed, interconnected Park organizational system allows multiple pathways for communication, resource distribution, and visitor experience. Staff are scattered evenly throughout the park at contact stations and residences. Less reliance on a single facility site allows more flexibility during outages as well as longterm adaptation and evolution. This system also can be complex for the visitor and difficult to manage for staff.

“NETWORKED NEIGHBORHOODS”

SELF-SUFFICIENT Each facility or grouping of facilities would serve as an individual community that does not require contact with other facilities. Less direct interdependence provides redundancy and a form of resiliency. Visitors may be able to have unique experiences during each visit, as the Park is separated into distinct zones.

Any necessary closures can be supported by the other self-sufficient areas, however the segregation can lead to lack of unity and unnecessary redundancy.

“DISPERSED COHORTS”

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Residential— Concentrated housing village with mix of singlefamily dwellings, co-housing, and cabin structures.

Larger shared amenities could include play structures, barbeque areas, laundry.

Operations— Centralized hub of administrative offices. Main maintenance yard where all workshops and utility areas are grouped together.

Visitor Experience— Strategic check-in and information gathering.

Interpretive elements happen primarily in on location. Stores and concessionaires concentrated in one facility. Visitor experience always begins here.

Residential— A main clustering where most residents reside in a lower-density co-housing format, offering amenities to all residents, along with smaller outposts that are limited in scale.

Operations— A primary location for all maintenance and workshopping, with smaller shops scattered throughout park to support in proximity.

Visitor Experience— A loosely-connected series of visitor check-in points, where interpretive elements are throughout park experience, less hierarchy of check points, and less reliance on a single, central contact station.

Residential— A balanced distribution of housing across multiple sites with a reliance on smaller scale cabin / lighttouch dwelling types and accomodations to create community within smaller collections.

Operations— A more robust and redundant approach where individual facilities can accomodate all operational needs without relying on sites further away.

Visitor Experience— More freedom to visit a single part of the park and still have a complete experience. Interpretive elements are more stand-alone and visitors are directed to a few main points of contact.

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AN INVENTORY OF PRE-FIRE FACILITIES Previous Big Basin Redwoods State Park facilities were tabulated and categorized according to the three programmatic categories described in the previous sections. These graphs are not meant to be an exhaustive description of previous facilities. Rather, they serve as a snapshot in time when Park staff was already planning for a consolidation and revitalization of Park facilities. Before the CZU Fire ,

PROGRAM CATEGORY

there were over 120 individual structures comprising nearly 100,000 square feet.

These structures ranged in age and type, from conditioned facilities that recently underwent renovation, to historical buildings that had continuous upgrades, to exterior sheds primarily for workshops or storage.

In total, Visitor-Serving Facilities had the largest share of area; and of that program category, visitor contact stations were the primary use. However, staff residences were the largest share of area by single use, followed by maintenance workshops. One

APPROX. AREA

PERCENT

VISITOR-SERVING FACILITIES

42,000

43%

OPERATIONS & MAINTENANCE

29,400

30%

PARK STAFF RESIDENTIAL

26,100

27%

APPROXIMATE TOTAL

97,000

100%

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VISITOR-SERVING FACILITIES CONTACT STATIONS COMFORT & COMBO ACTIVITY STRUCTURES VISITOR CABINS

~19,000 SQFT ~9,500 SQFT ~8,000 SFQT ~5,600 SQFT

APPROXIMATE TOTAL

42,000 SQFT

OPERATIONS & MAINTENANCE MAINTENANCE WORKSHOPS STORAGE STRUCTURES OFFICES & ADMIN PARKING STRUCTURES

~22,000 SQFT ~5,200 SQFT ~1,600 SFQT ~1,200 SQFT

APPROXIMATE TOTAL

29,400 SQFT

PARK STAFF RESIDENTIAL RESIDENCES STORAGE, PARKING, ETC

~24,700 SQFT ~5,200 SQFT

APPROXIMATE TOTAL

26,100 SQFT

key observation is the relatively similar gross areas required by each program area. There is not a single use that makes up most of the buildable requirement. Instead, use needs are distributed roughly equally across the program categories.

It should also be noted that this distribution of structured area does not represent the ideal distribution. Prior inefficiencies, outdated facilities, and visitor contact arrangement made it so that some buildings were underutilized, while others were stressed past their intended utility. By studying new potential for efficiency,

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building footprint can be limited where possible in order to prioritize forest health and restoration. Similarly, a unified Park design opens new opportunities for collaboration, conglomeration, and concentration. These methods can serve all three program categories — by curating an inspirational and education visitor experience, by nurturing Park staff community and ensuring retention, and by ensuring modern, highly-functional maintenance and operations facilities for stewardship into the future.

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THINKING THROUGH DISPERSED PROGRAM RESIDENTIAL TYPOLOGIES Previously, staff residences were primarily single-family dwellings and small cabins.

These detached homes and isolated structures serve important emotional and functional uses, and will likely be part of a larger residential plan for the Park. They were low-density, and therefore larger site areas were impacted by their construction and habitation. They are also able to achieve foundation systems that are light-on-theearth. These homes have precedence in the Park as well as other State Parks.

New kinds of residential typologies that encourage cooperative living and multi-unit structures should also be considered. These higher-density buildings impact less site area per unit of housing, and therefore could be a vital tool in achieving Park-wide restoration.

Heavier foundations and more access requirements suggest building sites outside the core, following the new Park approach of a hub around Saddle Mountain.

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At some locations, small cabins with pin-pile foundations may be the appropriate strategy. At other locations in the park, clustering units while achieving low-impact to the site will guide the typology. No matter the approach, homes should be of adequate size, with bedroom/bathroom counts that encourage family living and staff commitment to place.

When units are organized into co-living neighborhoods, investments can be made in amenities that serve many residents and families, such as play structures, barbecue areas, co-working spaces, and other spaces.

Different residents have different needs. Families generally require more space, and also benefit from being close to other families.

Seasonal or short-term workers may be younger and live alone, requiring less space from their individual unit, but needing the community of other staff to support healthy living, togetherness, and pride in the Big Basin culture.

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Clustered cabins and a repeatable design can be efficient, intimate, and ecologically-friendly interventions. Smaller structures have the advantage of being able to utilize lightweight or piled foundations, which can ease the impact on the natural flora and hydrological cycles.

While these residential organizations may take up additional site area compared to more coliving typologies, they can often have more flexible arrangements and a scale that does not compete with the forest verticality.

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Co-housing, townhomes, or stacked flats can achieve higher density while still strengthening a strong connection with the natural landscape.

These organizations require less land overall, which can alleviate the building stress on other sites while allowing space for community amenities that might not be possible with detached homes.

Neighborhoods like these encourage carfree movement, family support structures, and shared spaces such as co-working areas of guest suites.

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Multiple residential typologies will be required for a successful Big Basin community — one form of housing is not appropriate for all sites. In some areas of the Park, single structures that prioritize light materials and site flexibility will be needed to ensure visitor safety and infrastructure maintenance. In other areas, grouped housing models will be a costeffective, sustainable, and family-friendly community that supports staff retention and resident growth.

SIX HOMES, THREE WAYS Designing the Park staff residential communities will study the spectrum of appropriate housing typologies available.

The diagrams at right show six homes of equal size (1,200 square foot, 3-bedroom, 2-bath dwellings) arranged three different ways.

At top, single-family dwellings are loosely organized around a dirt road spine. Parking could take place between structures, and each unit has an individual stoop. This arrangement has some acoustic and privacy advantages that are typical with homes. This organization has the greatest impact on the osite, with the largest area disturbed and turned over for human use. There are also fire resiliency concerns. The spaces between homes can be areas for fuel and fire spread; also, additional envelope area creates point for ember intrusion.

At center are six, two-story townhomes, each with a stoop and possible balcony.

Parking could take place alongside, in front of, or across from the structure.

Townhomes allow for a tight-knit community from the daily interactions that spontaneously occur with neighbors.

Limited envelope and shared walls are more energy-efficient. A taller structure also has greater photovoltaic potential. Site area left-over could hold an informal play area, barbecues, or shade structures.

At bottom are six stacked flats in a threestory configuration, with a single shared stair that opens to shared balconies and unit entrances. This structure takes significantly less site area than the other two organizations, but also requires deeper foundations. The site area not built upon could be significant, offering area for formal play structures, shared workshops, coworking spaces, or guest units.

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Single-family homes offer familiarity and suburban comfort, and are useful for low-density areas of the Park.

Townhomes are a popular, medium-density housing approach, ensuring privacy while freeing up the site for other resident-serving uses.

Stacked flats promote can achieve cost-effective, efficient density while preserving other areas for special resident amenities.

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Visitor-serving facilities carry the even greater variation of typology.

The primary contact station should be a welcoming, equitable, and inspiring touchpoint for newcomers and Big Basin veterans alike. Each visitor facility will have unique opportunities to instill sense of place based on the natural characteristics of each site. The historical character of Big Basin should not be forgoteen, and will remain at the forefront in the design of future facilities.

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Circulation and Access The Roads and Trails Management Plan (RTMP) for Big Basin Redwoods State Park is forthcoming and will include an assessment of existing roadways, trail network, and considerations for additional roadway and trail connections. However, several key assumptions regarding circulation and access will be explored and preliminarily studied as a part of the BBFMP. The following sections describe insights into existing studies on the proposed shuttle program, as well as key considerations for six locations in the park.

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MULTIMODAL APPROACH It is the ambition of the BBFMP to support a park access and circulation strategy that restores the visitor capacity to pre-fire levels while minimizing the amount of private vehicle trips and space dedicated to surface parking facilities in the old-growth core of the park. Key strategies to achieve this goal are the development of a shuttle program, which was the subject of a study conducted by Fehr & Peers in 2023, as well as enhancement of active transportaiton options. Key considerations for these strategies are below.

ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION ALTERNATIVES The BBFMP will not include trail planning overall for the park and generally changes to the trail network will be considered through a separate planning process in a future Roads and Trails Management Plan. However, the FMP will consider opportunities to provide future options for non-motorized transportation for park visitors within and in between core park facility areas as alternative means of travel to the park shuttle system and to driving personal vehicles. Non-motorized transportation includes hiking, biking and equestrian use. The BBFMP will consider non-motorized transportation options between Saddle Mountain, Little Basin, the Former Headquarters, and Lower Sky Meadow. These transportation alternatives could include use of the park’s roads and trails between these areas as well as roads owned and maintained by the County and Caltrans.

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Insights about a Shuttle or Bus Program • There is a great deal of enthusiasm for reducing car traffic and improving accessibility through expanded shuttle and bus service.

• Engagement results highlight the importance of parking availability at shuttle stops as well as frequent shuttles and availability of bathrooms and shelters at shuttle stops.

• Community members and partners would like the shuttles to be low-cost and environmentally friendly.

There is also interest in designing shuttle routes and stops in ways that will help support local businesses.

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INTRA-PARK SHUTTLE Big Basin identified two potential scenarios for future intra-park shuttle services: the first from (1) Saddle Mountain to (2) Former Headquarters; the second from (1) Saddle Mountain to (2) an interim stop to (3) Former Headquarters. By operating two shuttles, the first scenario could serve just over 200 vehicles per day (540 visitors).

By operating four shuttles, the second scenario could serve nearly 400 vehicles per day (1,080 visitors). Both scenarios could accommodate visitor demand throughout the year except for the busiest spring and summer weekends. The intra-park shuttle program capacity and the appropriate number of shuttles will also be dependent on parking capacity at Saddle Mountain.

An additional shuttle service between the campground areas, main day-use areas, and campfire programs may also be considered to decrease the number of intra-park vehicles trips among these destinations.

EXTERNAL PARK SHUTTLE Big Basin is exploring the feasibility of establishing an external shuttle program to bring visitors from one or more locations outside of the park boundary to the Former Headquarters within the park. The goals of the external shuttle program would be to accommodate sufficient visitation, minimize costs, and maximize viability for users, while reducing park-generated vehicle miles traveled (VMT), providing quality experience at stops, increasing mobility options, and increasing equity for park access. Four locations for a satellite parking location/external shuttle pick-up and drop-off were evaluated for their ability to meet these goals, and ultimately Scotts Valley was identified as the most desirable location, with origin at the SC Metro Center and destination at the Big Basin Former Headquarters.

Currently, SC Metro runs Route 35 from SC Metro Center to Big Basin via Scotts Valley with five trips per day during the summer months. Additional collaboration and partnerships between California State Parks and SC Metro should be explored as the external park shuttle program is developed.

COMPLEMENTARY TDM STRATEGIES In addition to the internal and external shuttle programs, the Park Service is considering supplementary Travel Demand Management (TDM) measures to reduce the demand for private vehicle access to the park. These include strategies that improve transit (e.g., on-demand shuttle service or expanded public transit), manage visitor demand (e.g., timed entry, congestion pricing, or carpool-restricted lots), and improve access for active transportation (e.g., additional bike trails).

PRIMARY PARK ENTRANCE AND SATELLITE PARKING AT SADDLE MOUNTAIN The BBFMP identifies Saddle Mountain as a potential location for substantial facilities, including a central operating hub for an intra-park shuttle program with satellite parking lots. While the site is appropriate for facilities development in many respects, there are substantial concerns regarding traffic congestion and safety, notably from nearby residents. Key roadway and parking facility considerations from the development of facilities at Saddle Mountain include the following considerations.

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SIGHT DISTANCES FOR SADDLE MOUNTAIN ACCESS The driveways at Saddle Mountain must be located to allow sufficient visibility between vehicles exiting/ entering Saddle Mountain and vehicles traveling on State Route 236 (SR-236) to support safe maneuvers into and out of the site. There exists a 375-foot-wide stretch along SR-236, starting at Little Basin Road and moving west, where driveway access to Saddle Mountain would meet sight distance requirements based on the posted speed limit of 45 miles per hour (MPH) and approximate measurements conducted using aerial imagery. Saddle Mountain driveway placement would be recommended within this stretch, with appropriate vegetation removal as needed.

