What you need to know: Fifth annual celebration features 171 activities that highlight “This is Where You Live”, celebrating the people, places and programs that make California’s 280 state parks truly special. Registration for events is now open.
SACRAMENTO — As California continues to celebrate 175 years of statehood, join California State Parks and partners in celebrating the unparalleled diversity and beauty of the nation’s largest state park system with more than 170 events during the fifth annual California State Parks Week, June 10-14.
Hosted by California State Parks along with California State Parks Foundation, Parks California and Save the Redwoods League, this year’s weeklong celebration has the tagline “This is Where You Live” and features 171 events statewide. The festivities, all at no additional cost, make it easier than ever to reconnect with nature or try a new activity, whether at a favorite state park or while exploring new places. Reservations are highly encouraged and are now open on CAStateParksWeek.org, which offers a full list of events, participation details and information on this year’s student poster contest, now expanded to include transitional kindergarten.
The fifth annual celebration includes five spotlight events over five days that highlight the unmatched diversity of California’s state parks – pristine coastlines, rich habitats teeming with wildlife, towering redwood forests and picturesque alpine lakes, providing just a small sample of everything your state parks have to offer:
Find inspiration in the sights, sounds and scents of the ocean during the kickoff event at Cardiff State Beach near San Diego for a day of hands-on activities to learn about the coastline. Whether you’re interested in plants, animals, water or rocks, there's something for everyone to explore. Participate in expert-led demonstrations or check out a self-guided kit to explore on your own. All ages are welcome; children under the age of 16 must be supervised by an adult.
Join State Parks and partners to celebrate the completion of the Grasslands Floodplain Restoration Project, which has reconnected the San Joaquin River with more than 200 acres of historic floodplain in the Central Valley. Learn how this effort is supporting critical habitat for threatened and endangered species, including salmon, kit foxes and migratory birds along the Pacific Flyway. The event will feature remarks from project partners, guided tours, interpretive programs and options for on-the-water experiences.
Discover the resilience of California’s iconic redwoods – the world’s tallest trees – during a guided walk through Big Basin, where most old-growth trees survived the 2020 CZU Lightning Complex Fire on the Santa Cruz Coast. Learn how these forests are recovering and explore the ongoing efforts to reimagine the park. Visitors can also connect with partner organizations at an on-site fair and find ways to get involved in the park’s future.
Celebrate the reopening of the Sue-meg State Park Visitor Center on California’s North Coast with a day of community activities, food, cultural sharing and hands-on learning. Enjoy guided cultural walks, Junior Ranger programs and interactive exhibits developed in partnership with the Pulikla Tribe of Yurok People, Trinidad Rancheria and the Yurok Tribe.
Celebrate the history, craftsmanship and cultural significance of one of Lake Tahoe’s most iconic historic vessels – the Mercury speedboat – at this special 100th anniversary event. Built in 1926 and once considered the fastest speedboat in the world, the innovative 35-foot all-metal vessel earned the President’s Cup from President Calvin Coolidge. Visitors can see the Mercury up close and enjoy interpretive programs and hands-on activities, including the unveiling of a new interpretive panel, highlighting maritime history, technology innovation and cultural resource stewardship.
Launched in 2022 and growing in popularity each year, California State Parks Week advances the “Outdoor Access for All” initiative championed by Governor Gavin Newsom, First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom and the California Natural Resources Agency’s “Outdoors for All” initiative. The initiative expands outdoor access to all Californians through focused investments in open space infrastructure, outdoor programming and improvements to permit applications, with a priority of supporting underserved communities.
California’s state parks safeguard the state’s natural beauty and cultural heritage while providing essential spaces for recreation, education and connection. California State Parks Week is a fun way to celebrate the wonder and sense of community that the outdoors provides to Californians and visitors from all over the world.
California State Parks protects the best of the state’s natural and cultural heritage, including more than 340 miles of coastline, ancient forests, deserts, rivers and historic sites. There are more than 5,200 miles of trails, 15,000 campsites, prehistoric and historic archeological sites, ghost towns, historic homes and monuments — all waiting for you to be explored.
Subscribe to California State Parks News online at parks.ca.gov/newsroom or click here.
The California Department of Parks and Recreation, popularly known as State Parks, and the programs supported by its Office of Historic Preservation and divisions of Boating and Waterways and Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation provides for the health, inspiration and education of the people of California by helping to preserve the state’s extraordinary biological diversity, protecting its most valued natural and cultural resources, and creating opportunities for high-quality outdoor recreation. Learn more at parks.ca.gov.
Facebook I X I Instagram I YouTube I Blog I Threads
California State Parks Foundation, an independent, member-supported nonprofit with over 50 years of history, is dedicated to protecting and preserving the California state park system for the benefit of all. We work in parks and in Sacramento with partners, park staff, and policymakers to address the challenges parks face. To make real and lasting change, we are working to build a movement of people who enjoy and advocate for their parks now, and for future generations. Learn more at www.calparks.org, or find California State Parks Foundation on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.
Parks California, created by the State of California to expand the reach and impact of its parks system, strengthens our public lands and inspires all people to experience these extraordinary places. As a public-private partner, we work alongside California State Parks, public lands agencies, tribal, community and nonprofit organizations to design solutions that make these spaces more inclusive, climate-resilient and sustainable. Together, we’re advancing a new partnership model that supports healthy communities and ecosystems to meet the needs of a changing California. Learn more: www.ParksCalifornia.org
Facebook I LinkedIn I Instagram I YouTube
Save the Redwoods League revitalizes coast redwood and giant sequoia forests across California’s redwood range. In partnership with state and federal agencies, Tribes, and communities, we have conserved more than 220,000 acres in 76 parks and preserves and restored 37,000 acres. Our work bolsters carbon storage, strengthens wildfire resilience, benefits local economies, and safeguards iconic landscapes enjoyed by millions. For more information, visit SaveTheRedwoods.org
