May 10, 2018
“We figured we were in the world’s perfect spot,” wrote one longtime resident of Cottage #23 — also known as “Casita del Mar.” Offering “splendid views from the deck,” the cottage dates from 1932 and is part of the mid-bluff grouping of the North Beach. Not much is known of the original builders, but drill […]
May 10, 2018
The sight of scrub brush, the smell of sage, and the sound of gnatcatchers; indicators of quality Coastal Sage Scrub and characteristics of much of the landscape of Crystal Cove. Coastal Sage Scrub, the primary plant community of Crystal Cove, is a collection of plants which are adapted to the dry conditions they face in […]
May 10, 2018
Every summer, Crystal Cove hosts Plein-Air painting classes at Cottage #13 with an instructor, giving beginning painters the opportunity to participate in a nearly 100-year-old tradition at Crystal Cove. Debbie Morines was one such participant in our classes, and eventually went on to be featured in one of our Art Shows! Here is her experience: […]
May 10, 2018
With spring in the air, there is a sense of renewal throughout all of Crystal Cove. Our 2,400 protected acres of backcountry are in bloom with a bounty of butterflies and birds. Our 1,150-acre offshore underwater park creates a peaceful pathway for migrating gray whales. With the days becoming longer and the sun dipping below […]
Apr 13, 2018
Last year, Crystal Cove Conservancy commissioned artist Kevin Davidson to paint each of the 17 unrestored cottages in the North Beach area of Crystal Cove State Park depicting them as they will look upon completion of the Phase III restoration project. Kevin has been a Crystal Cove Park Interpretive Store artist for many years. His […]
Apr 13, 2018
The walk from the Los Trancos parking lot towards the Crystal Cove Historic District is always a pleasant one, passing under the shade of trees along the frog-filled creek. But a particularly interesting part of this path is the Los Trancos tunnel and its many murals that decorate all 300 feet. The majority of these […]
Apr 13, 2018
From the field this month we are highlighting an excellent excerpt from the Crystal Cōver, a newsletter written each month by California State Parks interpretive naturalist Winter Bonnin. I was walking out of the tunnel entering the Historic District and heard a raucous call from one of the eucalyptus trees along the walkway. The alarmed […]
Apr 12, 2018
“Our Little Red House on the Hillside” is the name one family gave to Cottage #9. Perched on the lower slope of the North Beach bluff and painted dark red-brown with white trim, Cottage #9 was originally built around 1930 with salvage yard windows and wood that drifted ashore from a shipwreck. Like many of […]
Mar 14, 2018
On Monday March 12, Crystal Cove Conservancy held an informational fundraising event at the Oasis Senior Center in Corona Del Mar to show our support for Proposition 68; The California Clean Water & Safe Parks Act. The event had a good turnout and was highlighted by presentations from Alfredo Gonzales (of the Resources Legacy Fund […]
Mar 14, 2018
“Near Laguna” and “Crystal Cove” (pictured) are two of the earliest known color images of the cove, and together the paintings can tell the century-long story of Crystal Cove inspiring the arts. Artists, including those from the famous colony in Laguna Beach, were among the very first visitors to Crystal Cove in the early twentieth […]