LEFT-TURN LANE Redesigning Saddle Mountain as the new headquarters will result in significantly higher entering vehicle volumes to the site than currently exists and may justify the addition of a left-turn pocket along SR-236 to facilitate access to the site. However, due to physical constraints along this stretch of SR-236, a left-turn lane may be challenging to implement. Careful collaboration with Caltrans will be required and may include a study of candidate design options (e.g., signal, roundabout, all-way stop, turn lanes, no change/side-street stop) and traffic patterns (speeds, volumes) to determine the optimal design for the Saddle Mountain driveway.

PARKING REQUIRED ASSUMPTIONS Saddle Mountain should provide parking that meets the desired service needs for the shuttle program: 100 spaces for the first scenario or 200 spaces for the second scenario. With the parking provisions under the first scenario,

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Considerations for Facilities at Saddle Mountain • Neighbors remain very concerned about potential impacts from additional facilities at Saddle Mountain.

They are particularly concerned about traffic and road conditions, trespassing and safety, and potential nuisance issues like trash and noise.

• Ideally, neighbors would like Saddle Mountain facilities to be designed for more limited use, only during times of peak park visitation. The exception to this is general support for staff housing at Saddle Mountain.

• Neighbors mentioned a number of ways that amenities in the park could benefit them.

These included potentially connecting to fiber internet; installing an accessible pay phone; improving cell service areas; providing emergency landing zones for helicopters; and oversight of the area by an increased number of park rangers.

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“A sign or signs in multiple languages would be nice.

Something that explains the history of the park, from its prehistory through the CZU fire, would be helpful. Also, though I understand the current limitations on the parking/entry are necessary, I think that the current setup with the shuttle bus and central parking seem more oriented towards the city of Santa Cruz and not the northern entrance to the park, which is a nice scenic drive. So again, some attention/amenities toward the north part of the park would be welcome additions.”

- Respondent to an online survey conducted Summer 2023

Saddle Mountain would not be able to meet weekend demand in spring, summer, and fall. With parking provisions under the second scenario, Saddle Mountain would not be able to meet weekend demand in spring and summer. Saddle Mountain would need to provide approximately 300 spaces to meet pre-fire parking demands.

POTENTIAL NORTHERN ACCESS GATEWAY The BBFMP will explore alternatives that include considerations for a northern entry point to the park. However, it is assumed that shifting the primary entrance to Saddle Mountain will reduce the anticipated number of visitors using a northern entrance. There are significant site constraints at and around the intersection of China Grade and SR-236 where a northern access gateway would be most appropriate.

Key constraints are related to topography and utility provisions.

However, these sites may host an unstaffed entry pavilion and a modest amount of trailhead parking and educational and interpretive information. Key considerations regarding a potential Northern Access Gateway include the following.

WAYFINDING PAVILION & INTERPRETIVE VISTA POINT An interpretive pavilion could host informational panels and wayfinding resources for those who enter the park from the north without the need for staff presence or utilities. This destination could also leverage sweeping views of the Waddell Valley to the Pacific Ocean for a unique interpretative experience.

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TRAILHEAD ACCESS The northern access gateway could be used to access parking for Skyline to the Sea trailhead parking (accommodating approximately 20 spaces). Several locations along SR-236 and China Grade could be investigated for their ability to accommodate trailhead parking.

LITTLE BASIN ROAD IMPROVEMENTS Little Basin Road is a narrow Countymaintained road in poor condition. The steep terrain it traverses is prone to slides and there are few opportunities for widening. The roadway is a substantial concern regarding the feasibility of facilities development at Little Basin because of evacuation standards and the limited capacity of Little Basin Road.

Coordination must continue between California State Parks and Santa Cruz County Public Works and Fire Marshal, regarding potential programming opportunities for road improvements, and life and safety planning for occupancy at Little Basin. Key considerations regarding Little Basin Road improvements include the following.

ROADWAY WIDENING The existing roadway is 16 feet wide with intermittent turnouts, which is substandard. The hillside and grading would make it prohibitively expensive to widen, so to increase the capacity and safety of Little Basin Road, it would be most feasible to increase the frequency of turnouts where the grading allows. This would still make it challenging for large vehicles to use the roadway, limiting the feasibility of shuttle access

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to and from Little Basin. RV camping is no longer available in Little Basin, which removes the need to accommodate large vehicles of that type.

SECONDARY ACCESS POINT Pine Mountain Road provides secondary egress to Hihn Hammond (near Blooms) and is clear and will be open to the public (not for vehicles except in emergency). Pine Mountain Road is not paved, has a section of steep grade (over 20%) and is not twenty feet wide. Meeting Title 19 requirements would not feasible. However, this road is a secondary egress from Little Basin in the event of an emergency.

TERTIARY EGRESS An unpaved roadway on the west side of Little Basin Road is currently not open to visitors and is only available for Cal Fire use. This should be the assumed condition for future design.

UPPER LODGE ROAD IMPROVEMENTS Upper Lodge Road is another narrow County-maintained road in poor condition.

It is currently impassible due to several significant slides. Coordination must continue between California State Parks and Santa Cruz County Public Works to negotiate future maintenance of this roadway, which is a critical evacuation route.

Key considerations regarding Upper Lodge Road improvements include the following.

NODAL PARKING Consider nodal parking along the roadway for people to access trails and walk-in camping.

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SKY MEADOW ROAD KIOSK The BBFMP identifies the Lower Sky Meadow, Wastahi, and Huckleberry Campgrounds as the most appropriate location for the development of overnight facilities. These areas are accessible via Sky Meadow Road, which is narrow in some sections and under evaluation for potential widening to increase its service in the event of an evacuation and to accommodate increased two way traffic.

The roadway is also a potential location for a kiosk that could be used as a controlled access point and/or for camp check-in, which may reduce congestion at Saddle Mountain. Key considerations for Sky Meadow Road improvements and kiosk include the following.

KIOSK QUEUING Big Basin is considering placing a kiosk near the entrance of Sky Meadow Road to facilitate visitor entrances to the campgrounds. It is important that vehicle queues at the kiosk do not spill back onto SR-236 at busy times to avoid a safety hazard. A probabilistic model determined that the number of vehicles at the kiosk rarely would exceed three vehicles, including the vehicle at the kiosk (approximately 50 to 75 feet of storage length depending on vehicle types). These preliminary findings were determined using the following assumptions for the number of arrivals and distribution of time spent at the kiosk and may be updated based on additional information about these variables.

•

Total vehicle arrivals: 200 campsites * 2 vehicles per campsite = 400 vehicles

•

Vehicle arrival pattern: Peak-hour experiences 10% of total vehicle arrivals = 40 vehicles/hour

•

Vehicle dwell time at kiosk: 60 seconds +/- 40 seconds

ROADWAY WIDTH AT KIOSK If Sky Meadow Road accommodated a shuttle that brings visitors to the campgrounds, the road would benefit from a shuttle bypass lane allowing the shuttle to drive around vehicle queues at the kiosk. The following table reflects potential roadway widths at the kiosk with a shuttle bypass lane.

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PARKING AND CIRCULATION IN THE OLD GROWTH A key goal of the BBFMP is to reduce the impact of facilities in the old-growth core of the park. Surface parking there will be significantly reduced to accommodate only a modest amount of day-use lots, with the expectation that during peak season, most visitors will be required to use satellite parking facilities and the shuttle system to access the old-growth core day-use area. Key considerations for parking and circulation in the old-growth core and former headquarters include the following.

PARKING SUPPLY Former Headquarters should accommodate roughly 75 visitor parking spaces to support Saddle Mountain’s parking provisions. It may be feasible to maintain parking configuration for a portion of existing Headquarters parking lots while removing excess spaces. The existing lots should use turning radius for an RV or an American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) passenger vehicle to confirm that they accommodate desired circulation.

SIGHT DISTANCE AND STOPPING DISTANCE Driveways to access parking and shuttle pick-up and drop-off should consider visibility needs with higherspeed vehicles traveling on SR-236. It is assumed that driveway entrances and exits will remain the same as under current conditions, so a formal sight distance analysis may not be required, but a manual check of vegetation clearing or removal of other impediments would be advisable.

PARK OPERATIONAL COSTS The cost of operating the park is an important consideration for the FMP that is related to circulation and access. The ongoing costs associated with providing shuttle services, staffing the various park facilities and entry points, and providing ongoing sustainable park services will be considered when developing alternatives for facilities development. Additionally, changes in potential park revenue related to entry fees, camping fees, and co-management and concessionaire agreements will be considered.

SHUTTLE DROP-OFF AND PICK-UP Former Headquarters should include a loop to accommodate the turning radii for the desired shuttle vehicle to perform dropoff and pick-up of passengers. The loop could be separated from visitor parking to prevent any impacts to shuttle operations, and, if possible, create a separate entrance for shuttles to limit conflict with or delay from private vehicles. Safe and convenient pedestrian access to and from the shuttle loop (especially for crossing SR-236) should also be considered.

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Utilities “Keep structures rustic in design so they do not take away from the natural setting, but do incorporate facilities which promote wellness and have a low impact on the environment, such as low-flush, hands-free toilets, soap dispensers and sinks, electric vehicles and charging stations, solar roof tiles where possible, etc.”

- Respondent to an online survey conducted Summer 2023

Utility systems within Big Basin Redwoods State Park include wet utilities: drinking water; fire water; wastewater; and dry utilities, including electrical, telecommunications, and propane. Additionally, within the park, there are opportunities for graywater or recycled water and alternative energies, such as solar power. Utility systems were evaluated by reviewing data and reports prepared prior to and after the 2020 CZU Lightning Complex Fire, and current improvement projects that are being developed, such as sanitary sewer system upgrades and Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) infrastructure rebuilds.

Proposed programming for the overall park and individual sites were then considered to identify the appropriate and feasible utility systems required in each location. Anecdotal data collected from Big Basin Park staff has also been considered when determining utility feasibility to understand how previous systems functioned and were maintained, further informing intended programming of each site.

PLANNED PG&E SERVICE Electrical service from PG&E is planned to be constructed to replace infrastructure damaged or destroyed from the 2020 CZU Fire. The PG&E service that is planned includes mostly underground service through Big Basin Way, Sky Meadow Road, Hinh Hammond Road, and Little Basin Road that will serve the majority of sites within the park. PG&E has based their design on intended park programming; however, PG&E has maintained similar transformer sizes throughout the park that can be upgraded in future phases of design once total electrical demands at each site are determined.

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SOLAR POWER Solar power is a renewable energy source that has the potential to reduce electrical energy demands from the proposed PG&E distribution network throughout the park and can support the State of California goal that 100% of State facilities use only renewable energy sources by 2035 (SB1020).

Solar power was primarily considered in the Saddle Mountain Welcome Area, Little Basin, and Lower Sky Meadow areas.

The electrical demands in these areas are significantly higher in comparison to other park sites, though solar power could be incorporated into smaller, isolated sites that would benefit from a decentralized power system. Potential locations for solar power installations were determined using Global Solar Radiation (GSR), which is the summation of diffused and direct solar radiation reaching a specific area. Aerial imagery was also reviewed to ensure that tree shadows would have a minimal impact on potential solar areas. Solar photovoltaic (PV) panels were preliminarily considered on rooftops and flat, open areas that receive high amounts of GSR. PV panels should be oriented towards the south, or on a southfacing slope, at an average orientation of 31.2 degrees with the potential for seasonal orientations to absorb maximum quantities of solar energy. PV panels on rooftops will minimize aesthetic impacts to the park; however, the rooftop would need to be facing south to optimize solar energy collection. PV panels can also be in open

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areas that receive high amounts of GSR and are away from high-density recreational areas to generate more power while minimizing visual impacts to the park.

viability. Alternative water sources include external water utility providers, springs, or water from Sempervirens Reservoir with subsequent treatment plant upgrades.

WATER

WASTEWATER

INFRASTRUCTURE

SEWER & SEPTIC

Potable water infrastructure within the park was significantly compromised in the 2020 CZU Fire. Before the fire, the potable water system included water wells and a surface water reservoir as water sources, a centralized water treatment facility, and a water distribution system.

The water treatment system consisted of a centralized water treatment plant that treated water received from the Sempervirens Reservoir and included several chlorine dosing systems throughout the distribution network. The water distribution system included several water tanks located throughout the park fed by a mostly underground pipe network with supplemental booster pumps and water quality monitoring stations. Aboveground infrastructure, such as well heads and tanks, were destroyed while underground infrastructure was compromised due to exposure to aboveground contaminants.

Prior to the fire, an evaluation of Water Treatment Plant upgrades and alternatives was conducted by Coleman Engineering to address Total Trihalomethane violations, repair the access road, develop a reservoir management plan, and conduct a condition assessment of dam infrastructure. In support of these projects, available data for existing wells within the park was evaluated to determine well service feasibility as part of the drinking water system. Several wells within the park were identified as potential sources of potable water, and other wells are currently undergoing assessments to determine

Prior to the 2020 CZU Fire, the wastewater system was composed of a park-wide sanitary sewer collection system that flowed to the park’s centralized wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) at the southwestern boundary of the park. The wastewater collection system historically had issues with root intrusion, rainwater inundation, spills, and proximity to sensitive riparian areas.

The wastewater collection system was compromised in the 2020 CZU Fire and will ultimately need to be redesigned; currently, the system is being evaluated to determine which mains, laterals, and supporting infrastructure need new alignment, replacement, or further assessment.

Three existing on-site wastewater treatment and dispersal systems are at the Upper Sky Meadow, Lower Sky Meadow, and Saddle Mountain Welcome Area sites, respectively. A preliminary study for the BBFMP considered wastewater system design feasibility on a site-by-site basis. First, sites were assessed based on proximity, and previous connection to, the wastewater collection system. If sewer connection was determined to be infeasible due to location or elevation, feasibility of an on-site wastewater treatment and disposal system was evaluated based on site programming, soil types, slope, and setbacks from water sources or streams.

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If leachfield dispersal was determined to be infeasible, wastewater reuse should be considered. Treated wastewater, as dictated

by California Code of Regulations: Title 22, can be reused in toilet flushing or irrigation; however, a higher level of treatment is required. If an on-site wastewater treatment and disposal system is determined to be infeasible due to site constraints, and a sewer connection is not feasible, vault toilets or composting toilets could manage waste that is generated within isolated, or rustic sites.

