Austin Creek State Recreational Area is comprised of over 5,600 acres of oak woodlands, redwood forest, and the headwaters of East Austin, Fife and Gilliam Creeks. The park includes twenty miles of hiking trails, two backcountry camp-sites and Bull Frog Pond campground with twenty-four sites, and over 200,000 people visit the park every year.
Austin Creek is rich in cultural history and prehistoric sites that date back over 4,000 years, plus an abundance of natural beauty and diversity. Springtime wildflower displays include Douglas iris, Indian paint brush, buttercups, lupines, brodiaeas, California poppies and shooting stars. The grasslands, chaparral, conifer, oak woodland and riparian habitats are home to a wild range of native animals including squirrel, deer, raccoon, fox, coyote, skunk, bobcat and an occasional black bear or mountain lion. Several aquatic species live in Bullfrog pond including sunfish, black bass and bull frogs. Trout, salmon, newts and salamanders are found in the many streams.
Austin Creek’s historic Pond Farm Pottery was the home and school of the internationally renowned ceramic artist, Marguerite Wildenhain.
The park’s rugged topography, with elevations ranging from 150-1500′ in elevation, offers a sense of isolation from the accustomed sights and sounds of civilization. The magnificent and expansive vistas offer inspiration and unique photo opportunities. Austin Creek is loved by many who visit the park regularly or annually to find personal and spiritual renewal.
