Loma Prieta Earthquake

Letter Box


Nisene Marks State Park

Placed September 3, 2001

Aptos, Santa Cruz County, California

The epicenter of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake is located in the center of
Nisene Marks State Park in Aptos, California. This is the site of the 7.1
magnitude earthquake that caused extensive damage to the San Francisco and
Monterey Bay areas including the collapse of the San Francisco Bay Bridge,
the Cypress structure in Oakland and thousands of buildings. A number of
people were killed in the quake.

Enter Nisene Marks State Park in Aptos, California off of Soquel Drive
through the main entrance. Drive in to the furthest point possible (during
winter months, the road is closed closer to the entrance requiring a longer
walk). Follow the signs in the park to the epicenter designated by a sign
on the Aptos Creek trail.

Upon facing the sign, turn 90 degrees to the right; take 23 paces on the
trail to a hair pin switch back turn in the trail. Step up the small mound
toward the broken tree stump (shaken down by the quake). There is a log
that fell on the ledge toward the creek. In the summer time, brush is
covering the log.

Step over the stump/log to the other side. The box is under the log on the
back side three paces toward the creek.

The hike is about two miles from the last parking area open in the summer
time, longer in the wet months due to lack of dry road access.


mikemcm@cruzio.com