On-site wastewater treatment and disposal systems generally require more maintenance and cost than a park-wide sanitary sewer system or vault or composting toilet facilities.

GRAYWATER Separate graywater collection and reuse is being considered with regards to sustainability and water reuse within the park. Under California Plumbing Code regulations, effluent from toilets and showers is not considered graywater and effluent from dishwashing stations would likely contain too many fats, oils, and greases that would adversely impact a graywater treatment and reuse system. Graywater systems within the park would likely be the most effective in areas with laundry and sink flows, such as permanent and temporary residences. Graywater systems typically require less treatment than a wastewater system and can generate recycled water to be used in toilet-flushing or irrigation.

However, a graywater system would require separate tanks, treatment units, and pipes.

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TREATMENT PLANT UPGRADES The existing park wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) is currently being evaluated to determine potential upgrades for improved effluent water quality and WWTP performance after several effluent water quality violations were received for various treatment byproducts. The existing WWTP consists of an Imhoff tank, trickling filter, and slow sand filter constructed in 1937 with incremental upgrades over time as effluent limitations became more stringent. Prior to the 2020 CZU Fire, a WWTP process alternatives evaluation was developed by Mott Macdonald, with a final report provided in April 2021. While developing the report, the California Department of Parks and Recreation directed Mott Macdonald to further evaluate the Sequencing Batch Reactor as the recommended WWTP upgrade alternative, with anticipated average daily design flow of 30,000 gallons per day (gpd) and an average daily peak flow of 90,000 gpd. A peak flow of 90,000 gpd is the maximum allowable discharge of treated under the park’s Waste Discharge Permit with the Regional Water Quality Control Board during the park’s busiest months (June, July, and August).

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Life Safety EMERGENCY RESPONSE Natural and human-caused disasters are possible within rural areas and near seismically prone settings. Disaster planning and response at the park includes considerations for immediate evacuation and sheltering in place, electrical (communication), and water supply and distribution systems (fire suppression), wildfire planning and prevention, and fuel and hazardous waste system planning. Overall, visitors should be able to evacuate safely and quickly, infrastructure within the park should be designed to maintain function and not contribute to a wildfire event, and disaster prevention should be prioritized in infrastructure planning and design phases.

EVACUATION AND SHELTER IN PLACE Campsite and facility access should incorporate roads that allow for sufficient ingress and egress to main evacuation roads in the event of an emergency. Planning and design of the shuttle system should consider emergency response and evacuation to ensure the maximum number of visitors or staff can leave the site quickly and safely in the event of an emergency.

Sites within the park with limited egress should include designated shelter-in-place locations that are protected from wildfires, smoke, ash, and erosion to maintain functionality during an emergency. Shelter-in-place locations should incorporate electrical service, backup water storage, landscape breaks around the perimeter, and other appropriate life-saving resources.

Current programming designates one proposed shelter-in-place location within the Little Basin site, which is along the southern boundary of the park and accessed only by Little Basin Road. A second shelter-in-place location should be considered near the north of the park in case visitors from the north cannot evacuate the park quickly enough during an emergency event. Shelter-in-place locations, ingress and egress points, and evacuation routes should be regularly inspected and maintained.

EMERGENCY SERVICES AND BACKUP POWER PG&E electrical service improvements incorporate mostly underground conduits opposed to overhead electrical service to prevent power loss during an emergency. Though most sites should maintain electrical service in the event of an emergency, backup generators should still be provided to critical infrastructure, including the water treatment plant, booster pumps that feed fire hydrants and storage tanks, wells, and wastewater lift stations. Additionally, fuel should be protected by fire-resistant barriers, landscape breaks, or similarly wildfire-resistant infrastructure. Fuel sources include wood, plant waste, propane tanks and gas distribution systems, and on-site refueling stations.

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FIRE MARSHAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR ROADWAY CONFIGURATION Big Basin Redwoods State Park falls within a California State Responsibility Area (SRA) and the jurisdiction of Santa Cruz County Fire Department, which operates under the direction of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) San Mateo-Sant Cruz unit. Roadways intended for fire access within the park should adhere to all requirements of California Code of Regulations Title 14 (14 CCR, Division 1.5, Chapter 7, Subchapter 2) which states access road requirements based on road designation and Title 19 (19 CCR. Division 1, Chapter 1, Subchapter 1) which outlines emergency planning and evacuation procedures.

Title 14 access road requirements include a minimum of 20 feet width with an unobstructed vertical clearance of 14 feet, with a maximum grade of 16 percent (may be up to 20 percent with mitigations to provide Same Practical Effect) and a minimum horizontal inside radius of curvature (RC) of 50 feet plus additional shoulder based on the RC. All requirements of the California Code of Regulations should also be considered in road design. Future phases of this project will include discussions with the Office of the State Fire Marshal to determine main and secondary fire access road designation, site circulation, ingress and egress points, and fire hydrant location requirements within access roads to best protect the park and visitors in the event of emergency.

FIRE HYDRANTS AND WATER PRESSURE THROUGHOUT THE PARK Fire hydrant design and planning is subject to California Fire Code, Title 24, Part 9, Appendix C: Fire Hydrant Locations and Distribution. The location and spacing of hydrants will vary depending on the specifics of the area or road in the park; locations of fire hydrants should be planned such that access and reliability in the case of an emergency is more than sufficient to protect human lives and park features to the greatest extent feasible. Fire hydrants should have a minimum of 20 pounds per square inch (psi) of residual pressure. The water distribution system may require booster pumps or fire water storage tanks at a higher elevation if 20 psi of residual pressure is not available.

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Chapter 2 Facilities Sites Introduction The Focus Area for the BBFMP is the area that was identified by the Reimagining Big Basin Visioning Process as the Park Core.

Many facilities at Big Basin Redwoods State Park prior to the CZU Fire were also located in this area and it hosts many of the most popular visitor-serving destinations in the Park. Within the Focus Area, a series of potential Facilities Sites were selected for further study. Many of these are the sites of former facilities that were lost during the CZU Fire, while there are a few additional facilities sites that may be particularly suitable for more intense facilities development due to their topography and location outside of sensitive old growth areas.

This chapter presents potential sites for facilities to be considered in the development of design alternatives for the BBFMP. Each site is assessed in terms of topography, drainage, natural resources, infrastructure and utility feasibility. This site-by-site analysis also includes a list of programs that are under consideration at each site as well as a summary of opportunities, constraints, and capacity considerations. The sites are listed here.

56

• Saddle Mountain and adjacent properties • Little Basin • Horse Corral • East Ridge Trailhead and Gatehouse • Sempervirens • Blooms Creek & Jay Camp • Former Headquarters • Sequoia Campground • North Escape Road • Huckleberry & Wastahi • Lower Sky Meadow • Rogers Road • Upper Sky Meadow • Upper Lodge Road • Mortensen Sites

SANTA CRUZ COUN TY

S A N M AT E O C O U N T Y

Rd de ra G

ac

Ch ina

} |

} | 236

ky

BIG BASIN REDWOODS S TAT E PA R K

Me

a d o w Rd

236

S

tl Lit

Rd n i as eB

FOCUS AREA

} | 1

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PARK USE ZONE CONCEPTS

1. PARK ENTRANCE AND WELCOME AREA Saddle Mountain serves as a gateway to Big Basin Redwoods State Park with a collection of facilities that orient visitors, support park operations, and provide staff housing.

2. DAY-USE AND RESTORATION The health of the forest in the heart the old growth is prioritized and a set of minimal facilities here provide visitor services supporting day-use activities.

3. CAMPING AND OVERNIGHT USE More intensive uses and facilities that serve overnight visitor experiences are located outside of the heart of the old growth at Wastahi, Huckleberry, and Sky Meadow.

4. LITTLE BASIN Little Basin is a distinctive location with many opportunities for facilities that could serve to support larger events, groups of visitors, and provide spaces for Indigenous groups.

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Big Basin Redwoods State Park

Opportunity Area : Big Basin Focus Area

} | 236

Chin aG rad eR d

Rogers Road (~2 ac)

3

CCC Camp + Upper Sky Meadow (~6 ac)

Lower Sky Meadow (~40 ac)

North Escape Road (~40 ac)

Upper Lodge Road (~16 ac)

Huckleberry + Wastahi (~39 ac)

* 2

} Sequoia | Headquarters + Redwood Loop Trail (~20 ac)

Sky M ead ow

(~7 ac)

Rd

236

Mortensen (~4 ac)

Potential Kiosk

} | 236

Sempervirens Campground (~6 ac) Horse Corral (~2 ac)

Blooms Creek Campground + Jay Camp (~23 ac) Eastridge Trailhead + Gate House (~0 ac)

4

Little Basin (~53 ac)

1

Saddle Mountain Welcome Area (~20 ac)

in Rd Bas e l t Lit

0

500 1,000

US Feet 2,000

Scale: 1:18,000; 1,500 Feet Per Inch

Legend PUBLIC DRAFT

Draft Opportunity Sites

Big Basin Redwoods State Park

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Saddle Mountain Topography and Drainage

Slope

Landslide

0-6% 6-12%

Natural Resources

Hydrology*

Potential Deposits

Creeks Major Drainages Minor Drainages

Vegetation Communities (*=Sensitive) SESE

Sequoia sempervirens Alliance*

ARME

Arbutus menziesii Alliance*

NODE

Notholithocarpus densiflorus Alliance*

QUAG

Quercus agrifolia Alliance Developed

Sempervirens Fund Property*

Major Road

*Potential Future Acquisition by California State Parks

*Creek/drainage mapping is preliminary and additional refinement will be provided Saddle Mountain and adjacent properties offer flat buildable areas appropriate for a larger facilities complex and higher density construction.

The Saddle Mountain area is outside of the old growth redwood forest and the vegetation communities there are less sensitive than in many other locations in the park.

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Opportunity Area 1: Existing Development & Former Uses Utilities Saddle Mountain Welcome Area

Big Basin Redwoods State Park

Saddle Mountain currently contains water and septic infrastructure that is believed to remain functional after the 2020 CZU Fire.

Water The water system Old Big

Basin R d

infrastructure at Saddle Mountain includes two existing wells that produce a combined daily yield of approximately 3,300 gallons per day (gpd) based on well production logs recorded between January 2019 and March 2020. Water from the wells is currently stored in three 12-foot diameter tanks and distributed throughout the site. Flow analysis based on proposed programming will determine if the two existing wells are sufficient to meet anticipated drinking water demands.

} | 236

Saddle Mountain Welcome Area (~20 ac)

d nR Basi Little

Wastewater The septic system Blo om Grd

Upper R edwood Trl

0

100

200

US Feet 400

Scale: 1:2,400; 200 Feet Per Inch

Big Basin Redwoods State Park

Legend

Secondary Roads Big Basin Redwoods State Park Sempervirens Fund Property* Public Use, Museum/Visitor (Paved) center

Draft Opportunity Sites Acquisition Parcels

*Potential Future Acquisition byContours California - 5 ft.

State Parks Flowlines by Drainage Area

Redwoods - Old Growth and Older Regional Roads - Major Roads

1 Former Facilities Lost >0.02 to Fire Unpaved Route -1 Existing Facilities not 0.01 Lost Trails - 0.02to Fire Major Roads (Paved)

Paved Route

Utility Roads (Unpaved) Trails Potential Solar Areas Proposed Leachfield Areas

Many facilities at Saddle Mountain were not lost to the CZU Fire. The site has several areas appropriate for solar or energy generation.

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infrastructure at Saddle Mountain Welcome Area encompasses approximately 1,400 linear feet (LF) of leachfields divided into 4 distinct areas that are serviced by septic tanks and distribution boxes. According to Big Basin Park staff, the leachfields in this area do not percolate well, necessitating further percolation testing before determining if additional leachfields in this area could support proposed programming. Leachfields and proposed septic system infrastructure will need to maintain a 150-foot setback from the two existing drinking water wells, and a 50foot setback from the adjacent Blooms Creek.

Electricity Portions of the existing electrical and fuel system at Saddle Mountain were burned in the 2020 CZU Fire, however two 500-gallon liquefied petroleum gas tanks remain.

PG&E currently provides electrical service to Saddle Mountain via an overhead utility pole located along Highway 236. Saddle Mountain should incorporate backup power as part of the ongoing utility planning efforts.

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Saddle Mountain Future Program The group of sites including Saddle Mountain, Norabella, and Potter represent the largest concentration of buildable opportunity and will be a hub for all three program types (visitor-serving, residential, and operations). The following is a list of facilities that will be located there followed by facilities that will be considered: •

• • • • • • • • •

Primary Visitor Contact Station including Park Information, interpretive elements, parking, and main shuttle stop.

10-20 Staff Residences Primary Operations, Administration, & Maintenance Facility Campground Check-in Camp Store and Souvenir Store Concessionaire Facility Trailheads and Staging Day Use Picnic Areas Environmental Education and Stewardship Training Center Equestrian, Bike, and Multi-Modal Parking and Support

Opportunities 1. Opportunity to create a new holistic, inspiring, and ecologically appropriate welcome experience that can accomodate previous visitor levels.

2. Construct a contextually-sensitive village of various staff residence types that encourages community, wellness, and staff retention and fits with the existing surrounding neighborhood.

3. An efficient, flexible, and modernized operations and maintenance hub that allows for collaboration and interdepartmental communication.

4. Potential for new trail connections that lead into the Old Growth Core or towards Little Basin.

5. A curated shuttle experience that is fun, educational, and ensures equitable access for all Park visitors.

6. Opportunity to protect the ancient forest by concentrating structures away from these vital natural resources.

7. Minimal tree cover and surface parking suggest high possibility of on-site photovoltaic energy generation.

Relevant Considerations • The immediate context north of Highway 236, across from Saddle Mountain and while entering Norabella, is a single-family home neighborhood. Every effort should be made to alleviate the traffic and noise that may result from the concentration of activity. The traffic consultant should advise on appropriate site entrance strategy. Parking lots should be naturally landscaped and hidden from view wherever possible. Locations where visitors gather should not impact the privacy of residents.

• Visitor, operations, and residential uses will require site utility upgrades. Sewer outfall will likely rely on septic and leach field systems. Given demand, areas for these uses may be larger than what is currently available. While Saddle Mountain has a strong potable well water supply for current uses, the addition of new uses may require upsizing capacity. It is not known if Norabella has potable water well potential, and if it does not, water will have to be transferred from Saddle Mountain, across Highway 236.

