California State Parks and Sempervirens Fund recently announced the permanent addition of the 153-acre NoraBella property to expand Big Basin Redwoods State Park, marking the park’s first acquisition in 15 years.
The $2.415 million purchase is the first addition to the park since 2011, when State Parks acquired the Little Basin property with Sempervirens Fund and the Peninsula Open Space Trust.
“Big Basin is California’s oldest state park, and this keystone expansion will help accelerate the park’s recovery from the devastating 2020 CZU wildfire while supporting the Newsom administration’s Outdoors for All and 30×30 initiatives,” said California State Parks Director Armando Quintero. “NoraBella is the gateway into Big Basin and will serve as a world-class entrance to the park’s new visitor center for generations to come.”
The NoraBella property, also known as the Gateway to Big Basin, had been identified as a priority for protection even before the CZU Lightning Complex fires due to its natural ecosystems. After the wildfire, officials said the site became even more critical to the park’s long-term planning and visitor facility improvements.
Founded in 1900, Sempervirens Fund helped establish Big Basin in 1902 and has played a key role in protecting much of the park’s more than 18,000 acres.
“The land, habitats, waterways and redwoods at NoraBella have been through so much over more than a century—from clearcutting, to being treated like a junkyard, to the CZU wildfire—and it feels like redemption to finally secure the forest’s future as part of Big Basin,” said Sempervirens Fund Executive Director Sara Barth. “Even before the 2020 wildfire, we knew NoraBella would provide a dramatic entranceway to Big Basin, and enhance the conservation values of the park.”
Once largely clear-cut at the turn of the 20th century, the property is now forested with redwoods and mixed evergreen species across ridges, creeks and canyons. It includes a tributary to Boulder Creek, which feeds into the San Lorenzo River, and provides habitat for such wildlife as mountain lions and gray foxes.
“NoraBella is a conservation gem,” said Sempervirens Fund Director of Land Stewardship David Cowman. “Permanent protection of NoraBella as part of Big Basin is critical to ensure the long-term health of the Boulder Creek watershed and the San Lorenzo River system it supports. The property has abundant and healthy stands of redwoods, as well as mixed evergreen forests of Douglas-fir, coast live oaks, tan oaks and madrones.”
The acquisition also supports the state’s broader effort to rebuild and reimagine Big Basin following widespread damage from the 2020 wildfire, which destroyed or severely damaged most park facilities, infrastructure and trails.
State Parks is currently developing updated management plans, including a Facilities Management Plan, General Plan Amendment and Supplemental Environmental Impact Report to guide reconstruction. Designs for new buildings, including a visitor center and campgrounds, are expected to follow in phases.
Plans for the park include a new welcome center at Saddle Mountain, near the NoraBella property, along with shuttle service to reduce traffic and minimize impacts in the old-growth redwood core. Officials said portions of NoraBella may also support future operational facilities.
The property also has a recent history tied to former owner Roy Kaylor, whose collection of vehicles and debris once covered the site. After Santa Cruz County sold the land in 2020, environmental assessments conducted by subsequent owners found the property and its waterways to be in good condition.
State Parks finalized the purchase in 2026 using funding in part from the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund through the U.S. Department of the Interior and the California Department of Parks and Recreation.
Officials said the acquisition reflects ongoing efforts to expand protected lands and improve access to outdoor spaces, with additional park expansions expected in the future.
