Sep 15, 2017
A partnership is at the heart of the founding story of Cottage #27, now called The Dive Shack. Four women — Elsie Bantley, Margaret Orndorf, Ruth Hepner and Dorothy Sproul, all co-workers at Azusa Valley Savings Bank — pooled their money to build the cottage in the early 1930s. The original name for their cottage […]
Sep 15, 2017
The trip back in time begins at noon, but when it concludes two hours later, guests have learned about more than Crystal Cove’s past in the monthly Founder’s Historic District Tour — they’ve also learned about Crystal Cove’s present and future. Crystal Cove Conservancy founder Laura Davick first started offering an informal tour of the […]
Sep 12, 2017
Millions of visitors each year explore Crystal Cove State Park’s tidepools, beaches, and backcountry, but only a fraction of them discover the hidden world swaying beneath the waves. Crystal Cove contains over 1,000 acres an offshore underwater park with one of the most biodiverse marine ecosystems in the world: the kelp forest. Kelp forests are […]
Sep 12, 2017
Maintaining a healthy and natural ecosystem is a continuous process, requiring both monitoring and experimentation. Monitoring informs land managers about how the park’s vegetation and wildlife are changing over time, while experimentation answers questions that are useful to park management. Usually monitoring and experimentation are performed by professional researchers, however at Crystal Cove everyone has […]
Aug 16, 2017
The story of Cottage #13 has unfolded like a classic old-fashioned movie, where a character rises from humble beginnings to become a star. Now one of the most photographed and painted cottages at Crystal Cove, and the setting for the 1988 Hollywood film “Beaches,” Cottage #13 was originally a modest screened-in cooking space for […]
Aug 16, 2017
When wandering in the wild, one is naturally drawn to grand spectacles: the largest mammals, the most songful birds, the brightest flowers, and the most prominent vistas. While these are remarkable experiences that make any adventure worthwhile, they are not the only marvels contained within the landscape. Hidden in plain view are a myriad […]
Aug 16, 2017
During the first week of August, Crystal Cove was the setting for another successful Camp Cove, which saw 100 campers from Santa Ana travel to the park for five straight days of fun in the summer sun. The campers, all between the ages of 6 to 17, came from the Santa Ana Police Athletics […]
Aug 16, 2017
Our annual Soiree is an opportunity for those who love Crystal Cove to come together one night of the year to support our mission and unique education programs, which engage students from 5th grade through high school in authentic science within the park. Kick off the evening with a sunset cocktail reception on the […]
Jul 14, 2017
Summertime has always been high season at Crystal Cove, and the aqua-marine-colored cottage on the beach began its life as a summer store for Cove tent campers and cottage families. First called “The Green Store” by Pearl Van Pelt who operated it with her husband Merle and son Lee, Cottage #46 was built in 1950 […]
Jul 14, 2017
For a marine mollusk, abalone are exceptionally well traveled. Often found far from the ocean, their shells garnish the homes of many who find their radiance a beautiful reminder of the coast. While many are familiar with their shells, fewer know about the creatures that inhabit them, but by learning more, abalone can be heralds […]
