Starting on June 11 and going to June 15, California will be celebrating its 280 state parks. The Golden State boasts the largest state park system in the United States which is administered by the California Department of Parks and Recreation. In total, over 1.4 million acres of land are protected by these parks. Recreational activities are also abundant and encouraged within these areas as they include nearly 15,000 campsites and 3,000 miles of hiking trails.

California State Parks

To say that the California State Parks contain the most diverse natural and cultural areas in the nation would be an understatement. To start, they are responsible for almost one-third, or 280 miles, of all of California’s scenic coastline. This includes coastal wetlands, beaches, and dune systems. State Park units also include the largest amount of underwater state preserves, reserves, and parks in the nation. Countless sites, whether it be the Redwood and Sequoia forests, or the Native American Heritage areas and settler-era ghost towns, are under the protection of the California State Parks.

On June 30, 1864, President Abraham Lincoln signed a piece of legislation that had been passed by the 38th United States Congress which created the Yosemite Grant. 

In this grant, Yosemite Valley and Mariposa Grove were ceded to California which gave birth to the first California State Park. This was actually the first time that land was set aside by the U.S. Government specifically for preservation and public use purposes. All of the land in the Yosemite Grant is now part of Yosemite National Park today. In 1927, the California Legislature established the State Park Commission. The following year, Californians voted overwhelmingly in favor of a $6 million park bond act for the newly established commission. The system of state parks began to grow considerably and rapidly, leading to what we have today. 

Celebration

There are many ways you can celebrate California State Park Week. The easiest is attending some of the over 170 events that California State Parks, California State Parks Foundation, Parks California, and Save the Redwoods League are hosting. Here are just a few: 

• June 14 at La Purísima Mission State Historic Park: Learn about native plants on a hike with Chumash Culture Bearer Tom Lopez.
• June 11 at Dos Rios: Evening kayak tour on the park’s oxbow pond and learn about its biodiversity.
• June 14 at Anza-Borrego Desert State Park: Learn about nocturnal animals and search for wildlife under the stars at this designated International Dark-Sky Park.
• June 12 at Point Dume State Beach: Participate in a beach cleanup and learn about Marine Protected Areas. 
• June 13 at Calaveras Big Trees State Park: Walk along the North Grove Trail and learn about the complexity of fire in a giant sequoia mixed-conifer forest. 
• June 13 at Van Damme State Park: Learn how the park’s two giant forests support climate resilience during the evening campfire program.

More can be found at California State Parks Upcoming Events.