Caswell Memorial State Park

About Caswell Memorial State Park

Located on the Stanislaus River near the town of Ripon, California, the park's 258 acres offer a rare glimpse of the endangered and still-declining oak forest that once flourished in California's Central Valley. Caswell is home to several endangered species, including rabbits that are nowhere else to be found.

The yokuts were an indigenous people who lived along the river and collected acorns from the ancient groves, according to the park's website.

Spanish explorers traversed the area in the early 19th century, and along the river many traps were found. Thomas Caswell, a landowner, enjoyed the wonderful forest and felt it should be preserved.

In the 1950s, his children and grandchildren donated 134 acres of land to Californians, and Caswell Memorial State Park opened to the public in 1958. Through additional donations and government purchases, it was brought to its current size of 258 hectares.