Jack London was the original American outdoors writer…”Call of The Wild” and numerous other nature/adventure novels and short stories made him famous and rich.
But his real love was this enormous farm which is now a state park. It is a stunning and complex place and far more than a park — it is testament to his brilliance, love of nature, passion for farming, and all wrapped in the tragedy of his early death.
The techniques he applied, for early 20th century, were unique. He planted a large vineyard. He used Asian farming terraces techniques to not leach the soil; he planted nearly 80,000 eucalyptus trees.
And his Wolf House, ruined, massive round stones cast about, yet not having yet lost some majesty and magic. You climb through it and see the pipes and vestigaes of great rooms.
This is a wonderful place for all sorts of hikes, easy and hard. Going later in the day, the sun sets behind the ridge and the woods are cooler. The park starts at the very bottom of the foothills and rolls upwards, then climbs steeply into redwoods and pines, woven with tiny streams and animals, with the occasional open field coming into view.
One time, we got lost and some very nice people gave us a great review of the park highlights. Be sure to ask for a map at the guard entrance – it is $1, but worth it. A keeper!
This is so much more than a park because of the personal story attached to it; but also, in that story, the tragedy of a great writer, with a new mission, who died only after being there a few years of liver disease.
This is perhaps our favorite park in Northern California, other than Armstrong Forest.
The local community is working hard to bring back the vitality that lies just at the edge of ruin. The vineyards and old barns still intact, but struggling.
The park is definitely run down and needs major work; but it has a genuine, human-meets-nature vibe to it.
Outspoken Traveler 
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