Butano State Park, State park with redwood forests in San Mateo County, United States.
Butano State Park covers roughly 4,700 acres with dense redwood forests, coastal scrub plants, and a creek canyon running through the center. Trails wind through the property and connect different forest sections, allowing visitors to move between shaded groves and more open areas.
The state established this protected area in 1956 to safeguard the forest from ongoing logging operations that had damaged much of the region. This action marked a turning point when California began preserving its remaining old-growth redwood forests.
Early inhabitants of the region relied on the forest and creek for sustenance and materials. The towering redwoods remain a reminder of how communities once lived closely with these natural resources.
The park offers drive-in sites near the entrance and walk-in options that require a short hike, plus a remote backpacking area for those who want deeper forest solitude. Most overnight facilities are located close to parking and facilities, though reaching the farthest camping option involves a longer trail.
The name comes from an old word for drinking vessels carved from animal horns, documented by a Spanish priest in 1816. This linguistic connection reveals how early European arrivals named places based on objects they encountered from local use.
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