The Entrance to Big Trees

Before the north entrance to Big Trees Park, now Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, was built by the county, entrance to the grove was either by walking over a swing bridge across the San Lorenzo River from the west bank, arriving by train at the Big Trees Station, or by driving across or fording the river itself.

In 1933, after the north entrance was competed, the south entrance was closed. This was not a popular move. Passengers arriving by train had to "look through a wire fence as if looking into some kind of a cage and then go away dissatisfied."

Winfield Scott Rodgers, former editor of the Mountain Echo newspaper was among many who complained. Rodgers was expecting to be able to drive through the park from the north to the south entrance but was met by a "high stockade made of rustic redwood" with a gate barring entrance to the grove. He was informed that automobiles were no longer allowed to enter or pass through. He wrote:

All who may desire to see these marvelous growths, when the sun is low and the days are short, must leave their comfortable cars and, at the risk of catching cold, trudge through the damp, frosty air and over the cold, damp soil...

He expressed the concern that those too frail through age, illness or disability would be prevented from seeing the wonders of the park without a hardship "too great to make it worth the cost."

Owners of businesses located at the south entrance were not happy either. George Hopkins who owned the adjacent grove on which the Big Trees Station was located was furious as passengers getting off there would have to walk "several miles" around the park to the north entrance instead of a walk of just 300 feet. The Southern Pacific Railroad Company were not happy either!

The Santa Cruz Sentinel pointed out that since the park was "buried in one corner of a county that has no state highway near it" there should be a loop through the park connecting to the San Lorenzo River Drive at both ends. Highway 9 would become a state highway the following year in 1934.

The reasons the county gave for closing the south entrance were as follows: 

1. The park would have to hire an additional person in the winter and two in the summer to man the entrance;
2. During the winter months the road, which crosses the river, would likely be impassable due to flooding;
3. The road was actually over private property and might in the future be subject to litigation; and 
4. At the north entrance two properties had been leased, one as an artists studio to sell art and redwood novelties and the other as a restaurant concession.

These properties, mentioned in the fourth point, were leased to artist Luther DeJoiner and restaurateur and former Brookdale Hotel and Brookdale Inn owner/manager Mary Shier respectively. The county would receive part of the profits of these businesses and the lease agreement was executed with the understanding that the south entrance would be closed.