Immerse yourself in this photo essay from our Graphic Designer, Laura Nasca! 

Just outside of Santa Cruz and about 40 minutes from San Jose is the gorgeous and sprawling park of Nisene Marks. My family and I bopped around the Aptos Rancho Trail and the Aptos Creek Fire Road for a gently inclined and sustained hike. There were many mountain bikers on the trail as well as small groups and families (all practicing social distancing!) out getting some fresh air.

The ranger working at the entrance to the park warned us there had been a mudslide along one of the trails; we opted to stay largely on the fire road to avoid doing any further damage to the trails in the rain. As of Sunday (3/15/2020), the park was damp and lush, with all kinds of plants exploding with life around us and with the bit of rain we’ve gotten over the past few days I imagine it looks even greener. The trails were lined with ferns, ivy, and banana slugs. It was a lovely place to get out for an afternoon, catch some fresh air and watch the dogs and people out and about in nature.

Hover over the photos below to click through our lush afternoon: