Work to play. The Cotoni-Coast Dairies, part of the California Coastal National Monument, is a 6,000-acre preserve perched on the coastal terraces just north of Santa Cruz, home to sweeping grasslands, a stand of redwoods, a host of wildlife and numerous cultural sites. As of August 2022, it’s also home the area’s newest public trail system, thanks to the Santa Cruz Mountains Trail Stewardship (SCMTS) @santacruztrails . Equipped with mini-excavators, jackhammers, wheelbarrows and hand tools, they’re working with the BLM, Amah Mutsun Land Trust (@amahmutsunlandtrust ) and other agencies to build 19 miles of purpose-built, multi-use trails for hikers, equestrians and mountain bikers. Part of the project includes rebuilding and reopening trails damaged by the CZU Lightning Complex fires which, in 2020, burned 86,000 acres in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Click the link in @santacruztrails bio to learn how you can help. Photos: @_timdavis_