• Any mixed-use site requires careful coordination between program functionality, building systems, pedestrian flow, and emerency situation requirements. Specifically, Highway 236 may require alterations such as turn lanes, crosswalks, signals, and signage.

Big Basin Redwoods State Park

Opportunity Area 15: Saddle Mountain

Scale Reference: Lower Sky Meadow Residence Approx. 1,500 sqft

} | 236

Scale Reference: Old HQ Store, Museum, and Ranger Station Approx.

4,000 sqft

Lit tl e Ba sin Ro ad

Scale Reference: 100 Parking Stalls Approx. 30,000 sqft

0

50

100

US Feet 200

Scale: 1:1,200; 100 Feet Per Inch

Big Basin State Park Sempervirens Fund Property*

Slope >12% (Dark Grays) Very limited or no capacity for structures.

*Potential Future Aquisition by CA State Parks

Paved or Improved Road Drainage Pathway Waddell Creek Flowlines

Slope 6% - 12% (Light Grays) Somewhat limited capacity for structures

Sensitive Vegetation Communities Slope 0% - 6% Low limit on capacity for structures.

Little Basin Topography and Drainage

Slope

Landslide

0-6% 6-12%

Potential Deposits

Natural Resources

Hydrology* Creeks Major Drainages Minor Drainages

SESE

Sequoia sempervirens Alliance*

ARME

Arbutus menziesii Alliance*

NODE

Notholithocarpus densiflorus Alliance*

QUAG

Quercus agrifolia Alliance Developed Major Road

*Creek/drainage mapping is preliminary and additional refinement will be provided Among all opportunity sites, Little Basin has the largest flat area with slopes less than 6%. The Basin is surrounded by steep slopes, which isolates it from the rest of the park and makes access difficult. The site is part of the Scott Creek watershed.

The Little Basin area is outside of the old growth redwood forest and the vegetation communities there are less sensitive than in many other locations in the park.

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Existing Development & Former Uses

Utilities Little Basin includes programming for several proposed park facilities including campgrounds, an indigenous cultural facility, a shelter in place facility, and group recreational sites that will require water, sewer, and electrical infrastructure.

Water Drinking water will likely be provided to these park facilities by the reconstructed drinking water system that will be routed to the site. County records indicate there was historic well at the site, but it is not in use and further information is not available. Well water quality and pump testing will indicate if the historic well or new well could be viable for drinking water service throughout Little Basin.

Wastewater Due to the

Big Basin Redwoods State Park

Utility Roads (Unpaved)

Former Facilities Lost to Fire

Potential Solar Areas

Previous Group Camp Locations

Proposed Leachfield Areas

Secondary Road (Paved)

All facilites at Little Basin were lost in the CZU Fire. The site was previously a popular group camping destination and could accomodate larger scale events.

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distance from the existing sanitary sewer collection system, an onsite wastewater treatment and disposal system will likely be required. Soils and slopes within Little Basin indicate that leachfield disposal is feasible, however additional soils and percolation testing would be required to determine specific design parameters that inform leachfield design. Leachfields within Little Basin will need to meet required setbacks to Scott Creek, the existing perennial pond near the northwest corner of the site, any designated wetlands, and the existing irrigation well.

Electricity PG&E currently plans to provide electrical service to the site via Little Basin Road. To reduce electrical load to PG&E, solar panels could be located on building roofs and open, flat areas that are not proposed to be utilized for recreational purposes.

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Little Basin Future Program The future of Little Basin will be heavily dependent on review by local and state fire officials. There is strong desire to bring back the same level of use that existed before the CZU Fire, including large event facilities, cabins, concessionaire, residences, and other uses. The following is a list of facilities that will be located there followed by facilities that will be considered: •

• • • • • • • • • •

Campground with Individual Tent Sites for Car Camping, Internal Roadway, Group Sites and Comfort Stations Tent and/or Hard-sided Cabins 1-2 Staff Residences Open Space for Safe Harbor during a Fire Event Ceremonial space and cultural facilities Large Event Facilities Consessionaire Camp Store Campground Activity Spaces (Amphitheater, Sports Fields, etc.)

2-8 Park Staff Residences Environmental Education and Stewardship Training Center Day-Use Parking

Opportunities 1. The potential to rebuild the intimate, recreational, family-friendly and accessible camping experience for which Little Basin was known.

2. Reinstate and improve the private event facilities for weddings, corporate events, and other gatherings that can be a source of revenue and pride for the Park.

3. Build upon the Indigenous interpretive elements of previously and engage tribal leaders to understand importance and opportunity for ceremonial space and cultural facilities.

4. The variety of buildable areas could allow for a secluded retreat center and improved group camping area, hosting external partners and native gatherings.

5. A small satellite community of Park staff that maintains connection to the Saddle Mountain hub by a short drive and a possible new trail connection.

6. New interpretive elements that shed light on the importance of the humble natural resources surrounding Little Basin.

Relevant Considerations • Little Basin Road is the only way in to and out of this area. It is narrow, steep, and windy, with little opportunity for pull-outs and turn-arounds. Negotiation with local and state fire officials is essential for a safe and functional Little Basin. The site has potential for a safe harbor zone; additional emergency and evacuation measures should be considered.

• With evidence of indigenous settlement comes the responsibility to honor and uplift the ancestral significance. Every effort should be made to incorporate indigenous perspective while considering the area as a natural resource for all.

• The Little Basin area is the confluence of distinct watersheds ­— Scotts and Waddell. Flooding of campsites has historically been a problem. Any sewer system will likely rely entirely on leach fields given the difficulty of truck access. These leach fields will need to maintain appropriate distances from hydrological features.

• While expansive areas and gentle topography of Little Basin offer many opportunities, the area is relatively disconnected from the Park. Strategies to knit the resource in to the large Park identity should be considered, such as a unifying language of interpretive elements and possible trail connections back to the old growth core.

Scale Reference: Visitor Cabin 400 sqft

Scale Reference: Old Gathering & Kitchen Approx. 1,800 sqft

Scale Reference: Old Shop & Ops Center Approx. 4,000 sqft

Lit tl e Ba sin Ro ad

Lost Facilities

Very limited or no capacity for structures.

Sensitive Vegetation Communities

Slope 6% - 12% (Light Grays)

Slope 0% - 6%

Somewhat limited capacity for structures

Low limit on capacity for structures.

Slope >12% (Dark Grays)

Paved or Improved Road Drainage Pathway Waddell & ScottsCreek Flowlines

Horse Corral Topography and Drainage

Natural Resources

NODE

Slope

Landslide

0-6% 6-12%

Potential Deposits

Hydrology*

Vegetation Communities (*=Sensitive)

Creeks

SESE

Sequoia sempervirens Alliance*

Major Drainages

ARME

Arbutus menziesii Alliance*

Minor Drainages

NODE

Notholithocarpus densiflorus Alliance*

QUAG

Quercus agrifolia Alliance Developed Major Road

*Creek/drainage mapping is preliminary and additional refinement will be provided The Horse Corral site is a mix of slopes that vary from 0% to 12% throughout its entirety, with larger areas of flat land directly adjacent to Hwy 236 and near the back of the site.

Water flows in ditches along Hwy 236, and there is a culvert under the roadway near the center of the Horse Corral site. Water that flows through the site will likely migrate to this crossing. There are potential landslide deposits to the east of Horse Corral and extending upslope from the site.

The Horse Corral site is vegetated by coniferous trees. The vegetation group on this site is Sequoia sempervirens Alliance (Coast Redwood). The northern boundary of Horse Corral is surrounded by Quercus agrifolia Alliance (Coast Live Oak). The western boundary of the site is lined by Northolithocarpus densiflorus Alliance (Tanbark-Oak).

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Existing Development & Former Uses

Utilities The Horse Corral site is currently not served by the sanitary sewer system, and currently has no plans to be connected to the Park’s drinking water service or planned PG&E electrical service.

Water The proposed group camp and spike camp could be connected to the drinking water or sanitary sewer service pending further programming input and investigation into utility routing. A prior exploratory well drilled in Horse Corral indicates that groundwater is not a potential water source to serve the site.

Wastewater Onsite

Big Basin Redwoods State Park Major Road (Paved) Utility Roads (Unpaved)

wastewater treatment and reuse could be an alternative to connecting into the existing sanitary sewer collection system.

Leach fields likely are not viable in Horse Corral due to the steepness of the site; if onsite wastewater treatment is desired, treated wastewater could be reused for toilet flushing. Vault restrooms could alternatively be considered to reduce septic infrastructure.

Electricity Solar power generation could be explored in the large open space in the southeast portion of the site.

Horse Corral was formerly undeveloped and contains no amenities. The site is directly adjacent to Hwy 236, and any new encroachment would require coordination with Caltrans.

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Opportunities

Horse Corral

Future Program With relatively mild terrain, Horse Corral has potential to provide new overnight accommodation outside of the historic old growth core.

1. Flat area near Hwy 236 could be utilized for parking.

2. Flat area near back of site could be primary camping area set back approximately 400 feet from the highway.

3. Considerations to manage stormwater within the park boundary will be required for any new improvements.

Due to its size and limited infrastructure, the following facilities will be considered: • •

Group Camp Spike Camp

Constraints • Viability of a water source and sewer connection is low.

• There are no existing trails to connect to other sites or offer visitor activities beyond the project area.

• Location on extreme curve in Hwy 236 makes visibility challenging.

• Turnouts on opposite side of Hwy 236 could present potential conflicts.

Camping Considerations With limited available utilities, camping at Horse Corral will be rustic or reliant on bringing in outside services, such as porta potties, generators, and water. A reliable water supply increases the feasibility of site use.

Group Camp • Typically, 1,000 square feet for one person (preferably two to three acres for each 50user group site) • Identified campsites for the group size • Parking available and space for larger equipment • Vault toilet or comfort station - sewer connection needed for Crumb Clean! * Source: National Parks Service Campground Development Guidelines

Spike Camp • Full utilities preferable but water is main requirement.

• Limited need for adjacent recreational amenities.

3

} 236

1

Potential Parking (aproximately 10,000 sf)

2 Potential Group Campsite Accomodates 50 people (aproximately 1.5 acre)

Former landslide deposit

0 25 50

100

150

200 Feet

Existing Primary Road (Paved)

5’ Contour

Potential Opportunity Area

Existing Secondary Road (Paved)

0-6% Slope

Big Basin Park Boundary

Major Drainage

6-12% Slope

Minor Drainage

Constraint Area

East Ridge Trailhead and Gatehouse Topography and Drainage

Slope

Landslide

0-6% 6-12%

Potential Deposits

Natural Resources

Hydrology* Creeks Major Drainages Minor Drainages

Vegetation Communities (*=Sensitive) SESE

Sequoia sempervirens Alliance*

PSME

Pseudotsuga menziesii - Notholithocarpus densiflorus/Vaccinium ovatum Association*

QUAG

Quercus agrifolia Alliance Developed Major Road

*Creek/drainage mapping is preliminary and additional refinement will be provided East Ridge Trailhead and the Gatehouse are small flat areas along Hwy 236 between Saddle Mountain and Former Headquarters. Nearly flat compared to the surrounding areas, both sites offer opportunities for small-scale staging.

East Ridge Trailhead is a forested area while Gatehouse was previously developed and is mostly clear. Both sites are within the Sequoia sempervirens Alliance (Coast Redwood), although this area is not considered Old Growth or Older Second Growth.

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Existing Development & Former Uses

Utilities Water and Wastewater This area could connect into the reconstructed domestic water distribution system and sewer network.

Vault restrooms could alternatively be considered to reduce septic infrastructure.

Electricity PG&E is planning to add a new transformer to Gatehouse. Solar power generation could be implemented in the existing flat and open area adjacent to Hwy 236 or on planned-facility rooftops to power the minimally anticipated electrical loads in the East Ridge Trailhead and Gatehouse areas.

Big Basin Redwoods State Park

Trails

Former Facilities Lost to Fire

Non-System Routes

Major Road (Paved) Secondary Road (Paved) Utility Roads (Unpaved)

East Ridge Trailhead north of Hwy 236 includes a small staging area to connect to East Ridge Trail. From East Ridge Trail, visitors can connect to the expansive park trail network, including routes that pass through the Former Headquarters. The former Gatehouse was south of Hwy 236 but was destroyed in the CZU Fire.

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East Ridge Trailhead and Gatehouse

Future Program

Opportunities

Located between Saddle Mountain and Former Headquarters, East Ridge Trailhead and Gatehouse could be an interim stopping point along Highway 236.

1. East Ridge Trail is a hike and horse trail that connects through the park down to the Basin and up to China Grade.

Equestrian parking here allows access to this route.

Due to its size and limited infrastructure, the following facilities will be considered: • • •

2. Potential for new trail along the south side of Hwy 236 to connect Gatehouse to existing trail crossing for Shadowbrook Trail.

Equestrian Parking Shuttle Stop Utility Building for AT&T and Water Pump

3. Flat areas on both sides of Hwy 236 allow for shuttle stops in both directions.

Constraints • Location on curve in Hwy 236 could make visibility challenging, and creating a new, safe pedestrian crossing at this location could be challenging.

• Intended users (horse trailers) make wide, slow turns.

Equestrian Parking Considerations

Intra-Park Shuttle Stop Considerations

1.

• •

Paved equestrian parking areas are not recommended but can be used for hardening exits and entrances.

2. The parking area should be large enough for undefined parking spaces 28 feet by 78 feet and aisles that are 15 feet wide per lane. The generously sized parking area will allow many parking configurations. * Source: Equestrian Design Guidebook, United States Forest Service

Likely a 20-passenger vehicle.

Adding an interim stop between Saddle Mountain and Headquarters could enhance options for East Ridge Trail users and decrease need for parking at the trailhead.

