Boulder Creek, California

Boulder Creek
Looking north from Highway 9 at the Boulder Creek Hardware building and the 70-foot-long (21 m) painted mural by John Ton, depicting two phases of the community's history
Nicknames: 
Emerald of the San Lorenzo, Phoenix of the Mountains, "Dodge City" of California
Interactive map of Boulder Creek
Boulder Creek
Location within California
Boulder Creek
Location within the United States
Coordinates: 37°7′53″N 122°7′28″W / 37.13139°N 122.12444°W / 37.13139; -122.12444
CountryUnited States
StateCalifornia
CountySanta Cruz
Founded1868
Named afterBoulder Creek
Government
 • BodyBoard of Supervisors
 • SupervisorMonica Martinez (I)
 • Assembly MemberGail Pellerin (D)
 • State SenatorJohn Laird (D)
 • United States RepresentativeJimmy Panetta (D)
Area
 • Total
7.51 sq mi (19.46 km2)
 • Land7.51 sq mi (19.46 km2)
 • Water0 sq mi (0.00 km2)  0%
Elevation
479 ft (146 m)
Highest elevation
2,694 ft (821 m)
Lowest elevation
324 ft (99 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
5,429
 • Density722.7/sq mi (279.04/km2)
Time zoneUTC−08:00 (PST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−07:00 (PDT)
ZIP code
95006
Area code831
FIPS code06-07652
GNIS feature ID277478

Boulder Creek (/ˈbəʊl.dər ˈkrk/) is an unincorporated place in the coastal Santa Cruz Mountains. It is a census-designated place (CDP) in Santa Cruz County, California, with a population of 5,429 as of the 2020 census. Throughout its history, Boulder Creek has been home to a logging town and a resort community, as well as a counter-culture haven. Today, it is identified as the gateway to Big Basin Redwoods State Park.