Coast Dairies

The Coast Dairies property, owned for over a century by the Coast Dairies & Land Company, was the third-largest privately held piece of the California coast from San Francisco to the Mexican border. This unique 7,000-acre property surrounds the small town of Davenport and boasts six watersheds and more than seven miles of coastal resources, including beaches, hundreds of acres of agricultural lands, redwood forests, and endangered species habitat.

407 acres of its rocky coastal bluff and beaches were donated to California State Parks in August 2006, and opened to the public as Coast Dairies State Park. Map of Coast Dairies property.

When The Trust for Public Land worked with a group of generous donors to buy Coast Dairies & Land Company and protect the land in 1998, it was on the verge of being used for a 139-home subdivision. Instead, it is now one of the largest coastal properties in California to both receive permanent protection and provide public access.

Coast Dairies is a significant recreational and cultural resource for Santa Cruz County, giving locals and visitors a wonderful place to get outdoors and enjoy nature. It also links a string of existing protected areas to add 13 miles to the California Coastal Trail. When complete, the trail will follow the coast from Oregon to Mexico for 1,300 miles.