To China Grade

st

Ea e dg Ri il

a Tr

} 236

Entrance to Camp Hammer

Potential 6-8 horse trailers (approximately 0.5 acre)

Eastridge Trailhead

1 3

o Bl

3

To Former Headquarters

Ea

ge Rid st

sC om

Gatehouse

ek re

Private roads for potential easment opportunity

l Trai

2

} 236

0

50

100

US Feet 200

Existing Primary Road (Paved)

Redwood Forest

Creeks

Former Facilities

Existing Secondary Road (Paved)

0-6% Slope

Major Drainage

Big Basin Park Boundary

Existing Utility Road (Unpaved)

6-12% Slope

Minor Drainage

Existing Trail

2’ Contour

Potential Trail

Sempervirens Topography and Drainage

Slope

Landslide

0-6% 6-12%

Potential Deposits

Natural Resources

Hydrology* Creeks Major Drainages Minor Drainages

Vegetation Communities (*=Sensitive) SESE

Sequoia sempervirens Alliance* Developed Major Road

*Creek/drainage mapping is preliminary and additional refinement will be provided The upper half of Sequoia is between 0 and 6% slope, while the lower half is between 6 and 12% slope. The edges of the site are much steeper than the center. This site does not contain any drainage flow. However, there is a drainage flow adjacent to the western end of the site.

The Sequoia site is vegetated by coniferous tress. The vegetation group Sequoia sempirvirens Alliance (Coast Redwood) spans over the whole site. Sequoia is covered in Redwoods – Old Growth and Older Second Growth.

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Existing Development & Former Uses

Utilities Sempervirens Campground is primarily proposed to be restored and will likely not include any water, sewer or electrical infrastructure.Minimal water and electrical infrastructure may be required for emergency response purposes. Sky Meadow Road and Highway 236, routed to the northwest and south of the site, respectively, will contain water and electrical services that could serve emergency infrastructure such as lighting or fire hydrants within the Sempervirens Campground.

Former Facilities Lost to Fire

Utility Roads (Unpaved)

Previous Campsite Locations

Trails

Previous Group Camp Locations

Non-System Routes

Major Road (Paved) Secondary Road (Paved)

Former facilities at this campground include 27 individual sties, one group camp site, one structure, and other associated infrastructure all of which were lost in the CZU fire.

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Restoration Approach

Sempervirens

Future Program

1. Remove remaining roads, foundations, and utility infrastructure in a manner consistent with trail removal in the California State Parks Trails Handbook.

Formerly developed campgrounds, Sempervirens Campground will be focused area of hydrological restoration to enhance redwood habitat.

2. Restore pre-development stream flows and flood plains, including evaluating benefits of:

• Removing culverts, culvert headwalls, and bridge footings.

Most, if not all, existing roads and remnant foundations will be removed.

• Rerouting channels and/or mitigating streambed incision.

Existing trails will remain and new trail connections through the areas will be considered.

Restoration Management

Culvert removal and drainage reroutes will be considered if deemed valuable for habitat enhancement.

1. Conduct invasive species control consistent with ongoing parkwide approach.

2. Implement large woody debris prescription.

3. Monitor and maintain sites as directed in the parkwide Forest Management Strategy.

Trail Removal and Restoration Techniques •

•

• • • •

Removal of material - preservation of organics and loose rock and off-haul of construction debris.

Natural drainage features of the landform are fully restored and decoupled from the trail alignment.

Decompaction and soil aeration.

Gully repair and re-establishment of slope’s natural contours.

Establish vegetation.

Public awareness - symbolic and barrier fencing, interpretive signage

* Source: sampled from California State Parks Trails Manual

Grading Priorities • •

•

Restore sheet flow toward the west and into Sempervirens Creek.

Create detention or retention basins upslope of the creek to slow and infiltrate stormwater.

Restore Sempervirens Creek in areas that previously included infrastructure in the riparian area.

Rd Me ad ow

Sem Camppervirens groun d Rd

Sk y

Consider reusing roadway for trail connection through site

Sempervirens

Se mp

erviren

k

e re sC

Examine need for culvert and consider potential to hold water to infiltrate upslope

} 236

} 236

ree sC m o Blo

k

Blooms Creek Trail

Eas t R

e Tra il idg

East R

idge T r

0

50

ai l

Existing Primary Road (Paved)

Redwood Forest

Creeks

Existing Secondary Road (Paved)

2’ Contour

Major Drainage

Existing Trail

0-6% Slope

Minor Drainage

Existing Secondary Road (Paved) Potential Removal or Road or Trail Conversion

6-12% Slope

Former Group Campsite

Former Campsite

Potential Trail

100

US Feet 200 Ridge Trail East

Blooms Creek & Jay Camp Topography and Drainage

Slope

Landslide

0-6% 6-12%

Potential Deposits

Natural Resources

Hydrology* Creeks Major Drainages Minor Drainages

Vegetation Communities (*=Sensitive) SESE

Sequoia sempervirens Alliance*

PSME

Pseudotsuga menziesii - Notholithocarpus densiflorus/Vaccinium ovatum Association* Developed Major Road

*Creek/drainage mapping is preliminary and additional refinement will be provided

80

Most of Blooms Creek Campground + Jay Camp is 0 and 6% slope with portions of the site along the edges and pockets at north and south end that are 6 and 12% slope. There is major drainage that flows through the site and lines the southern edge. In the upper part of the site, a smaller drainage flow moves through the top half. In the lower part of the site, there is another small drainage that flows through the site. Culverts exist along Blooms Creek Trail, Blooms Creek Campground Rd, and highway. Adjacent to the site on the north end is a potential Landslide Deposit that can affect stability.

04 JANUARY 2024

The Blooms Creek Campground + Jay Camp is vegetated by coniferous trees. A significant amount of the vegetation is Sequoia sempervirens Alliance (Coast Redwood). A small portion of the lower half of the site as well as the southern boundary edge are vegetated by Pseudotsuga menziesiiNotholithocarpus denssiflorus/Vaccinium ovatum Association (Douglas-fir / Tanoak / California Huckleberry Forest).The entire site is covered in Redwoods – Old Growth and Older Second Growth.

PUBLIC DRAFT

Existing Development & Former Uses

Utilities Water Reconstruction of the drinking water distribution system will likely be routed along Highway 236. The Blooms Creek Campground and Jay Camp areas could connect into the drinking water system to provide potable water and fire water to the sites.

Wastewater Existing sewer main from Sky Meadow goes through this site, if sewer infrastructure rebuilt in place, access for operations and maintenance must be preserved.

Electricity The proposed

Bridges Damaged or Lost

Major Road (Paved)

Former Facilities Lost to Fire

Secondary Road (Paved)

Previous Campsite Locations

Utility Roads (Unpaved)

Previous Group Camp Locations

Trails

electrical service from PG&E is routed in close proximity, within Highway 236. Jay Camp facilities could connect to the planned PG&E service for proposed lighting and electrical vehicle charging infrastructure.

Non-System Routes

Former facilities at these campgrounds include 62 individual sties, two group camp sites, 8 restroom structures, 6 cabins, and one outbuilding, which were lost in the CZU fire.

One combo restroom building remains in Jay Camp.

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Restoration Approach

Blooms Creek & Jay Camp

Future Program

1. Remove remaining roads, foundations, and utility infrastructure in a manner consistent with trail removal in the California State Parks Trails Handbook.

Formerly developed campgrounds, Blooms Creek Campground and Jay Camp will be focused area of hydrological restoration to enhance redwood habitat.

2. Restore pre-development stream flows and flood plains, including evaluating benefits of::

• Removing culverts, culvert headwalls, and bridge footings.

Most, if not all, existing roads and remnant foundations will be removed.

• Rerouting channels and/or mitigating streambed incision.

Existing trails will remain and new trail connections through the areas will be considered.

Restoration Management

Culvert removal and drainage reroutes will be considered if deemed valuable for habitat enhancement.

1. Conduct invasive species control consistent with ongoing parkwide approach.

Day use areas, such as group picnic or group program space and associated parking will be considered if consistent with restoration improvements.

2. Implement large woody debris prescription.

3. Monitor and maintain sites as directed in the parkwide Forest Management Strategy.

Trail Removal and Restoration Techniques •

•

• • • •

Removal of material - preservation of organics and loose rock and off-haul of construction debris.

Natural drainage features of the landform are fully restored and decoupled from the trail alignment.

Decompaction and soil aeration.

Gully repair and re-establishment of slope’s natural contours.

Establish vegetation.

Public awareness - symbolic and barrier fencing, interpretive signage

* Source: sampled from California State Parks Trails Manual

Grading Priorities •

Restore sheet flow into Blooms Creek.

Utility Access Considerations •

Hihn Hammond Road is primary access to Wastewater Treatment Plant

Tra il

} Sky Meadow Road

Blooms C ree k

236

Examine need for culvert

Former landslide deposit

Consider trail connections to replace roadways

Blooms Cree k C nd grou amp

Blooms Creek Campground Consider Road to Trail Conversion while maintaining access to Sewer Main Line

ad

Se

quo ia Tr ail

Ro

Blo

Jay Camp

o ms Cre

ek

mp Ca ou gr

nd

Hih

nH

d

am

Rd

mo

nd

R d oa

un ro Jay pg C am

Day use parking area for group picnic (potentially reservable)

Rd

} 236

Former Headquarters

US Feet Scale: 1:2,400; 200 Feet Per Inch 0 100 200 400

Existing Primary Road (Paved)

Existing Trail

Constraint Area

Existing Secondary Road (Paved)

Redwood Forest

Creeks

Existing Utility Road (Unpaved)

0-6% Slope

Major Drainage

Existing Secondary Road (Paved) Potential Removal or Road or Trail Conversion

6-12% Slope

Minor Drainage

5’ Contour

Sewer

Former Headquarters Topography and Drainage

Slope

Landslide

0-6% 6-12%

Potential Deposits

Natural Resources

Hydrology* Creeks Major Drainages Minor Drainages

Vegetation Communities (*=Sensitive) SESE

Sequoia sempervirens Alliance*

PSME

Pseudotsuga menziesii - Notholithocarpus densiflorus/Vaccinium ovatum Association* Developed Major Road

*Creek/drainage mapping is preliminary and additional refinement will be provided Former Headquarters is a generally flat area at the bottom of steeper hillsides to the east and west. Opal Creek flows along the west side of the area, and numerous channels and drainages have been engineered to direct flow around the site to protect previous facilities. There are potential landslide deposits northeast of the site.

The Former Headquarters is dominated by old growth redwoods, and previous uses were sited in this habitat area. Much of the Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas fir) in this area was burned in the CZU Fire.

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Existing Development & Former Uses

Utilities Water Previously, the Headquarters site contained one 24-foot-diameter and two 18-foot-diameter water tanks on a hill in the northeast portion of the site that provided pressurized water to buildings, cabins, and comfort stations. The reconstructed potable water distribution system is proposed to be routed through this site to provide water service to the planned facilities. Water storage tanks in a similar location could store and pressurize fire and domestic water to serve the former Headquarters site. No wells or other water sources were identified in this area.

Wastewater Wastewater generated in the Former Headquarters site will flow into the existing sanitary sewer collection system that is routed through the site.

Bridges Damaged or Lost

Major Road (Paved)

Former Facilities Lost to Fire

Secondary Road (Paved)

Existing Facilities not Lost to Fire

Utility Roads (Unpaved)

Previous Campsite Locations

Trails Non-System Routes

Previous Group Camp Locations

Electricity PG&E electrical service will be routed through the Former Headquarters site to supply electricity to the restrooms, park facilities, and electric-vehicle charging stations.

Solar generation is not likely due to the density of trees.

Former Headquarters is accessed by Hwy 236.

All of the structures in the area, including the Visitor Center, Park Store, and Laundry Facility, burned in the CZU Fire. The Campfire Center partially remains although the State structure was lost. A new temporary Visitor Center was established in 2020, and most of the trails have been restored.

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Former Headquarters

Future Program This area was historically the center of park activity. In reimagining Big Basin, priority has been given to implementing a development strategy that prioritizes redwood health.

While it is important that visitors be able to experience the old growth redwood forest here, it is assumed that their footprint will be lighter in the future and their stay shorter.

The overall footprint of the use area is anticipated to decrease by approximately 50%. Following is a list of facilities that will be located there followed by facilities that will be considered: •

• • • • •

• •

Remnants of Historic Structures and Campfire Center will be memorialized through interpretation.

A Small Indoor Operations Space for staff Outdoor visitor contact with Interpretive Displays and Trails Restrooms Shuttle Stop Small Day-Use Parking Area will provide ADA access and minimal vehicular parking Interpretive Program Space/Campfire Center for outdoor learning and events Picnic Areas of various sizes

Opportunities 1. Former Campfire Center can be imagined as interpretive gathering space 2. Elevated trail experiences can support restoration of natural hydrology 3. Big Basin Lodge Chimney can be explored as an interpretive landmark 4. Potential to design new arrival getaway and visitor experience sequence, including interpretation of restored creek channel, previously underground.

5. Consider area around former Visitor Center as day-use facilities hub 6. Explore redistributing channelized flow for drainage reconnection 7. Consider reorganizing footprint and adapting landscape and architectural design approach to support restored hydrology 8. Existing meadow provides opportunity for interpretation about hydrology and forest succession 9. Opportunity for improvements to hydrology and infiltration (see hydrology study) 10. Explore ways to reestablish hydrologic connection from the east side of HWY 236 to the Redwood Loop Area.

Considerations for Restoration •

• • •

Restoration in the Former Headquarters site should include removal of unused asphalt or concrete paved areas and removal of unnecessary culverts or drainage crossings that channelize and redirect flows from their natural drainage courses. In a natural condition, stormwater sheet flowed to the southwest, spreading and infiltrating into the soils along the redwood loop trail. Retention or detention basins could be incorporated into these areas to improve infiltration and soil hydration in the redwood grove(s) along the loop trail.

Restoration should include removal of unused bridge crossings, footings, or infrastructure near Opal Creek and revegetation of the creek’s riparian zone.

The area where the previous gas station and gas pumps were located should be inspected for soil contamination and remediated as necessary.

Goal to do broadcast burns through this area – opportunity to design new facilities, fencing, bridges, etc. to make this possible.

