Wildlife, Flora, and the Beauty of Butano State Park

Nestled off the Northern California coastside is a hidden gem to explore: Butano State Park. Located off of scenic Highway 1 in San Mateo County, this state park is mostly known by locals to Pescadero and Santa Cruz–but today, we are here to expose this not-so-little hideaway, to talk about the splendor that you can view while visiting this park. Butano is a state park that was established in 1957 in an effort to curb logging of the redwood trees. It is an old-growth forest, featuring over 4,000 acres of redwoods, douglas fir trees, flora and wildlife. It is massive, dense, and absolutely breathtaking to behold. 

The word “butano” has been said to have been used by early California natives in reference to a “cup made out of an animal horn”, such as a bull’s horn. However, it is also said to be known as a word for “meeting place”. In either case, “Butano” being the title of this park is very fitting, seeing as it has bodies of water such as creeks and tributaries, as well as several places for people to meet! Butano is home to wildlife that can only be found in the Northern California coastal region, such as the marbled murrelet, a small seabird that nests in the old-growth trees. Since these old growth forests have dwindled as much as they have, the marbled murrelet is considered an endangered species. They are preyed upon by many animals, especially their eggs, so when visiting, remember to keep the trails “crumb-free”. 

“Crumb-free” means that when you are in this park, you must take due diligence to throw away all trash and all food scraps in the provided receptacles–the goal is to keep crows and ravens from entering the campground by eliminating anything that would entice the corvids to the area. This might seem a bit restrictive, but the reason for this “crumb-free” rule is because the corvids will eat the marbled murrelet eggs–seeing as these small potato-looking seabirds are endangered, it is up to every visitor that enters the park to remain responsible for their impact on this environment when visiting.

Besides the marbled murrelet, there are many creatures to call Butano home. While the murrelet was something I never got to see in person, I got to see many insects and critters while hiking the trails, including banana slugs. Banana slugs vary in color depending on where they are found; in Butano, they are quite literally the color of bananas! I also met many fuzzy caterpillars that eventually grew into beautiful red and white admiral varieties of butterflies, and many orb-weaver spiders and their intricate webs. 

During my time amongst these trees, my favorite find was the California Newt that I crossed paths with while visiting the Little Butano Creek. Also known as the California Golden Belly Salamander, this colorful amphibian of red and gold walked like I imagined a tiny dinosaur would, and I thought it was absolutely adorable. (Though I’m sure they did not feel the same way about me!)  As cute as the California Newt was, I made sure not to touch it, because its skin produces a potent toxin known as tetrodotoxin. It is a potent neurotoxin that is also found in pufferfish. (Be warned! These cute little guys will hurt you without even trying! Yikes!)

Since I was able to see the park in the spring, I found beautiful trillium flowers throughout the forest trails. They were small flowers amidst a triangular shaped leaf-bed, and I discovered that the variety in Butano was a shade of pink/purple that was only seen in that region. They only bloom once a year in the spring, but their small splash of color among the red and green hues of the forest reminded me of fairytale pixies. They were delightfully pretty and delicate amongst the giants of the forest. The coastal redwood forest was unlike anything I had ever seen before. Butano State Park is a very magical place that I am beyond grateful to have had the chance to have visited–now, I share a little of the magic with you, so you can plan your trip to visit Butano in the future! 

In 2020, overnight camping was closed indefinitely due to the CZU Lightning Complex Fire. However, do not fret! The park has been reopened for day-use. The park staff will notify you which trails are available to hike when you arrive at the entrance of the park. (For those that like the thrill of adventure, trail-camping is available with the appropriate permits. You can visit this link for Butano State Park for all pertinent information associated with trail-camping permits for Butano.) For the fur-parents out there, dogs are allowed at Butano, but only on paved areas with a leash that is no more than six feet long. The leash cannot be removed! Though dogs aren’t permitted on the trails, certified service animals are, and your service animal can definitely accompany you while visiting.