Docent Tour

NOTICE, TOUR IS LIMITED DUE TO FLOOD DAMAGES: Erosion since the Dolan Fire and catastrophic flooding and rockslides during the winter of 2022-23 damaged beach access, the canyon road, and the interpretive trail we use to conduct the docent tour. Until we can complete repairs, we can offer a limited area near the reserve entrance area at the mouth of Big Creek canyon for the tour. Points of interest are the canyon mouth, the visitor center, a short section of Big Creek and views of the creek, canyon and ocean. The terrain is uneven and unstable.

NOTICE, NO HIGHWAY 1 ACCESS FROM THE SOUTH: Big Creek is only accessible from the north through Monterey/Carmel. Caltrans has announced a "long term closure" of Highway 1 at a slide known as "Paul's Slide". Paul's Slide is located six miles south of Big Creek Reserve and 3 miles north of Nacamiento Ferguson Road. Therefore, NF Road does not serve as an alternate route to Big Creek. Caltrans has not estimated how long the closure will last.

Big Creek Reserve is one of five University of California Santa Cruz Natural Reserves that supports scientific research and hands-on training to students in the fields of physical and biological sciences, social sciences and the humanities. A broader network of UC's living laboratories and outdoor classrooms available to educational organizations worldwide. Public entry into Big Creek Reserve is organized through educational tours and events.

Docent-led tours are on the 7th of each month and filled via electronic reservation. All reservations will need to be completed at least one week prior to tour dates. Visits will be limited to 12 people and will be best suited for adults and children over 10 years of age. While every effort will be made to complete reserved visits, they may be canceled by the reserve staff due to environmental conditions and or safety concerns, or if fewer than 5 people sign up one week prior. If there are less participants than required then the participants registered from that month will be moved to the next month and all other participants will be shifted to later dates in the order of their registration time. Visitors entering Landels-Hill Big Creek will be required to sign a waiver of liability and adhere to the UCNRS reserve use guidelines (e.g. no pets, UC no smoking policy, etc.). See use guidelines below.

Tours start at 10am. The visits will provide an educational interpretive experience that begins with an overview of the University of California Natural Reserve System, the history of Landels-Big Creek Reserve, a highlight of specific research projects and educational endeavors in habitats that can be observed (e.g. NOAA’s steelhead research, kelp forest monitoring, long-term rockfish surveys, wildlife behavior, California sea otter population studies, redwood tree research, sudden oak death, fire ecology, etc.). The tour includes a short walk up the canyon and downstream toward the beach. The beach may not be accessible due to trail damage, the flow level of the creek, and tidal and wave conditions of the ocean. The tour may last a minimum of 1-2 hours.

All guests should come prepared with a water container, food, layered clothing and the requisite personal gear for walking on uneven terrain. Weather and temperatures can be changeable. All participants will be expected to stay together and enjoy various natural history stops incorporated into the tour. Come prepared to adhere to a leave-no-trace policy. Toilets are nearby and available at the beginning and end of the hike.

Final instructions will be sent just prior to the tour.

Use Guidelines for Landels-Hill Big Creek Reserve

To facilitate the management of this natural reserve, and to serve research and teaching without degrading the landscape, the following guidelines are in effect. All users of the reserve are bound by these guidelines. Failure to comply with these guidelines will lead to the immediate end of the public tour.

1) Waivers of liability must be signed. Every member of the tour must sign a waiver of liability from the University of California.

2) Safety comes first. You must be in the presence of the docent while you are on the reserve. Emergency instructions are posted in the sign in box at the reserve entrance. Entering the reserve is undertaken at your own risk, in full realization that these hazards require you to be alert, informed, and cautious. Take water, food and warm clothing. Be aware that wildlife (e.g. mountain lions, skunks, mice), poison oak and nettles are a potential threat on the reserve. Stay on trails. Also take care around the other hazards on the Reserve, which include rugged slopes, rough waves, narrow roads, cliffs, loose and falling rocks, dead trees, wildfires and floods.

3) Leave no trace. Do not leave trash, toilet paper or other personal items in the environment. You must bag them up and pack them out. Ask your docent for a shovel or waste bag if needed.

4) No collecting or importing. Nothing, alive or dead, may be disturbed, harassed or taken from the reserve. No living organisms, or propagules thereof, may be brought to the reserve.

5) No pets are allowed on the reserve or left in vehicles.

6) No illegal activities are permitted on the reserve. Big Creek is closed to recreational activities such as mountain biking, kayaking, and rock climbing.

7) No drones. Use of drones for commercial or recreational purposes is not allowed on the reserve.

8) No smoking. Smoke and tobacco-based products are now illegal on all University of California lands (California Government Code 7597.1). Un-extinguished butts are a significant cause of fires in general and on Big Creek Reserve in the past. Do not risk being the cause of a wildfire by smoking on the reserve.

9) Drive slowly. The maximum speed limit on the roads in Big Creek is 12 mph. Please watch for oncoming vehicles and animals on the road. Drive especially slowly through the parking area. People and cars may be moving around and visibility is limited.