The combined 11-mile corridor Zayante Road and Upper Zayante Road is located in the Santa Cruz Mountains near Felton in Santa Cruz County. The corridor begins as Zayante Road at Graham Hill Road near the Felton Covered Bridge. Zayante Road passes through the namesake community of Zayante where it becomes Upper Zayante Road upon intersecting Old Mountain Road. Upper Zayante Road makes a final ascent to California State Route 35 at Summit Road via a grade which peaks at an incline of 11%.
Zayante Road was built as a frontage of the South Pacific Coast Railroad in 1879. As originally configured Zayante Road terminated a short distance north of Zayante Station. Zayante Station itself was commissioned in 1891 to service the resort at Gibbs Ranch. Upper Zayante Road would later be constructed in the first decade of the Twentieth Century as a continuation of Zayante Road to Summit Road.
Part 1; the history of Zayante Road and Upper Zayante Road
Both Zayante Road and Upper Zayante Road are named after the unincorporated community of Zayante. The community of Zayante itself is named after a local group of Ohlone which were known as the Sayante. Following the establishment of Mission Santa Cruz in 1791 the Spanish would begin to hold more and more influence over tribes in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Assimilation into Spanish culture and European diseases would devastate the Sayante population over the coming decades.
Mexico would break away from New Spain in 1821 and would eventually secularize Mission Santa Cruz. Much of the lands along Zayante Creek were granted to Joaquin Buelna by the Mexican government 1834. Buehna's claim would eventually lapse, and Rancho Zayante would be acquired by American settlers Issac Graham and Henry Neale in 1836. In 1841 a consortium which included Peter Lassen would construct a sawmill on Zayante Creek near the confluence with the San Lorenzo River in modern-day Felton.
Gold had been initially discovered on Zayante Creek in 1842. Following California becoming an American state placer gold was rediscovered on Zayante Creek in 1855. The gold proved to be initially profitable enough that it led to a small mining boom in San Lorenzo Valley. This mining boom would soon give way to a lucrative lumber industry in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
In 1876 the South Pacific Coast Railroad (SPC) would incorporate and would purchase the then incomplete Santa Clara Valley Company Railroad. By 1880 the 3-foot narrow gauge line would be extended south from Dumbarton Point at San Francisco Bay through the Santa Cruz Mountains to the city of Santa Cruz.
Olympia Station, Eccles Station and Meehan Siding were set up along Zayante Creek in 1879. SPC land holdings was subdivided and would become the community of Eccles. Eccles was located near SPC Tunnel #5 which was 250 feet in length. Eccles would form the basis for much of what is now modern-day Zayante.
The SPC can be seen in the Santa Cruz Mountains north of Santa Cruz on the 1882 Bancroft's map of California. Eccles is not displayed but the community was present along with a stage road north of Felton. This road north of Felton to Eccles is what is now known as Zayante Road.
In 1887 the Southern Pacific Railroad would acquire the SPC. In 1891 Zayante Station would be built at the confluence of Zayante Creek and Mountain Charlie Gulch to serve the resort known as Gibbs Ranch. Zayante Station can be seen below in a photo from the Tracy Press.
Zayante Road can be seen originating at Graham Hill (blue pin) in Felton on the 1902 United States Geological Survey map of Santa Cruz.
The same map edition shows Zayante Road can be seen passing stations at Eccles, Gibbs and Zayante. The blue pin indicates the location of the confluence of Zayante Creek and Mountain Charlie Gulch. Zayante Road can be seen terminating short distance north of the stage road which served the resort at Gibbs Ranch to the east. The resort road is shown following the stage along the SPC.
The Eccles Station shelter can be seen below in 1905 era photo (courtesy Santa Cruz Trains). This structure was located on Zayante School Road and later moved to Olympia Station. This shelter has since been replaced.
The SPC would be severely damaged by landslides in the Santa Cruz Mountains by the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake. At the time the entire line was undergoing to conversion to standard gauge tracks. This conversion would not be fully complete until 1909.
Gibbs Ranch would peak in popularity around 1900 and would receive Post Office service as "Zayante." The Zayante Post Office would become seasonal in 1906. In April 1916 following the shuttering of Gibbs Ranch the Post Office would relocate to Zayante Station along Zayante Road.
Prior to the shuttering of Gibbs Ranch the resort drew enough interest to merit construction of an extension of Zayante Road. This so-called "Upper Zayante Road" first appears on the 1914 C.F. Weber's map of Santa Cruz County in Township 9 South, Range 2 West. Upper Zayante Road is shown to begin near the original terminus of Zayante Road near Zayante Station and extending north to the Summit Road near Mount Van Lones.
Zayante Road can be seen below in a photo dated November 17, 1918 (courtesy San Lorenzo History Fans Only). At the time the highway was surfaced with crushed gravel and oiled.
By 1936 the Zayante Station Post Office only served 10 locals and would receive parcels from approximately 400 from nearby campers. The Post Office service would ultimately shutter in April 1938. The SPC would shutter in the Santa Cruz Mountains circa March 1940.
Despite shutting over the Santa Cruz Mountains, the SBC line would remain open south of Olympia Station to Santa Cruz. The remainder of the line would shutter in 1981 following further washouts and was purchased by Norman Clark. Clark operated the nearby narrow-gauge Roaring Camp & Big Trees Railroad Road sought to reopen the remaining SBC as a tourism line. Clark would die in 1984, but the SBC would reopen in 1985 as the Santa Cruz, Big Trees and Pacific Railway.
Part 2; a drive on Zayante Road and Upper Zayante Road
Northbound Zayante Road begins at Graham Hill Road just west of Zayante Creek.
Northbound Zayante Road crosses under Conference Drive. This overpass structure was built in 1930.
Northbound Zayante Road crosses under Mount Hermon Road. The Mount Hermon Road overpass structure was constructed in 1971.
Zayante Road splits into East/West routings approaching Zayante Creek. East Zayante Road functions as the mainline and crosses a 1939-era concrete bridge over Zayante Creek. West Zayante Road terminates at Quail Hollow Road a short distance from East Zayante Road.
East Zayante Road intersects Olympia Station Road a short distance from Quail Hollow Road. The Santa Cruz, Big Trees and Pacific Railway currently terminates a short distance north of Olympia Station Road.
Zayante Road continues north as a single branch roadway and crosses Zayante Creek again via a 1949-era steel stringer bridge. A short distance north of the bridge Zayante Road intersects Lompico Road.
Northbound Zayante Road passes by the Zayante Creek Market & Deli and enters the community of Zayante.
Zayante Road winds through Zayante and crosses the namesake creek again via a 1942 tee beam bridge.
Upon departing Zayante, the corridor of Zayante Road narrows to a single lane and approaches the former site of Zayante Station at Mile Marker 5.21 near Mountain Charlie Gulch. There is no indication today amongst the overgrowth that the station was once present.
Zayante Road continues north of Mountain Charlie Gulch and intersects the privately owned Fern Ridge Road. It isn't clear when this structure was built it seems to have elements of a Bailey design.
Northbound Zayante Road becomes Upper Zayante Road at Old Mountain Road.
Upper Zayante Road continues north to a fire station located at White Rock Road.
Upper Zayante Road reaches the beginning the climb to California State Route 35. Traffic is advised of the one-lane road ahead and is given a 5 MPH speed advisory.
The final climb on northbound Zayante Road passes through gulch full of Coastal Redwoods. The climb is steep and carries a maximum incline of 11%. Upper Zayante Road terminates at California State Route 35 (Summit Road) at 1,936 feet above sea level. Summit Road serves as the Santa Cruz County and Santa Clara County line.
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