Boulder Creek

Towering Redwoods, California's oldest state park with its abundance of outdoor recreation and wildlife, the peacefulness of a small town tucked away in a river valley, and the close proximity to leading computer companies are all part of the Boulder Creek lifestyle. 

Location and Flavor

The small town of Boulder Creek is nestled in the Santa Cruz Mountains' beautiful San Lorenzo Valley. Located on historic Highway 9 (once the main road between Santa Clara Valley and Santa Cruz), Boulder Creek is situated north of Santa Cruz, west of San Jose and Silicone Valley and close enough to the coast that the blue Pacific can be seen from the high mountain ridges.

Part of the charm of Boulder Creek for many who have made their homes here is what the town doesn't have – big chain stores and fast food wars. However, if you're looking for great food and ambience, Boulder Creek has several fine restaurants.

With a population of less than 5,000, a volunteer fire department and the main events being the 4th of July and Christmas parades, Boulder Creek is the kind of town that invites you to pull up a chair and stay a while. Make that an ergonomic chair because Boulder Creek is home to many who work in the nearby computer industries (Boulder Creek's a half hour or less drive from the world headquarters of  Yahoo, Apple, Adobe and the likes), and the region boasts the largest amount of internet providers per capita of any region in the world.

Then there are the Redwoods. Boulder Creek is surrounded by second growth Redwoods, some rising hundreds of feet to the sky. The temperate rainforest brings 70 inches and more rainfall each year that keeps everything fresh and green. 

Approximately 90 minutes from San Francisco, Boulder Creek is the perfect home for someone seeking peace and quiet and natural beauty without being too far from the arts and entertainment and other big city attractions.

Activities and Attractions

The main attraction of Boulder Creek, is Big Basin, California's oldest State Park. Established in 1902, the Park is home to the largest continuous stand of Ancient Coast Redwoods south of San Francisco and encompasses over 18,000 acres of Old Growth and recovering Redwood Forest with mixed conifer, oaks, chaparral, and riparian habitats.

Big Basin is heaven to those who enjoy camping, hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding. Wildlife viewing is another favorite activity in Boulder Creek's Big Basin, home to deer, raccoon, coyote, fox, bobcat, cougar (mountain lion), and a myriad of bird species, including California quail, egret, heron, hawk, owl, woodpecker, and the endangered marbled murrelet.

With elevations climbing from sea level to over 2,000 feet, the Park's climate ranges from foggy and moist at near the ocean to sunny and warm on the ridges. The landscapes vary from verdant canyons with crystal clear streams fed by cascading waterfalls to the West's classic high chaparral.

Boulder Creek also offers several fine dining establishments, as mentioned above, golfing at the Boulder Creek Country Club, fresh brewed beer at the Boulder Creek Brewery and shopping at several fine antique shops.

Historical Tidbits

Thousands of years ago the area that is now Boulder Creek was home to indigenous peoples of the San Francisco Bay area who migrated here to the forest. Their descendants, the Oholon, led a nomadic lifestyle here. Later suppliers to the Gold Rush cities in the greater region settled. It didn't take long for the area to become known as a perfect summer place, a place for vacation homes and fishing under the redwoods in the creeks The lumber trade boomed here for a while, but fortunately several large stands of old growth redwoods survived that era and still stand today while many of the second growth redwoods are reaching their first centennial.