COMING SOON: The largest onshore unit within the California Coastal National Monument is set to become a jewel on Santa Cruz’s north coast.
Editor’s note: Cotoni-Coast Dairies, which was declared a National Monument in 2017, will be open to the public soon—but it isn’t possible to say exactly when. Here at Hilltromper we are keeping our eyes peeled for the opening announcement and we'll update this page with more information about the park's trails and its history. Here is a taste of what’s to come.
A 5,843 acre stretch of land that rises from bluffs up into the Santa Cruz Mountains, Cotoni-Coast Dairies (CCD) features rare coastal prairie, ancient oaks and redwood-forested canyons. Since the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) acquired the land in 2014, the agency has worked with public, private and community organizations to establish a protected public park for visitors near and far to enjoy. That effort included a successful coalition-based campaign led by the Sempervirens Fund, California’s oldest land trust, to petition Pres. Barack Obama to declare the place a National Monument.
Santa Cruz Mountains Trail Stewardship (formerly Mountain Bikers of Santa Cruz) has been hard at work building trails for CCD with the help of volunteers and an Americorps crew. The first phase, costing $2.7 million, includes hiking, biking, equestrian, and ADA-accessible trails in the most northern and southern regions of the National Monument.
Three loop trails, including one built for adaptive mountain bikes in the northern section of the property, are in place. At this moment, people can already visit the property during guided tours by calling BLM at 831-582-2200 or joining guided hikes with SCMTS (or volunteering with them to help build trails :). The Santa Cruz Museum also has an upcoming tour (sold out, waitlist).
Preserving Cotoni-Coast Dairies’ Past
Prior to European colonization, the Cotoni Tribe lived on this coastal prairie. In recognition of the land’s deep Indigenous roots, the Bureau of Land Management works with the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band to ensure its preservation as a cultural site. They are preserving culturally important plants and consulting with the Tribal Band to name the trails.
Swiss farming families acquired the land from Spanish grantees in 1860 and developed the site as a dairy that made cheese that shipped to San Francisco. Visitors can learn more about the area’s agricultural history in the historic cheese- barn-turned museum. Cattle still graze on Cotoni-Coast Dairies land and help maintain the property.
Davenport and other neighbors
The little town of Davenport is a destination getaway for road-trippers throughout the region. Whale City Bakery is a superchill favorite that is more serious about its baked goods than it needs to be, given its can’t-fail location. Same with its breakfast and lunch offerings.
The Davenport Roadhouse & Inn, with its elegant dining room in a beautifully restored old hotel, offers a casual/fine-dining menu including gourmet burgers, pizza, and award-winning caramelized brussels sprouts (grown in the neighborhood, natch).
And try not to miss the tiny Davenport Jail Museum.
Cotoni-Coast Dairies is surrounded by agricultural lands with local farms including Swanton Berry Farms, Rancho Las Palmas, and Rodoni Farms. In the fall, Rodoni Farms has an adorable pumpkin patch facing the ocean. Across the highway are state beaches including Panther Beach directly west of the north parking lot.
Learn more at the official Cotoni-Coast Dairies website.
Experience a virtual tour by reading our article, A Monumental Morning at Cotoni-Coast Dairies.
Subscribe to Hilltromper's free e-newsletter to be alerted when Cotoni-Coast Dairies opens for public access and to get the latest articles and events delivered right to your virtual doorstep.
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