Road

236

North E scape

North Escape Road

}

Maintain Vehicular Access for O&M

Headquarters & Redwood Loop Trail

7 4

3 1 2

Opa lC r

} 236

Exisiting Parking

6

5

8

k ee

10

9

} 236

Jay Camp

0

Existing Primary Road (Paved)

Redwood Forest

Creeks

0-6% Slope

Major Drainage

Existing Utility Road (Unpaved)

6-12% Slope

Minor Drainage

Existing Trail

5’ Contour

Existing Culverts

Former Site of Key Structure

Constraint Area

Developed Area

Existing Secondary Road (Paved)

100

200

US Feet 400

Potential Opportunity Areas

Sequoia Campground Topography and Drainage

Slope

Landslide

0-6% 6-12%

Potential Deposits

Natural Resources

Hydrology* Creeks Major Drainages Minor Drainages

Vegetation Communities (*=Sensitive) SESE

Sequoia sempervirens Alliance* Developed Major Road

*Creek/drainage mapping is preliminary and additional refinement will be provided Sequoia Campground occupies a generally flat plateau uphill from Former Headquarters and above Hwy 236. Water generally flows downhill from the site until captured and conveyed in ditches along Hwy 236.

Sequoia Campground offers the experience of camping in the Old Growth Redwoods as the entire site is in this habitat area. Development here will need to be compatible with this sensitive resource.

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Existing Development & Former Uses

Utilities Water Previous water service to the Sequoia site included two 14-foot-diameter tanks on the western portion of the site, and one 7-foot-diameter tank on the east portion of the site; both were uphill from the campgrounds and provided pressurized water to the facilities in Sequoia. Elevated water-storage tanks similar to the tanks or a booster pump system are recommended to provide adequate water pressure to Sequoia, which is uphill of the adjacent North Escape Road and Former Headquarters sites and proposed to be served by the reconstructed potable water distribution system.

Wastewater Currently, the

Existing Facilities not Lost to Fire Previous Campsite Locations

Trails Non-System Routes

Previous Group Camp Locations Major Road (Paved) Secondary Road (Paved)

Sequoia campground area is connected to the existing sanitary sewer system, but sewer line would need to be completely redone. Wastewater generated in the campground should continue to be directed into the existing sanitary sewer collection system; onsite wastewater treatment is not necessary in Sequoia unless wastewater reuse as toilet flushing is desired.

Electricity PG&E electrical

Formerly a group campground, it is anticipated that the site will remain consistent with its former use. The site was accessible by vehicle and trail from the Former Headquarters and included parking. The comfort station remains at the site.

PUBLIC DRAFT

service is intended to be provided to the site to power electric vehicle charging stations and restroom lighting.

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Opportunities

Sequoia Campground

Future Program

1. Potential to re-establish group camping in formerly developed areas.

2. Opportunity to utilize existing roadway for vehicular access and re-establish hiking trail to Former Headquarters.

The site was previously used as a group campground, and a similar use is intended in the future, with attention to facility placement consistent with redwood habitat enhancement. Following is a list of facilities that will be located there followed by restoration strategies that will be considered: •

•

Two 50-person group campgrounds with associated amenities, including parking, comfort stations, and fire pits Habitat restoration and infrastructure removal as needed for habitat enhancement

Group Camp Considerations •

• • •

3. Opportunity to reuse or potentially expand comfort station.

Typically, 1,000 square feet for one person (preferably two to three acres for each 50-user group site) Identified campsites for the group size Parking available and space for larger equipment Vault toilet or comfort station - sewer connection needed for Crumb Clean!

* Source: National Parks Service Campground Development Guidelines

Restoration Considerations •

Manage stormwater and prioritize infiltration before water flows downhill to creeks or drainage ditches.

North Escape

} 236

Sequoia 1 (1.5 acres) Sequ oia G roup C

2amp Rd

} 236

3 2

Former landslide deposit

il

oi

qu

Se

ra aT

(2 acres)

1

Rd Camp Group Sequoia

Sequoia (~7 ac)

0

Existing Primary Road (Paved)

Redwood Forest

Major Drainage

Existing Secondary Road (Paved)

0-6% Slope

Minor Drainage

Existing Trail

6-12% Slope

Former Campsite

2’ Contour

Creeks

Existing Facilities

50

100

Former Group Campsite

US Feet 200

North Escape Road Topography and Drainage

Slope

Landslide

0-6% 6-12%

Potential Deposits

Natural Resources

Hydrology*

Vegetation Communities (*=Sensitive)

Creeks

SESE

Sequoia sempervirens Alliance*

Major Drainages

ARME

Arbutus menziesii Alliance*

Minor Drainages

NODE

Notholithocarpus densiflorus Alliance*

Pseudotsuga menziesii - Notholithocarpus densiflorus/Vaccinium ovatum Association* QUAG Quercus agrifolia Alliance PSME

Developed

*Creek/drainage mapping is preliminary and additional refinement will be provided North Escape Road follows Opal Creek from Former Headquarters north to a second connection with Hwy 236. In general, the road and the creek are lined with steeper, forested hillsides to the east and west. There are small areas of flatter terrain directly off of North Escape Road.

Major Road

The North Escape Road site is situated in the Old Growth Redwood area, and Sequoia sempervirens is the dominant species throughout the area. Many drainages have been channelized or engineered to accommodate the roadway or previous uses.

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Existing Development & Former Uses

Utilities Water and Wastewater Water and sewer infrastructure are not planned in the North Escape Road site and abandonment or removal should be evaluated. The potable water distribution system would serve fire hydrants and potential water spigots in the site through a connection routed in North Escape Road.

Electricity There is currently no plan to provide electricity to this area.

Bridges Damaged or Lost

Major Road (Paved)

Former Facilities Lost to Fire

Secondary Road (Paved)

Existing Facilities not Lost to Fire

Utility Roads (Unpaved)

Previous Campsite Locations

Trails Non-System Routes

Previous Group Camp Locations

North Escape Road was previously used for day-use parking, with visitors walking from here to the Former Headquarters. There were picnic areas along the roadway with tables and amenities, including at the trailhead for Gazos Creek Road. In the past, these areas were campgrounds and several historic stone bbqs remain in place. There were previously four comfort stations along this section of North Escape Road. There was also previously a locked gate preventing vehicular traffic from driving on North Escape Road beyond this core area.

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Opportunities

North Escape Road

Future Program

1. Consider closing upper section of North Escape Road to public vehicles but to maintain staff access to limit level of use.

Previous amenities off of North Escape Road expanded visitor use in the old growth core of the park. In an effort to restore sensitive redwood habitat in this area, minimal new facilities will be added, and efforts will be made to limit impacts to the forest while still potentially allowing the public to experience the forest in a passive way. Redwood habitat restoration will be the primary focus in this area. The following will be considered if consistent with restoration goals: • • •

2. Evaluate impacts of hydrological modifications at culverts and crossings for restoration of redwood habitat.

3. Consider enhanced trailhead around Gazos Creek Day Use Area.

4. Utilize flatter areas for day use activities or program space and consider removing loop spur roads that are not needed for public access. Public space would require reestablishing water and wastewater lines.

5. Consider bringing water and wastewater across Opal Creek for new walk-in or reservable drive-in picnic areas.

Day-use parking south of Gazos Creek Small picnic areas Walk-in campground or trail camp

Trail Removal and Restoration Techniques

Restoration and Grading Considerations

•

Restoration of this area to native redwood forest habitat should include:

•

• • • •

Removal of material - preservation of organics and loose rock and off-haul of construction debris.

Natural drainage features of the landform are fully restored and decoupled from the trail alignment.

Decompaction and soil aeration.

Gully repair and re-establishment of slope’s natural contours.

Establish vegetation.

Public awareness - symbolic and barrier fencing, interpretive signage

* Source: sampled from California State Parks Trails Manual

•

• • •

Removal of unused asphalt or concrete paved areas, removal of unused utility infrastructure.

Grading the site to restore natural sheet flow toward Opal Creek Adding several retention basins to slow and infiltrate stormwater.

Restoring the riparian area around Opal Creek to naturalized riparian conditions.

dd

} 236

oc kC r ee k

No

rth

Esc

ape

Tra il

Opal Creek

Ma

hea

d

4 Cre

e pin

Former landslide deposit

g

North Escape

Fo

re s

Former landslide deposit

rail tT

2 Skyline to t he Se a Tra

il

Former landslide deposit

ek ad re os Creek R o od C Gaz wo Re d

D

oo

lT ra

il

Su

ns

et

} 236

1 Huckleberry + Watashi

5 Former landslide deposit

Tra i

l

Sequoia

3 qu

Se a oi a Tr il

Headquarters + Redwood Loop Trail

Redwood Loop Trail

Former landslide deposit

} 236

0

250

500

Existing Primary Road (Paved)

Redwood Forest

Constraint Area

Existing Secondary Road (Paved)

0-6% Slope

Creeks

Existing Utility Road (Unpaved)

6-12% Slope

Major Drainage

Existing Trail

5’ Contour

Minor Drainage

US Feet 1,000

Huckleberry & Watashi Topography and Drainage

Slope

Landslide

0-6% 6-12%

Potential Deposits

Natural Resources

Hydrology*

Vegetation Communities (*=Sensitive)

Creeks

SESE

Sequoia sempervirens Alliance*

Major Drainages

ARME

Arbutus menziesii Alliance*

Minor Drainages

PSME

Pseudotsuga menziesii - Notholithocarpus densiflorus/Vaccinium ovatum Association*

QUAG

Quercus agrifolia Alliance

QUPA

Quercus wislizeni - Quercus parvula Alliance

*Creek/drainage mapping is preliminary and additional refinement will be provided Much of the formerly developed areas of Huckleberry and Wastahi have gentle slopes, particularly around existing roads. The sites are bisected by Sky Meadow Road and Sempervirens Creek. Huckleberry sits above Union Creek, which is to the south and east. There are multiple culverts for smaller drainages along the existing campground roads. Wastahi sits below an area identified as potential landslide deposits and previously experienced large debris and water flows during storms.

The Huckleberry and Wastahi sites are vegetated by coniferous and hardwoods trees. The site is largely covered by Sequoia sempervirens Alliance (Coast Redwood) that is considered Old Growth or Older Second Growth. Higher elevations in Huckleberry and the ridge that separates Huckleberry from Lower Sky Meadow are dominated by oak species.

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Existing Development & Former Uses

Utilities

Water The Huckleberry and Wastahi sites will likely be served by the reconstructed potable water distribution system, as no wells or alternative water sources have been identified in either of the two sites.

Wastewater The existing

Bridges Damaged or Lost

Secondary Road (Paved)

Former Facilities Lost to Fire

Trails

Existing Facilities not Lost to Fire

Non-System Routes Potential Solar Areas

Previous Campsite Locations Previous Group Camp Locations

Huckleberry formerly contained car camping for tents and RVs, tent cabins, and walk-in campsites. It also contained an RV dump station at the entrance to the campground.

Wastahi contained parking and walk-in campsites. Internal roadways still exist in both sites.

PUBLIC DRAFT

sanitary sewer collection system is routed through the Huckleberry and Wastahi sites and presumably has capacity to serve the sites unless onsite wastewater treatment and disposal or reuse are desired. Onsite wastewater treatment and disposal including either leachfields or reuse in the form of toilet flushing could be possible in the Huckleberry and Wastahi sites pending results of site-specific percolation testing.

Proposed RV hookups should be located with consideration for the RV dump station accessibility. BMPs should be incorporated to prevent spills that could contaminate the adjacent Sempervirens Creek

Electricity PG&E plans to provide service to the Huckleberry and Wastahi sites to power restrooms, electricvehicle charging stations, cabins, sewer-lift stations, and RV electrical hookups. Solar power in Huckleberry and Wastahi is unlikely to be feasible due to the high density of trees.

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Opportunities

Huckleberry & Watashi

1. Potential to utilize areas formerly developed as tent campsites and cabin locations for new overnight accommodations with increased ratio of comfort stations to campsites.

Future Program

2. Opportunity to utilize existing Shadowbrook Trail to connect Union Creek and Lower Sky Meadow.

Huckleberry and Wastahi will be future overnight destinations at the Park, with sites for tent camping and RVs and associated amenities. Following is a list of facilities that will be located there followed by facilities that will be considered: •

• • • • • •

3. Opportunity for shortened trail connection over ridge to Lower Sky Meadow (0.8 miles; 5-8% slope; 190’ elevation change).

4. Potential location for a campfire center on a gradual slope at edge of campground.

Campgrounds with Individual Tent Sites for Car Camping, Internal Roadways, and Comfort Stations Campfire Center Tent or Hard-sided Cabins Park Store Individual RV Sites Campground Check-in Housekeeping Facility with Laundry for Cabin Bedding Tent and/or Hard-sided Cabins

5. Potential location for a larger campfire center with gentler slope and nearby parking.

6. Opportunity to reconstruct RV Dump Station and incorporate BMPs to manage potential sewer overflow.

7. Reconsider and reconfigure Wastahi for a use that is less likely to be impacted by drainage and potential landflow. Consider a park store or campground check-in in upper area with the lower lot restores to accomodate runoff.

8. Consider larger campground support amenities or campground check-in kiosk at entry or other flatter areas.

Campfire Center Considerations Huckleberry is identified as a potential location for a campfire center due to its location in the heart of the future overnight zone. Surrounding topography could be an asset in providing a natural amphitheater, or flatter area may be preferred for increased accessibility.

• • • • • •

First row typically 20 feet from stage 4 feet between each row 1:4 maximum recommended slope Each aisle will be roughly 5-6 feet wide Roughly 7,000 sf per campfire center, which will accommodate 240 seats All trees within 20 feet of the fire ring must be removed

Redwood log benches similar to Historic Campfire Center

Comfort Station Considerations Water supply and sewer lines were destroyed, so new locations can be considered to meet anticipated demand.

•

•

• • •

Dish-washing stations that drain to the sewer need to be incorporated into all comfort stations.

Assumes 5 people per campsite and 1 toilet per 35 persons (or 1 toilet to serve approximately 7 sites).

The maximum distance from a campsite to a comfort station shall be 500 feet .

All restrooms will be unisex.

All comfort stations must comply with federal accessibility standards.

