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Kruse Rhododendron State Reserve
Nearby Parks:
Salt Point State Park
Armstrong Redwoods State Reserve
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| State Park Contact Information: |
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Kruse Rhododendron State Reserve
25381 Steelhead Boulevards
Duncans Mills, California 95430
Phone: 707-865-2391
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| State Park Overview: |
| Kruse Rhododendron State Reserve is located adjacent to Salt Point State Park. Edward P. Kruse donated the land to the people of California in 1933 as a living memorial to his father, a founder of San Francisco's German Bank. The land was part of a large ranch established in 1880, on which the Kruse family raised sheep and carried on logging and tanbark harvesting operations.
Today, this pristine reserve contains 317 acres of second-growth redwood, Douglas fir, grand firs, tanoaks, and a plethora of rhododendrons. Each May these spectacular flowers burst into bloom and color the deep green of the forest with brilliant pink blossoms.
There are five miles of hiking trails through the quiet forest with a short loop trail that leads through clusters of rhododendrons. Ferns carpet the canyons where seasonal streams abound. In addition to the rhododendrons, other understory plants include salals, pacific wax myrtle, and California Huckleberry. Please remain on the trails so that the young plants may flourish. No dogs or bikes are allowed on the trails. Buses are not recommended as the narrow road has no turn around.
The wealth of rhododendrons in this reserve is a direct result of normal plant succession patterns following a severe fire that once occurred here. Today, the regenerating forest is gradually overwhelming the rhododendrons. As forests constantly evolve, plants compete for available sunlight, water and nutrients and the best suited species dominate the environment until they create conditions more conducive to the success of other plant populations. In order to maintain fine displays of rhododendron blooms, the current plant succession must be slowed, which is the goal the Department of Parks and Recreation in its management of the reserve. To achieve this goal, the tanoak trees have been thinned out and the rhododendrons revived with the renewal pruning practices. This has ensured vigorous new growth and a diversity of blooming heights. When the rejuvenation project began during the fall of 1979, there were few blooms, and those that did appear were all well above eye level. Tanoaks were crowding out the rhododendrons by successfully competing for available sunlight, resulting in rangy growth habits of the rhododendrons. Final major pruning occurred in the fall of 1981. By 1984 a significant increase in the floral displays was evident. |
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| Area Accommodations |
| B&Bs / Inns | | Village Inn & Restaurant - Delightful, historic 11-room Country Inn recently restored to yesteryear's charm. Spectacular views of Russian River & Redwoods. Specialty dinner restaurant, full bar & award winning wine list. | | Hope-Merrill & Hope-Bosworth Inns - Facing each other across Geyserville Avenue are the charming Queen Anne Craftsman style Hope-Bosworth House and the strikingly restored Eastlake Style Victorian Hope-Merrill House. | | Farmhouse Inn and Restaurant - A landmark Sonoma Russian River Wine Valley Bed & Breakfast Inn and Restaurant
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| Related Links: |
| Parks and Recreation in Sonoma County, California - An overview of the major parks in Northern California's Sonoma County with links to each park and ... Salt Point State Park and Kruse Rhododendron State Reserve The Russian River Area. Since the ... | | North Coast and Redwood Empire Parks - Bay Area Back Pages - State and national parks in the North Coast and Redwood Empire of California ... ravine. Salt Point State Park and Kruse Rhododendron State Reserve - These adjacent parks are along the rocky coast ... | | Lots of Links - Links related to SCUBA, freediving and marine resource issues with emphasis on California ... Historic Park Salt Point State Park Kruse Rhododendron State Reserve Manchester State Park Van Damme State ... |
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