Coast Dairies

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Credit: Frank S. Balthis

The Coast Dairies property, owned for a century by the Coast Dairies & Land Company, was the third-largest privately held piece of the California coast from San Francisco to the Mexican border. This unique 7,000-acre property surrounds the small town of Davenport and boasts six watersheds and more than seven miles of coastal resources, including beaches, hundreds of acres of agricultural lands, redwood forests, and endangered species habitat.

When TPL bought Coast Dairies in 1998, the property was on the verge of becoming a 139-home subdivision. Instead, it has become one of the largest coastal properties in California to both receive permanent protection and provide public access.

The 407 acres of rocky coastline and coastal bluffs was conveyed in August 2006 to State Parks. The forested inland acres remain in the ownership of Coast Dairies & Land Co., with various parcels leased for sustainable farming.

Coast Dairies represents a significant recreational and cultural resource for Santa Cruz County, joining a string of existing protected areas to add 13 miles to the California Coastal Trail. When complete, the trail will follow the coast from Oregon to Mexico for 1,300 miles.