*Source: National Parks Service Campground Development Guidelines

* Source: Boy Scouts of America Design Development for The Amphitheater

Former landslide deposit

Wastahi Former 26 walk-in sites

7

8

unmapped segment of Sempervirens Creek - course to be confirmed

s iren

k Cre e

Semp er

potential check-in kiosk

v

quoia Tr a il Se

6

1

Trail ok

Former 9 walk-in sites

1

wb ro

ado Sh

Former 27 car camping/RV sites

Potential Campfire Center seating 240 (aproximately 6,000 sf)

4 3

5 Potential Campfire Center seating 300 (aproximately 7,500 sf)

on Uni

Former 34 tent cabins (3 ADA)

1

k Cr e e

4 2

Potential Campfire Center seating 240 (aproximately 6,000 sf)

Huckleberry 0

100 200 300 400 500 Feet

Existing Primary Road (Paved)

Potential Trail Connection

5’ Contour

Minor Drainage

Existing Utility Road (Unpaved)

Redwood Forest

Constraint Area

RV Dump Station

Existing Trail

0-6% Slope

Creeks

Walk-in CampsiteTrails

6-12% Slope

Major Drainage

Lower Sky Meadow Topography and Drainage

Slope

Landslide

Natural Resources

Hydrology*

Vegetation Communities (*=Sensitive)

Creeks

SESE

Sequoia sempervirens Alliance*

Major Drainages

ARME

Arbutus menziesii Alliance*

Minor Drainages

PSME

Pseudotsuga menziesii - Notholithocarpus densiflorus/Vaccinium ovatum Association*

ARCRU

Arctostaphylos Alliance*

QUAG

Quercus agrifolia Alliance

QUPA

Quercus wislizeni - Quercus parvula Alliance

*Creek/drainage mapping is preliminary and additional refinement will be provided

GRASS

California Annual & Perennial Grassland Microgroup

DEV

Developed

Much of the Lower Sky Meadow area is between 0% and 12% slope; however, it is surrounded by steeper areas, including the ridge that separates the site from Huckleberry Campground to the southwest and steep slopes down to Union Creek to the southeast. There are no formal creek channels within the Lower Sky Meadow area; however, drainages direct water generally southeast to the creek. The northern portion of the site across Sky Meadow Road rises steeply ,with some flatter areas just adjacent to the road.

The Lower Sky Meadow site is vegetated by coniferous and hardwood trees, herbaceous flora, and shrub. The largest vegetation group is Sequoia sempervirens (Coast Redwood) alliance. A small portion of the Lower Sky Meadow, where a number of residences were located prior to the fire, is considered developed. There is significant old growth and older second-growth within and surrounding the site. The area designated as grass collects water from the surrounding area and may contain wetland species. It should be evaluated and potentially avoided for planning purposes.

0-6% 6-12%

Potential Deposits

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Existing Development & Former Uses

Utilities Water Facilities at Lower Sky Meadow could be served by the reconstructed domestic water system that will be routed through the site. No wells or alternative water sources were identified that could provide water service to Lower Sky Meadow.

Wastewater Onsite wastewater

Bridges Damaged or Lost

Potential Solar Areas

Former Facilities Lost to Fire

Secondary Road

Existing Facilities not Lost to Fire

Utility Road (Unpaved)

Previous Campsite Locations

Trails Non-System Routes

Previous Group Camp Locations

treatment and disposal infrastructure that served the site prior to the 2020 CZU fire are presumed to remain intact and potentially usable to serve proposed facilities in Lower Sky Meadow.

There was approximately 1,100 linear feet of leach line separated into two leach fields installed prior to re-connecting this area to the new sewer main in Sky Meadow Rd via lift station. The onsite wastewater system will likely serve proposed facilities in Lower Sky Meadow. Big Basin Park’s staff have noted that the leach fields in Lower Sky Meadow have not historically been problematic.

Electricity PG&E plans to construct electrical service infrastructure through the Lower Sky Meadow site. In the northern areas of the site with limited tree cover, solar panel generation could be explored on buildings located on south-facing, exposed slopes.

Lower Sky Meadow was previously the site of staff residences and a group camp. The staff residences were previously designated a historic district, but most structures were destroyed in the fire. Residence 10 is the only remaining building, and while it is not longer eligible for historic status, it could be reused for park purposes. Lower Sky Meadow is directly off Sky Meadow Road, and the roadways for internal circulation are still intact.

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Lower Sky Meadow Future Program Lower Sky Meadow will be a future overnight destination at the park, primarily serving visitor that are utilizing the campsites and cabins there. Following is a list of facilities that will be located there followed by facilities that will be considered: •

• • • • • • •

Campground with Individual Tent Sites for Car Camping, Internal Roadway, and Comfort Stations Multiple Staff Residences Tent and/or Hard-sided Cabins Park Store Campground Check-in Campfire Day Use Picnic Areas Trailhead and Staging

Opportunities 1. Potential to utilize existing roadway for campground access.

2. Opportunity to utilize or realign existing Shadowbrook Trail to connect to Union Creek and Huckleberry Campground.

3. Opportunity for shortened trail connection over ridge to Huckleberry (0.8 miles; 5-8% slope; 190’ elevation change).

4. Potential to create pleasing viewpoint over meadow.

5. Potential location for a campfire center on steeper slope within campground area overlooking meadow.

6. Opportunity to use former service road to high point with scenic views at +1340‘ elevation.

7. Opportunity to create campground hike to vista point at +1300’ elevation.

8. Potential to create new campground loop trail that circle meadow area and marks set back boundary from wet area.

Camping Considerations Lower Sky Meadow was identified for car camping and cabins for its existing canopy cover, availability of relatively flat terrain, and existing utility infrastructure. It is assumed that RV camping would not occur here due to condition of Sky Meadow Road to access the site.

Tent Camping • Typically 11-15 campsites per acre • Roughly 3,000 sf per campsite (including parking & space between sites) • Comfort station within 500 feet; 1 restroom per 7 campsite • Average 5 people per campsite

Cabins • The minimum separation of cabins should generally be 100 feet unless site conditions allow privacy with closer spacing.

• Cabin siting can respond to solar orientation to capture passive solar energy and/or support PV systems for hot water.

Preferred slope <2%

When on a slope steeper than 2 percent, they may need to have retaining walls.

* Source: National Parks Service Campground Development Guidelines

Facility Opportunity Area cabins/check-in/ residences (approx 1.25 acres 15-30 cabins)

Opportunity Area for Terraced Cabins on Solar on South Facing Slope (5-7 cabins)

Existing water tank

7 Residence #10

Opportunity Area for new staff housing in close proximity but set back from campground (1.6 acres)

Facility Opportunity Area camping amenities/tent sites/cabins/check-in/staff residences (8 acres)

2

Shadowbrook Trail

1

Car Camping Opportunity Area (approx 11 acres 70 to 90 sites)

8

5

Car Camping Opportunity Area (approx 4.5 acres 30 to 40 sites)

Potential Wetland avoid area and set development back a minimum of 100 feet

Unio

nC

re e

k

6

4

3

5

Huckleberry Campground

0

125

250

375

500 Feet

Existing Primary Road (Paved)

0-6% Slope

Potential Trail Connection

Existing Secondary Road (Paved)

6-12% Slope

Potential Facility Opportunity Area

Existing Utility Road (Unpaved)

5’ Contour

Potential Visitor Destination

Existing Trail

Redwood Forest

Constraint Area

Rogers Road Topography and Drainage

Slope

Landslide

0-6% 6-12%

Potential Deposits

Natural Resources

Hydrology* Creeks Major Drainages

Vegetation Communities (*=Sensitive) SESE

Sequoia sempervirens Alliance*

PSME

Pseudotsuga menziesii - Notholithocarpus densiflorus/Vaccinium ovatum Association*

QUAG

Quercus agrifolia Alliance

QUPA

Quercus wislizeni - Quercus parvula Alliance

DEV

Developed

Minor Drainages

*Creek/drainage mapping is preliminary and additional refinement will be provided Rogers Road is an open, flat clearing surrounded by steeper forested slopes. Nearly the entire site has slopes between 0% and 6%, with the a gentle, consistent slope to the northeast. Just east of the site are areas identified as potential landslide deposits, indicating possible stability issues farther uphill.

As a formerly developed site, most of Rogers Road is clear of vegetation and trees. The site is entirely surrounded by Sequoia sempervirens Alliance, but this area is not considered Old Growth or Older Second Growth.

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Existing Development & Former Uses

Utilities Water Rogers Road will presumably be served by the reconstructed potable water distribution system with the addition of booster pumps, potentially located in Sky Meadow Road, to lift and pressurize water to planned facilities. No wells or alternative water sources were identified that could serve planned infrastructure in Rogers Road.

Wastewater Rogers Road was

Former Facilities Lost to Fire Secondary Roads (Paved) Utility Roads (Unpaved) Non-System Routes

not previously connected to the park sewer system. Wastewater generated in the Rogers Road site could gravity-flow into the existing sanitary sewer collection system that connects to the Huckleberry site or to the existing, onsite wastewater treatment systems in the Lower Sky Meadow or Upper Sky Meadow areas, pending flow and capacity analysis. Alternatively, an onsite wastewater treatment system within Rogers Road could reuse treated wastewater as toilet flushing and/or irrigation, or leach fields could be installed pending percolation testing results if connection to an offsite system is deemed infeasible.

Electricity PG&E plans to

Rogers Road was formerly used as an operations facility with one staff residence. The site contained a primary maintenance yard and mechanic shop totaling approximately 14,310 square feet and various shops, offices, and storage sheds totaling approximately 7,500 square feet throughout multiple buildings and outdoor yards.

PUBLIC DRAFT

provide electrical service to the facilities at Rogers Road.

The open and flat site could contain PV panels on the roofs of the planned facilities to offset electrical demands from PG&E but taller trees and steep slope to the south may make it infeasible.

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Opportunities

Rogers Road

Future Program Formerly a maintenance facility connected to the park’s water and wastewater system, Rogers Road has suitable terrain for future development. The following facilities will be considered: • •

• •

Maintenance Facilities Group Camp, potentially with cabins and/or focused on events, such as weddings or conferences Staff Residences of various sizes Restoration of redwood forest habitat

1. The generally flat topography at Rodgers Road is suitable for a variety of development types, and providing utilities to meet anticipated demand is feasible.

2. The existing road to Rogers Road is suitable for vehicles but likely not RVs. 3. Connecting fire roads provide nearby recreational amenities.

Constraints 1. The steep canyon topography on either side of Rodgers Road makes it vulnerable during extreme fires.

Location Considerations Rogers Road is a fairly remote site, which could be advantageous for various uses and challenging for others. The Rogers Road site is approximately: • • • •

} 236

Rogers Road

3.82 miles to Saddle Mountain 0.8 miles to Lower Sky Meadow Campground (and potential camp store) 1.5 miles to Huckleberry Campground (and potential camp store) 1.8 miles to intersection of Hwy 236 and Sky Meadow Road

Lower Sky Meadow Huckleberry Campground

} 236

Saddle Mountain

Highway 236 Intersection

} 236

e ek Union C r

Former landslide deposit To China Grade

A

1

2 Rogers

0 40 80

160

240

Road

320 Feet

Existing Primary Road (Paved)

0-6% Slope

Creeks

Existing Operations Road (Unpaved)

6-12% Slope

Major Drainage

Existing Trail

5’ Contour

Minor Drainage

3

Upper Sky Meadow Topography and Drainage

Slope

Landslide

0-6% 6-12%

Potential Deposits

Natural Resources

Hydrology*

Vegetation Communities (*=Sensitive)

Creeks

SESE

Sequoia sempervirens Alliance*

Major Drainages

ARME

Arbutus menziesii Alliance*

Minor Drainages

PSME

Pseudotsuga menziesii - Notholithocarpus densiflorus/Vaccinium ovatum Association*

QUAG

Quercus agrifolia Alliance

*Creek/drainage mapping is preliminary and additional refinement will be provided Directly north and south of Lodge Road, the site has a large flat area where former structures were previously located. This flat bench offers a good opportunity for new improvements. To the north, the site slopes gently uphill with generally south- and westfacing slopes. Within this area, there are lesssteep areas, which is likely what was utilized

by CCC members living at the site during the early 20th century. Most of the site has been identified as potential landslide deposits.

QUPA

Quercus wislizeni - Quercus parvula Alliance

QUCH

Quercus chrysolepis Alliance

PIAT

Pinus attenuata Alliance

DEV

Developed

The Upper Sky Meadow site is vegetated by coniferous and hardwood trees and shrub. The two largest groups of vegetation are Sequoia sempervirens Alliance (Coast Redwood) and Quercus agrifolia Alliance (Coast Live Oak). The east end of the site is vegetated

by Pseudotsuga menziesii-Notholithocarpus denssiflorus/Vaccinium ovatum Association (Douglas fir / Tanoak / California Huckleberry Forest). A small portion of the site is covered in Arctostaphylos (crustacea, tomentosa) Alliance. The area around Lodge Road is still considered developed land.

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Existing Development & Former Uses

Utilities Water Facilities at Upper Sky Meadow could be served by the reconstructed potable water system that will be routed through the site. No wells or other water sources were identified in the site.

Wastewater Onsite wastewater

Former Facilities Lost to Fire Secondary Road (Paved) Non-System Routes

treatment and disposal infrastructure that served the site prior to the 2020 CZU fire remain intact and potentially usable to serve proposed facilities in Upper Sky Meadow. Currently, there are approximately 750 linear feet of leach line separated into three leach fields served by existing septic tanks and distribution boxes. Upper Sky Meadow was previously served by the Park’s existing sanitary sewer collection system but was capped when the onsite system was installed. The onsite wastewater system will likely remain to serve new facilities in Upper Sky Meadow, pending system inspection and soils evaluation that will inform further system upgrades or design changes. Big Basin Park staff have noted that the leach fields in Upper Sky Meadow have not historically been problematic.

Electricity PG&E plans to

Upper Sky Meadow is along Lodge Road, which may be passable by large vehicles but likely not by RVs. Formerly used for staff housing and facilities, the site maintains a relatively clear and exposed area directly adjacent to Lodge Road. In the early 20th century, a CCC camp occupied the area, and workers traveled from this site to construct facilities in the Headquarters area. There are considerations to close Lodge Road to private vehicles east of Upper Sky Meadow but allow operations, maintenance, and emergency access.

