Capay Open Space Park

COSP is open for public use. Restrooms are closed and no water is available.


Just north of the town of Capay, the Capay Open Space Park offers walking trails, picnic benches, and an access ramp to Cache Creek. Explore over 40 acres of enhanced and restored grassland and riparian habitat. Dogs on leash are welcome!

Restoration in Progress

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The land that is now Capay Open Space Park was donated to the County of Yolo in 2004 by Granite Construction Company. Native habitats are being enhanced and restored courtesy of grant funding from California Natural Resource Agency. The park has more than two miles of walking trails, a paved parking lot, shade structures, picnic tables, restrooms, an access ramp to the creek, along with plenty of benches! A park host lives on site.

 

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Restorative Planting

 Cache Creek Conservancy and Yolo County Resource Conservation District are partners in enhancing the park by planting trees and plants to create habitat for native species.

Esparto High School students getting involved in environmental education at COSP!

Environmental Education

Esparto High School students leading a native bird identification activity for park visitors. One of many educational events held at COSP!

Gravel Mine to Parkway Project Unveiling

Sunday, April 19, 2020

Visit Capay Open Space Park for the unveiling of the new interpretive signs and completed park enhancements.


The new interpretive signs reference the geological and social history of the Cache Creek, mining along the creek, and restoration of the Cache Creek ecosystem.  


Also, view the new entrance signs, trail sign, creek access sign, as well as:

  • meander through plots of native pollinator plants 
  • walk the trails
  • visit the creek
  • view wildlife
  • find out more about the 'Gravel to Green' project!


There will also be educational activities led by the Conservancy's environmental education staff.


CAPAY OPEN SPACE PARK

15603 County Road 85 

Esparto, CA

Contact mpeterson@cachecreekconservancy.org  with questions. 

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The Student and Landowner Education and Watershed Stewardship (SLEWS) program engages high school students in habitat restoration through a series of hands-on field days at real projects that develop science skills and environmental stewardship in youth.  This group of high school students demonstrated excellent stewardship and planting skills at Capay Open Space Park: scrape, dibble, plant, and cover.  Students also had the opportunity to interview mentors, including Cache Creek Conservancy’s Outreach and Education Coordinator, Mikayla Peterson, about education and career path. Check out more about the day and other SLEWS events on the SLEWS Blog.

SLEWS is at it again!

Woodland High School students visited Capay Open Space Park (COSP) for a day of restoration work, learning about and installing wildlife habitat enhancements. Students, mentors, and experts gathered for an introduction to building nest boxes for native birds. Tanya Meyer from Yolo County RCD and Corey Shake from Point Blue Conservation Science explained critical elements of nest box design—side holes for ventilation, bottom holes for drainage, properly sized entrance/exit hole, and a predator guard. Micheal Perrone from Yolo Audubon added, “Tens of thousands of fledglings have left these local boxes over the past 15 years, providing nesting habitat for Tree Swallows who otherwise do not have habitat here.”


“A nest box is an opportunity to build populations back that have declined. Habitat, such as older trees with deserted woodpecker holes, has decreased due to human activity. Western Bluebirds or various species of native flycatchers can fit into a smaller hole as opposed to invasive species like the European Starling.” - Corey Shake, Point Blue Conservation Science


The high schoolers worked together to assemble the boxes and then the group walked the park installing nest boxes and searching for birds. Birdwatching is fun as well as informative. Monitoring the animals and plants (biomonitoring) of COSP can help us determine its environmental health since these living things are constantly exposed to the conditions there.


After searching the skies, students investigated the waters of Cache Creek.


CCC’s Outreach and Education Assistant, Elise Stinnett, continued the day’s topic by introducing common, benthic macro-invertebrate species found in Cache Creek. Students collected samples and identified tolerant and sensitive species living in the water at COSP. Based on the large population size of tolerant species (those which can withstand pollution), the students hypothesized that Cache Creek is slightly unhealthy.


Students finished the day with an end-of-the-course celebration and writing “Thank You’s” to the people who made their SLEWS program possible – mentors, SLEWS Coordinator Eva Dwyer, guest experts and their teacher, Mr. Delsol.


Thank you to Woodland High Sschool for your productive and professional work. You made a positive impact at Capay Open Space Park!


SLEWS Blog - A Day of Birds, Boxes, and Bugs



Interpretive Panels Coming Soon!

The interpretative signs are part of a grant-funded project to enhance Capay Open Space Park. The interpretative signs, once finished, will be installed at the kiosk in the park entrance.  The signs will be an informative reference about the geological and social history, mining and restoration of the Cache Creek ecosystem. 


Come see them at the Gravel to Green Project Unveiling!




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Capay Open Space Park

15603 County Road 85 

Esparto, CA