Nestled among the redwoods above Kresge College lies a hidden Santa Cruz gem. The UC Santa Cruz trailer park is an oasis that stands alone as one of the most unique college living arrangements around. On a quiet Tuesday morning, sunshine trickles in through the branches as the park’s residents begin to wake up. Neighbors meet for tea and conversation before heading out to class. A student works on an art project in the common space outside the community bathrooms. Bicycles and hammocks abound in the plentiful open space. Every trailer embodies artistic design and reflects the creativity of each owner that inherits and inhabits it. Campers have been painted with bright colors and murals. Small gardens and streams of Tibetan flags decorate the front porches. A sense of calm runs through me as I walk around the tight-knit community. I inhale deeply and breathe in the smell of fresh redwoods and breakfast in the works: Even the air smells fresher up here.
