By Jon Chown
SANTA CRUZ — Tariffs have raised the cost of building materials and that has delayed the reopening of the Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park Campground until April 1, 2026 and it’s affecting businesses surrounding the park.
The California Department of Parks and Recreation made the announcement last week. The park had been scheduled to reopen Aug. 1 after renovations had been made, but supply chain disruptions have pushed back the completion of essential infrastructure upgrades, including accessibility features.
“We appreciate the patience and understanding of all our visitors as we improve the park’s facilities” said Santa Cruz District 2 Superintendent Scott Sipes. “We truly value the opportunity to provide quality camping opportunities for visitors to make memories and enjoy our beautiful parks and are disheartened to share these continued impacts to camping at Henry Cowell this season. We hope visitors will return next season and enjoy the upgraded, accessible facilities that will make this campground welcoming to all.”
The park is undergoing significant upgrades to ensure compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, as well as to improve the overall visitor experience. The upgrades include restroom and shower buildings, ADA-compliant fixtures, updated signage and lever-style door handles, a new campfire center, ADA-compliant pathways and more.
While an Aug. 1 reopening would still have made the summer season pretty short, it would still have been a season. Some local businesses make a substantial amount of their yearly income during the season.
Cozy Firewood, located on Graham Hill Road, supplies bundles of firewood to Henry Cowell. Owner Graciela Dena said it amounts to about 50 percent of the company’s business during the summer season.
“There are no other avenues to replace that income,” she said. “We just have to wait until the winter season.”
The campground is seasonal, operating from April 1 through Oct. 31 annually. Due to the current project timeline, the campground is now scheduled to reopen April 1, 2026, for the start of the camping season. The project was initially scheduled during the non-operational period, with an anticipated completion date prior to the April 1, 2025, opening to minimize impacts to recreational opportunities. State Parks previously canceled reservations from April 1-July 31 due to delays caused, in large part, by supply chain challenges.
Not all local businesses are suffering, though. The closure might actually bring more business to the RV parks and private campgrounds that surround the park. Kirsten Barney, office receptionist at Smithwoods RV Park, located right near the entrance to Henry Cowell, said the park had gotten quite a few people calling them looking for openings.
“We have a had little extra traffic from it,” Barney said. “We’ve gotten quite a few people coming in, so it may have helped a little for people who haven’t heard of our park before.”
•••
The Parks Department says that should the campground reopen earlier than anticipated, guests will be notified by email with an opportunity to book new reservations. For assistance with cancellations or refunds, visitors are encouraged to contact the ReserveCalifornia Customer Contact Center at 1-800-444-7275.