1,400 acres of Bay Area redwood forest will soon be opened up to the public

The Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District held a groundbreaking ceremony in Bear Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve May 1, to kick-off construction that will allow the public agency to open the preserve to the public next spring, including six miles of trail through redwood forests where a few old growth trees remain. less The Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District held a groundbreaking ceremony in Bear Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve May 1, to kick-off construction that will allow the public agency to open the preserve to ... more Photo: Brian Malone Photo: Brian Malone Image 1 of / 42 Caption Close 1,400 acres of Bay Area redwood forest will soon be opened up to the public 1 / 42 Back to Gallery

On the edge of the Silicon Valley, a bountiful swath of forestland with a rollicking history will soon be accessible to the public.

The 1,432 acres of redwood forest, oak woodlands, meandering creeks and grassy meadows is situated in the wild hills of Los Gatos off Bear Creek Road, west of Lexington Reservoir and Highway 17.

At a groundbreaking ceremony on Tuesday, the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District, the public agency owning the land, announced Bear Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve will welcome visitors beginning spring 2019.

The district plans to build a 50-car parking lot with a restroom and a six mile trail for hikers and horse back riders before the opening. An additional half-mile trail will circle a pond.

"It's unique in that visitors will be able to enjoy redwood forests close to the areas of Silicon Valley," says Leigh Ann Gessner, a public affairs specialist for the district. "The majority of the redwoods are second growth. There are a few old growth along the six miles of trail."

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Check out some of the best hikes and nature walks in the Bay Area. Check out some of the best hikes and nature walks in the Bay Area. Image 1 of / 33 Caption Close 25 great nature walks and hikes in the Bay Area 1 / 33 Back to Gallery

The land's rich and fascinating history will also be a draw. The Ohlone Indians were the first to live on the land, and mortar stones where the Native Americans ground their flour are on the property.

In the 1850s, loggers worked for a thriving timber mill and fueled the growth of the towns of Alma and Lexington, now submerged under Lexington Reservoir.

As the population swelled, saloons and inns popped up, but they were soon abandoned with the depletion of the forest in the 1880s.

Next came a string of folks with Gold Rush money. Miner Captain Stillman H. Knowles purchased the sawmill in 1887 and developed it into rural retreat with a 15-room house as an escape from San Francisco's chilly summers.

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The next notable owner were James L. Flood, the wild son of the miner James Clair Flood, and his wife, burlesque dancer Rose Flood. The couple was shunned by the family for their alternative lifestyle, and they escaped to the country in the 1890s to create their own social circle. The Floods added 40 more rooms and remodeled the estate in great luxury.

Harry Tevis, son of millionaire businessman Lloyd Tevis, purchased the mansion from the Floods in 1905. When the main house was damaged in the 1906 earthquake, he tore it down and built a more contemporary craftsman bungalow, added extensive gardens and a small village to house the some 100 servants who worked at the estate.

When Harry passed away in 1931, the Jesuits purchased the estate and turned it into Alma College, the first Jesuit theological seminary on the West Coast. Governor Jerry Brown attended school here.

When the college moved to Berkeley in 1969, the Jesuits rented the property to a series of boarding schools. They eventually abandoned the property when the main house, the original Tavis mansion, burned in 1970. Now, only the chapel, library, a classroom, and an elaborate road and water delivery system built by Tevis and the Jesuits remain.

Gessner says the plan is to bring the past alive for visitors and future phases will include restoring the buildings and interpreting the history.

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It's really unique because it has so much history," she says. "People have been drawn to this property for 100s of years. There are many layer of local history that visitors will be able to discover."

The 20-year plan to restore the property also includes building trails for mountain bikers; the multi-use trails are slated to be complete between 2020 and 2026.

Funding for the project comes from Measure AA, a parcel tax passed by Bay Area voters in 2016 to preserve and restore public lands.

Based in Los Altos, Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District manages 26 open space preserves between San Jose and Half Moon Bay.