Guided Hike: Quiroste Valley Cultural Preserve

The Quiroste Valley Cultural Preserve, located near Año Nuevo, was created to protect cultural resources, to restore native vegetation, and to re-implement “traditional resource and environmental management.” Explore indigenous land stewardship at Quiroste—both historical and contemporary—with the Chairman of the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band, Valentine Lopez, and the Program Coordinator for the Amah Mutsun Land Trust, Jay Scherf.

We will take a look over the Quiroste Valley, imagining what the landscape looked like in the past and learning why it looks the way it does now. On this short walk into the valley floor, we will visit what remains of a large Quiroste village (most likely the village of Metenne) and discuss the Quiroste people, how they managed the landscape and natural resources in the area, and what happened to the Quiroste during colonization. A few hundred yards away, at a large stand of coastal tarweed we will discuss how the Amah Mutsun—the descendants of the Quiroste—returned to the valley, and the research and conservation efforts the Tribe and the Amah Mutsun Land Trust is involved in now.

The group will meet at a parking lot near the entrance to Quiroste Valley Cultural Preserve and carpool into the reserve due to limited parking. This walk will be no more than one mile on established trails. Please wear layers and comfortable shoes for walking on uneven surfaces. Sun protection, water, and snacks recommended. More details will be provided upon registration.

This project is hosted by the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History and was made possible with support from California Humanities, a non-profit partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities.