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Arana Gulch Photo Gallery Page

Highlights
Arana Gulch is a 63-acre greenbelt land, featuring open meadows, oak woodland, and Arana Creek.

Natural Resources
Arana Gulch features valuable habitats, including wetlands, central coast riparian scrub, central coast live oak riparian forest, and coastal terrace prairie. Approximately one-third of Arana Gulch features wetlands. The Arana Creek floodplain, located along the eastern boundary of the property, comprises most of the wetland acreage. There are also seasonal freshwater wetlands scattered throughout the upper grassland area.

Arana Gulch is one of few remaining sites within the County where the Santa Cruz tarplant, a state endangered species, exists. Historically, the Santa Cruz tarplant was widespread throughout the property, however, with the loss of grazing the tarplant declined. In recent years, the City of Santa Cruz has worked in cooperation with the California Department of Fish and Game, the California Native Plant Society, and other dedicated volunteers to successfully recover the tarplant.
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Live Oak Ranch
Arana Gulch was once part of the 110-acre Live Oak Ranch, established by Frederick Hagemann in 1871. The property was primarily used for wheat production and cattle grazing. In 1919, a portion of the ranch, which did not include the ranch home and garden, was sold. The property was then used for the Live Oak Dairy until 1948. Up until 1987, the property continued to be grazed.

Future Visions
In the future, a Master Plan will be prepared for Arana Gulch. The Master Plan will address habitat preservation and restoration and proposed recreational uses. The planning process will provide opportunities for public input. For more information about the future planning process, please call (831) 420-5362.