Endless Adventure Awaits with the California State Park Adventure Pass

The California State Park Adventure Pass is a new program that waives day-use entrance fees to 19 state parks for fourth grade students and their families for a full year.

California is home to 280 state park units, over 340 miles of coastline, 970 miles of lake and river frontage, 15,000 campsites, and 4,500 miles of trails with something for everyone to explore! 

All fourth graders in California can now apply for a free California State Parks Adventure Pass that will give them the opportunity to explore 19 select state parks free for a year. This Pass is valid for the one-year period during which the child is a 4th grader (or 4th grade equivalent), from September 1 to August 31 of that year. 

The California State Park Adventure Pass is accepted at the following 19 state parks: 

• Anza-Borrego Desert State Park (Nearest cities – Borrego Springs and Julian)
• Calaveras Big Trees State Park (Arnold)
• California Citrus State Historic Park (Riverside)
• California State Railroad Museum (Sacramento)
• Chino Hills State Park (Chino Hills)
• Clear Lake State Park (Kelseyville)
• Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park (Earlimart)
• Cuyamaca Rancho State Park (Julian)
• Empire Mine State Historic Park (Grass Valley)
• Hendy Woods State Park (nearest city – Philo)
• Hollister Hills State Vehicular Recreation Area (Gabilan Mountains, an hour drive from San Jose)
• Jack London State Historic Park (Glen Ellen)
• Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park (Crescent City)
• Millerton Lake State Recreation Area (Fresno)
• Morro Bay State Park Museum of Natural History (Morro Bay)
• Sue-meg State Park (Trinidad)
• Samuel P. Taylor State Park (Lagunitas)
• Seacliff State Beach (Santa Cruz)
• Silver Strand State Beach (Coronado)

This program is being launched by California State Parks, First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom and the Natural Resources Agency.  Assembly Bill 148, signed by Governor Newsom in July, established the California State Park Adventure Pass Program, a three-year pilot program that waives day-use entrance fees to 19 state parks for fourth graders and their families for a full year. Earlier this year, the governor also signed Senate Bill 129, legislation that includes $5.6 million to fund the new Pass program. 

Applying for the free pass online is simple. All that is needed is a name, address, phone number and an email. 

To get started, head over to California State Park Adventure Pass and follow the instructions and get ready to start exploring!