Bear Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve, Protected forest area in Los Gatos, California, United States.
Bear Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve is a protected area in the Santa Cruz Mountains, south of Los Gatos, California, covering forests of coast redwoods, Douglas fir, and oak. Trails wind through these different forest types, moving from dense redwood groves into more open oak-covered slopes.
The land was heavily logged from the 1850s onward, then converted into a private estate before housing Alma College from 1934 to 1969. After the college closed, the property eventually became a public protected area.
The Ohlone people lived here for thousands of years, and stone mortars they used to grind acorns can still be found scattered across the forest floor. These objects are among the few visible traces of their long presence on this land.
The preserve is open from sunrise to sunset and has marked hiking and riding trails, with parking and restrooms available at the entrance. Trails vary in difficulty, so picking up a map before heading in is a good idea.
The ruins of Alma College, including a chapel and other stone structures, still stand in the forest and can be seen along some of the trails. Coming across these old buildings in the middle of the woods gives the walk a quality that most visitors do not expect.
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