Archaeological evidence has sporadically found prehistoric people inhabited old growth forests  within the Park.
Numerous resources would have been available to California Indians in the old growth forests, such as basketry material, plant foods like acorns and bulbs as well as animal prey for hunters and perhaps traditional sacred places.
Ohlone tribes that lived on watercourses which begin in the park were the Quiroste, Achistaca, Cotoni and Sayante.
In October 1769, the Portola expedition encountered the redwoods of southern Santa Cruz County, and camped at the mouth of Waddell Creek, in present-day Big Basin, later that month.
Although many in the party had been ill with scurvy, they gorged themselves on berries and quickly recovered.
This miraculous recovery, as it seemed at the time, inspired the name given to the valley: 'Cañada de la Salud' or Canyon of Health.

By the late 19th century, redwood forests were gaining international appreciation.
Early conservationists, including such notables as Andrew P. Hill, Father Robert Kenna, John J. Montgomery, Carrie Stevens Walter and Josephine Clifford McCracken, led the movement to create a park to preserve the redwoods.
On May 19, 1900, the Sempervirens Club was formed at the base of Slippery Rock, within the present day park.
In 1902, the California Redwood Park was created in Big Basin on 3,800 acres (15 km²), most of it old growth forest.

In the following decades, visitation to Big Basin grew steadily as park amenities were developed.
The Big Basin Inn offered cabins to rent, a restaurant, general store, barber shop, gas station and photographic studio.
There were also a post office, a concrete swimming pool, boating areas, tennis courts and a dance floor.
Campsites cost 50 cents a night in 1927 and many families stayed all summer.
During the Great Depression of the 1930s, the Civilian Conservation Corps assigned a company to Big Basin.
These men built the amphitheater, miles of trails, and many of the buildings still used today.
 The main administration building, built by the CCC in 1936, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Save the Redwoods League purchased a 564-acre (228 ha) parcel known as Cascade Creek in 2020 that links Big Basin with Año Nuevo State Park.
Archaeological evidence has sporadically found prehistoric people inhabited old growth forests  within the Park. Numerous resources would have been available to California Indians in the old growth forests, such as basketry material, plant foods like acorns and bulbs as well as animal prey for hunters and perhaps traditional sacred places. Ohlone tribes that lived on watercourses which begin in the park were the Quiroste, Achistaca, Cotoni and Sayante. In October 1769, the Portola expedition encountered the redwoods of southern Santa Cruz County, and camped at the mouth of Waddell Creek, in present-day Big Basin, later that month. Although many in the party had been ill with scurvy, they gorged themselves on berries and quickly recovered. This miraculous recovery, as it seemed at the time, inspired the name given to the valley: 'Cañada de la Salud' or Canyon of Health.
By the late 19th century, redwood forests were gaining international appreciation. Early conservationists, including such notables as Andrew P. Hill, Father Robert Kenna, John J. Montgomery, Carrie Stevens Walter and Josephine Clifford McCracken, led the movement to create a park to preserve the redwoods. On May 19, 1900, the Sempervirens Club was formed at the base of Slippery Rock, within the present day park. In 1902, the California Redwood Park was created in Big Basin on 3,800 acres (15 km²), most of it old growth forest.
In the following decades, visitation to Big Basin grew steadily as park amenities were developed. The Big Basin Inn offered cabins to rent, a restaurant, general store, barber shop, gas station and photographic studio. There were also a post office, a concrete swimming pool, boating areas, tennis courts and a dance floor. Campsites cost 50 cents a night in 1927 and many families stayed all summer. During the Great Depression of the 1930s, the Civilian Conservation Corps assigned a company to Big Basin. These men built the amphitheater, miles of trails, and many of the buildings still used today.  The main administration building, built by the CCC in 1936, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Save the Redwoods League purchased a 564-acre (228 ha) parcel known as Cascade Creek in 2020 that links Big Basin with Año Nuevo State Park.
Big Basin Redwoods State Park