Samuel P. Taylor State Park, State park in Marin County, United States

Samuel P. Taylor State Park covers about 2,700 acres of Marin County, where coast redwoods fill the creek bottoms and grasslands cover the rounded hills. About 600 acres are old-growth redwood forest, some of it along the Pioneer Tree Trail. Lagunitas Creek runs through the park, and the Pioneer Paper Mill once stood beside it.

The land originally belonged to Samuel Penfield Taylor, who found gold during the mid-1800s rush and then built a paper mill in the area. A railroad line constructed nearby later brought visitors seeking recreation, transforming the location from industrial site to public destination.

The name comes from Samuel Penfield Taylor, who built the Pioneer Paper Mill here in 1856 and then opened Camp Taylor Resort beside the North Pacific Coast Railroad tracks, drawing San Franciscans by train and ferry. A 1910 newspaper advertisement still promoted its dance pavilion, on-site grocery and butcher. Taylor, who died in 1886, is buried within the park.

The park is open throughout the year with trails suited to various experience levels and interests. Visitors should prepare for changing weather conditions and bring plenty of water along with sturdy footwear.

Sections of the park contain ancient trees that grew long before European settlers arrived and remain standing today. These specimens offer visitors a rare connection to a forest ecosystem spanning multiple centuries.