Butano State Park

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Last Updated: December 5, 2025

Butano State Park is a 4,728-acre park located in San Mateo County, California.


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Summary

The park features dense redwood forest, lush fern canyons, and a variety of wildlife such as deer, bobcats, coyotes, and mountain lions. The park is well-known for its hiking trails, including the 5-mile Jackson Flats Trail and the 3-mile Canyon Trail.

One of the main points of interest in Butano State Park is the redwood forest, which includes some of the tallest trees in the world. Visitors can also explore the park's unique geological formations, such as the Butano Fault and the sandstone rock formations of Little Butano Creek.

In addition to hiking, Butano State Park offers camping facilities, picnicking areas, and fishing opportunities in the park's many streams and creeks. Visitors can also participate in guided nature walks and educational programs offered by park rangers.

One interesting fact about Butano State Park is that it was once owned by the prominent Strybing family, who used the land for logging and agriculture before donating it to the state in the 1950s.

The best time of year to visit Butano State Park is during the spring and fall months, when the weather is mild and the park's wildflowers are in bloom. However, the park is open year-round and offers a beautiful escape from the hustle and bustle of nearby cities.

       

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Park & Land Designation Reference

National Park
Large protected natural areas managed by the federal government to preserve significant landscapes, ecosystems, and cultural resources; recreation is allowed but conservation is the priority.
State Park
Public natural or recreational areas managed by a state government, typically smaller than national parks and focused on regional natural features, recreation, and education.
Local Park
Community-level parks managed by cities or counties, emphasizing recreation, playgrounds, sports, and green space close to populated areas.
Wilderness Area
The highest level of land protection in the U.S.; designated areas where nature is left essentially untouched, with no roads, structures, or motorized access permitted.
National Recreation Area
Areas set aside primarily for outdoor recreation (boating, hiking, fishing), often around reservoirs, rivers, or scenic landscapes; may allow more development.
National Conservation Area (BLM)
BLM-managed areas with special ecological, cultural, or scientific value; more protection than typical BLM land but less strict than Wilderness Areas.
State Forest
State-managed forests focused on habitat, watershed, recreation, and sustainable timber harvest.
National Forest
Federally managed lands focused on multiple use—recreation, wildlife habitat, watershed protection, and resource extraction (like timber)—unlike the stricter protections of national parks.
Wilderness
A protected area set aside to conserve specific resources—such as wildlife, habitats, or scientific features—with regulations varying widely depending on the managing agency and purpose.
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Land
Vast federal lands managed for mixed use—recreation, grazing, mining, conservation—with fewer restrictions than national parks or forests.
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