Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park
San Lorenzo Valley · public park
Old-growth redwoods on the San Lorenzo, with two reservable ceremony sites and nothing else — no reception, no amplified sound, no exceptions.
The Santa Cruz Mountains sector guidelines list two distinct bookable sub-sites with different caps and surcharges: the reservable Grove at a maximum of 20 people with a $200 surcharge, and Picnic Area 1 at a maximum of 150 with a $250 surcharge. A single flat cap on the existing record would be an oversimplification. These figures come from a 2023 district guidelines document. The Santa Cruz Mountains sector office quotes the current ones.
The practical details
Capacity
Up to 150
Picnic Area 1 holds 150 ($250 site fee). The Reservable Redwood Grove is 20 maximum, one-hour ceremony, no decorations, no set-up ($200 site fee)
Rain backup
None
Curfew / end time
Not published
day use; permit terms set the window
Amplified music
PROHIBITED outright in redwood parks, to protect nesting marbled murrelets. Not negotiable.
Alcohol
From a 2023 district guidelines document: Permitted by waiver only - $50 (to 50 people), $100 (51-150), $250 (151-250), $300 (251+), plus $350 security deposit. Beer or wine only, no spirits. Four-hour window, service ends one hour before the event does. A ranger monitor is required. State Parks states a waiver is not guaranteed.
Parking
First-come only - an approved permit does not reserve parking
Pricing
From a 2023 district guidelines document: a $25 filing fee, a permit fee of $300 up to 50 people, $400 for 51 to 100 and $500 for 101 to 150, a $250 security deposit and a $100 rush fee inside 30 days. These are not carried on the current application form. The Santa Cruz Mountains sector office quotes the current fee.
Accessibility
Not published
Permit authority
Mountains Special Events Office, California State Parks, Santa Cruz District
See it on your wedding date
Set your date and this page fills in with the tides, what the weather is usually like, sunset, and where the sun will be.
See also: Santa Cruz wedding photographer · permits guide
Checked against the venue's own page on September 7, 2026