PUBLIC DRAFT

construct electrical service infrastructure through the Upper Sky Meadow site, and solar power generation could be possible on rooftops of proposed buildings.

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Upper Sky Meadow

Future Program Formerly a work camp for CCC and most recently used for staff residences, Upper Sky Meadow offers potentially suitable space for development. Upper Sky Meadow will also sit at the edge of the demonstration forest and potentially serve as the trailhead and parking for walk/bike-in campsites along Upper Lodge Road, which may bring a much higher number of visitors to the area than prior to the fire.The following facilities will be considered at Upper Sky Meadow: • • • •

Multiple units of Staff Housing Overnight Parking for Walk/Bike-in Camping along Upper Lodge Road Walk-in Campground Maintenance Facilities

Opportunities 1. Potentially closing Lodge Road to vehicular traffic at Upper Sky Meadow and creating walk/bike-in campsites along the closed section requires an overnight parking area at Upper Sky Meadow.

2. Larger areas of flat terrain along Lodge Road provide easy access for Park staff.

3. The gentle slope above Lodge Road could accommodate campsites or smaller terraced structures tucked into the forested hillside.

Area-wide. Creating new interpretive features associated with demonstration project for forest management or historic CCC camp could create new interest from the public.

Former landslide deposit

3 1 2

0 45 90

180

270

360 Feet

Existing Primary Road (Paved)

5’ Contour

Creeks and Drainage

Exisiting Secondary Road (Paved) Potential Closure to Public Vehicles without Reservation

Constraint Area

Minor Drainage

0-6% Slope

Former Building

6-12% Slope

Upper Lodge Road Topography and Drainage

Slope

Landslide

0-6% 6-12%

Potential Deposits

Natural Resources

Hydrology*

Vegetation Communities (*=Sensitive)

Creeks

SESE

Sequoia sempervirens Alliance*

Major Drainages

ARME

Arbutus menziesii Alliance*

Minor Drainages

NODE

Notholithocarpus densiflorus Alliance*

PSME

Pseudotsuga menziesii - Notholithocarpus densiflorus/Vaccinium ovatum Association*

QUAG

Quercus agrifolia Alliance

*Creek/drainage mapping is preliminary and additional refinement will be provided The terrain along Upper Lodge Road is generally too steep for new facilities; however, there are pockets of less-steep terrain that could accommodate small-scale visitor amenities.

The Upper Lodge Road area is predominately Sequoia sempervirens Alliance (Coast Redwood); however, this is not considered Old Growth or Older Second Growth.

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Existing Development & Former Uses

Utilities Water No utility infrastructure exists in the Upper Lodge Road area except for a spring at the south edge of the site. The spring is described as flowing year-round as the headwaters of the eastern fork of Union Creek. Further investigation of the spring is necessary to determine if it could meet anticipated potable water demands. Alternatively, water service could be provided from the reconstructed potable water distribution system or the existing well on the adjacent Mortensen site (pending further analysis on potable water demands between the two sites).

Wastewater Upper Lodge Road is not likely

Secondary Roads (Paved) Utility Roads (Unpaved) Trails Non-System Routes

to connect to the existing sanitary sewer collection system based on location and elevation. Therefore, wastewater generated in the site will need to be treated in an onsite system with either leach-field disposal or managed in vault restrooms. Soils data indicate the potential for shallow bedrock that could impact leach-field disposal. Soils investigation and percolation testing would be required. All onsite septic infrastructure would need to be outside of setbacks to the existing spring and adjacent creek.

Electricity PG&E service could There has not previously been facilities at Upper Lodge Road beyond roadways and trails. At this point, Lodge Road is narrow, with minimal shoulder or capacity for expansion.

It is assumed that larger vehicles, including RVs, could not travel this section of Lodge Road. East Ridge Trail passes through the area and connects through the park to the Former Headquarters.

PUBLIC DRAFT

be extended to Upper Lodge Road from Upper Sky Meadow via Lodge Road to support anticipated electrical service demands at the site. Solar power generation could be further investigated if PG&E connection is deemed infeasible.

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Opportunities

Upper Lodge Road

1. Create trailhead with parking in Lower Sky Meadow and close Lodge Road to public vehicles at this point. Or create limited parking areas for each walk-in cluster with overflow parking at Lower Sky Meadow. Parking lot would need to accommodate overnight parking with one space per campsite and include water for campers to carry in.

Future Program This section of Upper Lodge Road will be located within a forest management demonstration area that will be burned on a regular schedule as part of forest management. Recreational amenities within this area must be compatible with this management technique. Following is a list of facilities that will be located there followed by facilities that will be considered: • •

2. Interpret the forest management demonstration area along the closed road with interpretive signs and stopping places for visitor groups.

Approximately 20-40 Walk/Bike-in Campsites Interpretive Areas

3. Potential cluster of Walk/Bike-in Campsites located approximately .23 miles from trailhead.

4. Potential cluster of Walk/Bike-in Campsites located approximately .37 miles from trailhead.

5. Potential cluster of Walk/Bike-in Campsites located approximately .52 miles from trailhead.

6. Potential Trail Campsites along East Ridge Trail.

Camping Considerations Upper Lodge Road was identified as a walk-/ bike-in campground in a forest management demonstration area that will be periodically burned with low-intensity and controlled fires.

Walk/Bike-in Camping • •

Roughly 2,000 sf per campsite (not including parking) Campsite will include: • Tent pad • Picnic table • Fire ring • Vault restrooms

Demonstration Area Considerations The Forest Management Strategies identify the Upper Lodge Road as a demonstration area where controlled burns will be used to mitigate severe wildfires. All facilities in this area will be burned during these periods and need to be resilient to fire. Walk-/Bikein Campsites require minimal permanent structures and could be well suited for this location with some strategic material choice and management strategies, including: • • •

* Source: National Park Services Campground Development Guidlines

Steel infrastructure that can withstand burning, including tables and bear boxes.

Limiting utility services to avoid damage to the system during fire.

Considering whether all sites should be on the reservation system so they can close them during the period of the controlled burn.

2 1

rail Ridge T East

P

3

P Former landslide deposit

4

283033

5

6

0 95 190

380

570

760 Feet

Existing Primary Road (Paved)

0-6% Slope

Creeks and Drainage

Existing Utility Road (Unpaved)

6-12% Slope

Potential Campsites

Existing Trail

5’ Contour

Potential Visitor Destination

Demonstration Forest Boundary

Constraint Area

Former Building

Exisiting Secondary Road (Paved) Potential Closure to Public Vehicles without Reservation

Potential Opportunity Area

P

Potential Parking for Walk/Bike in Camping

Mortensen Sites Topography and Drainage

Slope 0-6% 6-12%

Landslide

Natural Resources

Hydrology*

Potential Deposits

Vegetation Communities (*=Sensitive)

Creeks

SESE

Sequoia sempervirens Alliance*

Major Drainages

ARME

Arbutus menziesii Alliance*

Minor Drainages

NODE

Notholithocarpus densiflorus Alliance*

PSME

Pseudotsuga menziesii - Notholithocarpus densiflorus/Vaccinium ovatum Association*

QUAG

Quercus agrifolia Alliance

Sempervirens Fund Property* *Potential Future Acquisition by California State Parks

*Creek/drainage mapping is preliminary and additional refinement will be provided Small pockets of Mortenson are between 0 and 6% slope as well as 6 and 12% slope. There is no drainage that flows through the site.

The Mortensen site is vegetated by coniferous and hardwood trees and herbaceous flora.

The Notholithocarpus denssiflorus (TanbarkOak).) surrounds the northern edge of the site.

The Pseudotsuga menziesii-Notholithocarpus denssiflorus/Vaccinium ovatum Association (Douglas-fir / Tanoak / California Huckleberry Forest) vegetation group is located at both ends of the site. The southern corner of the site is vegetated by Quercus chrysolepis Alliance (Canyon Live Oak). Throughout the site, there also small sized pockets of Sequoia sempirvirens Alliance (Coast Redwood).

Opportunity Area 15: Existing Development & Former Uses Mortensen

Big Basin Redwoods State Park

Utilities

Lodge Rd

Water There is an existing

Mortensen (~4 ac)

well within the Mortensen site that produces approximately 8.5 gallons per minute, or over 12,000 gallons per day that could be sufficient to serve both the Mortensen and adjacent Upper Lodge Road sites pending further water demand analysis. Additionally, water storage tanks and distribution system would be required for domestic and fire protection purposes.

Wastewater The Mortensen

0

50

100

US Feet 200

site is not likely to connect to the existing sanitary sewer collection system due to location and elevation. Based on proximity to the Upper Lodge Road site, there could be potential to combine wastewater flows and route them to one onsite treatment system located in either site.

Scale: 1:1,200; 100 Feet Per Inch

Legend Big Basin Redwoods State Park Draft Opportunity Sites

Big Basin Redwoods State Park

Acquisition Parcels Public Use, Museum/Visitor center Sempervirens Fund Property* Contours - 2 ft.

Redwoods - Old Growth and Older

*Potential Future

by California Regional Roads - Major Acquisition Roads Flowlines

by DrainageState Area Parks Paved Route

>1 Secondary Roads (Paved) Unpaved Route 0.02 - 1 Trails

0.01 - 0.02

Utility Roads (Unpaved)

The Mortensen sites are composed of three formerly residential parcels. All homes and structures on these properties were lost in the CZU fire.

Electricity It is currently not understood if PG&E intends to provide service to Mortensen and would need to be further investigated. The Mortensen site contains several flat and open areas that have the potential for solar power generation to offset electrical demands.

Mortensen Sites

Opportunities

Future Program

1. With sweeping south-easterly views, the site has potential for a captivating new visitor experience.

The Mortensen sites consist of three singlefamily dwelling parcels, one of which was previously owned by the Mortensen family.

They are accessible by a steep offshoot from Lodge Road. The sites may not be developed at this phase, but the following is a list of facilities that will be considered: • • • • •

2-6 Staff Residences as Single-Family Homes or Duplexes Trail Camp Interpretive Elements Vista Point Destination with Picnic Facilities for Trail Connections from Upper Lodge and/or Saddle Mountain Water Treatment Facility

Important Note: The map at right shows only the “Mortensen” site, and does not include the other two likely acquisitions, which are contiguous to the north of the site shown here.

2. Relative isolation provides a quiet location for staff residences with relative proximity to the Saddle Mountain.

3. Lodge Road connects these sites back to the main Park areas, and the sites are contiguous to the existing Park boundaries. Therefore, new trail connections offer the possibility for a new day-visit area as well as strengthening the experience of primitive camping in the Upper Lodge Road area.

4. The vistas provide a unique opportunity for interpretive elements describing the impacts and history of forest fire along with a understanding of deep geologic al time scales.

5. The steep road connection makes visitor vehicular access challenging. A small hike-in or bike-in campground would offer an intimate, secluded overnight experience with sunrise views and stargazing.

6. An existing well produces a large amount of water that, with treatment, could be pumped or gravity-fed towards the Saddle Mountain hub.

Relevant Considerations • The offshoot road from Lodge Road to access the sites is very steep and in need of maintenance. It may not be appropriate for visitors. Park staff with suitable cars or trucks can access the sites, but additional analysis is required before permitting vehicle access to the public.

• An existing well within the Mortensen sites produces a large amount of water. However, high amounts of manganese and iron require treatment for potable use. Because the sites are small, a treatment facility may be difficult to locate. A tank for storage and fire protection purposes would also be required.

• All sewer would need to be treated on-site. Leachfields may be possible for a small amount of residences; visitor facilities would likely need to rely on vault toilets.

Big Basin Redwoods State Park

Opportunity Area 15: Mortensen

0

50

100

US Feet 200

Scale: 1:1,200; 100 Feet Per Inch

Big Basin State Park Sempervirens Fund Property*

Slope >12% (Dark Grays) Very limited or no capacity for structures.

Sensitive Vegetation Communities

*Potential Future Aquisition by California State Parks

Paved or Improved Road Lost Structures

Slope 6% - 12% (Light Grays) Somewhat limited capacity for structures

Slope 0% - 6% Low limit on capacity for structures.

Program Summary Matrix

In the next planning phase, parkwide program distribution will be refined alongside the development of site design alternatives.

= facilities to be pursued = facilities to be considered

Opportunity Area Saddle Mountain Welcome Area, Norabella Property, & Potter Horse Corral Site Eastridge Trailhead Gate House Little Basin* Sempervirens Campground Blooms Creek Campground Jay Camp Former HQ Sequoia North Escape Road Huckleberry Wastahi Lower Sky Meadow Rogers Road Upper Sky Meadow Upper Lodge Road Area Mortensen North Entrance

Vi s In itor/ W te C Pa rpre eenlcteo rk ti rm Ca Sto ve E e C m re xh en ib te Ra pg its r ng rou Ca er nd m I

Future programming and facilities considerations to be pursued and to be considered for each of the facilities sites are summarized in the matrix.

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* Facilities at Little Basin are contingenct on Fire Marshal approva

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m In C En pfir for he vir e C ma ck Ce on en tio -In m r t n Pic emo ent er n n a Pic ic A ial S l Ed p a n r Pu ic A ea(s ace nd/o b r ) & r Sh lic R ea(s (Lar Ind Ste ge ig w u e ) en ard Tr ttle stro (Sm ) ou sh ail St om al l) s C ip La hea op rg d ul Tra tu in Sm e D ra in lF g all ayEq D U ac Fa s ilit cil ue ay e y ity In str -U Pa di ia se rki In vid n P Pa ng di ua a rk L Gr vidu l Te rkin ing ots ou a n g Lo ts Ca p S l RV t Sit bi ite Sit es es W ns s alk Op /Bi e ke M rati -In ai o C 1- nten ns B am 2 a u p M Perm nce ildin ing ul F g Se tiple ane acil (Offi n it a u ce Sp son nit t Sta y s, a ike l S s o ff M ee W C ta f P Res tin at am ff er id H e m g e Ele r/S p ou a nc Ro sin nen es ct ew om r Re ic er g tS s, i sto ty In ta St fra ff or ra Ho str tio ag u u e, n ct s i Et ng ur c.) e Primary Visitor Facilities

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Parking

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Camping Operations Utilities

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al.

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