Moore Creek

Moore Creek, named for Eli Moore, runs north-south near and parallel to the western boundary of the city of Santa Cruz. It flows through the old Moore ranch, and 246 acres of the former ranch land is now the Moore Creek Open Space Preserve, part of the city’s greenbelt. Downstream from the park, Moore Creek was dammed by the San Vicente Lumber Company in 1908 to form Antonelli Pond. Below the pond, the creek flows through Natural Bridges State Beach, where its riparian corridor has created a prime Monarch butterfly wintering site.