Nisene Marks 50th Anniversary Celebration Opens New Trail

May 19 Was Ribbon Cutting for Waggoner Overlook ADA Trail

The Forest of Nisene Marks in Aptos is celebrating 50 years as a State Park. A new addition to the park’s facilities is the Jerry Waggoner ADA (Americans with Disability Act) trail, which had a ribbon cutting on May 19 to commemorate its opening. According to John Fuchs, Advocates For the Forest of Nisene Marks Vice President, “State Parks ranger Jerry Waggoner, who for many years provided visitors with insights into the history and ecology of the park, also had the initial vision for this trail and was a strong influence in the formation and direction of the Advocates.”

Fuchs described the new park facility “The new ADA trail makes the forest accessible to everyone. It is designed to accommodate wheelchairs & strollers, with handicapped parking spaces nearby. The trail starts at the Emmett Reed Picnic area just off the kiosk parking lot. It’s about .2 of a mile long and ends up at a deck (the Waggoner Overlook) overlooking the Aptos Creek Gorge.

There is an ADA picnic table on the Waggoner Overlook deck dedicated to Paul Ticknor, a former president of the Advocates, and an ADA Picnic table dedicated to Karl Mertz at the beginning of the trail in the Emmett Reed Picnic area.”

One of the largest state parks in Central California, the 10,000-acre park is home to the epicenter of the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake, evidence of which is still visible. The park is also home to old-growth and second-generation redwood forests in mountains that reach an elevation of 2,600 feet.

This park is on land that was the site of major logging operations and was clear-cut during a forty-year logging frenzy from 1883 to 1923 during which 140 million board feet were logged. The operation included a railroad network built by Chinese laborers. When the loggers left the Aptos Canyon, the forest began to heal itself and now the scars grow fainter with each passing year. Today, a handsome second generation of redwoods is rising to cover the scarred slopes. However, visitors can still find evidence of these logging camps, mill sites, and train trestles in the park.

The Marks family purchased the land in the 1950s. In the early 1960’s Herman, Agnes, and Andrew Marks began working with The Nature Conservancy to donate 9,000 acres of family-owned land to the State of California. The State Park was named in honor of their mother, Nisene.

There are 30 miles of trails nestled in this second-growth forest, perfect for hiking, mountain biking, or a leisurely stroll. Horses are allowed on a portion of the fire road and some trails. A number of picnic areas are available with charcoal grills. Dogs are allowed on fire roads only, and must be on a leash.