Park name
|
Classification
|
County or
counties
|
Size
[1]
|
Year established
[1]
|
Remarks
|
acres
|
ha
|
Admiral William Standley State Recreation Area
|
State recreation area
|
Mendocino
|
45
|
18
|
1944
|
Boasts
redwoods
plus
salmon
and
steelhead
fishing on the
Eel River
.
[2]
|
Ahjumawi Lava Springs State Park
|
State park
|
Shasta
|
5,930
|
2,400
|
1975
|
Preserves a wilderness of freshwater
springs
and geologically recent lava flows.
[3]
|
Albany State Marine Reserve
|
Park property
|
Alameda
|
|
|
1985
|
|
Anderson Marsh State Historic Park
|
State historic park
|
Lake
|
1,298
|
525
|
1982
|
Preserves a
tule
marsh and ancient archaeological sites of the
Pomo people
.
[4]
|
Andrew Molera State Park
|
State park
|
Monterey
|
4,766
|
1,929
|
1968
|
Offers a primitive walk-in campground on the
Big Sur
coast.
[5]
|
Angel Island State Park
|
State park
|
Marin
and
San Francisco
|
756
|
306
|
1955
|
Interprets an island in
San Francisco Bay
whose history encompasses
Coast Miwok
prehistory, ranching, the 1910?1940
Angel Island Immigration Station
, and long military use.
[6]
|
Ano Nuevo State Park
|
State park
|
San Mateo
|
4,209
|
1,703
|
1985
|
Encompasses
Ano Nuevo Island
and Ano Nuevo Point, which boasts the world's largest mainland rookery of
northern elephant seals
.
[7]
|
Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve
|
State natural reserve
|
Los Angeles
|
1,781
|
721
|
1976
|
Showcases the state's most-consistent blooms of
California poppy
, in the high
Mojave Desert
.
[8]
|
Antelope Valley Indian Museum State Historic Park
|
State historic park
|
Los Angeles
|
397
|
161
|
1979
|
Interprets the Native American cultures of the
Great Basin
and surrounding regions in a 1928
folk art
building on the
NRHP
.
[9]
|
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
|
State park
|
San Diego
,
Imperial
, and
Riverside
|
585,930
|
237,120
|
1933
|
Preserves a vast tract of the
Colorado Desert
in California's largest state park.
[10]
|
Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve
|
State natural reserve
|
Sonoma
|
752
|
304
|
1934
|
Preserves a grove of
coast redwoods
.
[11]
|
Arthur B. Ripley Desert Woodland State Park
|
State park
|
Los Angeles
|
566
|
229
|
1993
|
Preserves a remnant stand of
Joshua trees
and
junipers
in the
Antelope Valley
.
[12]
|
Asilomar State Beach
|
State beach
|
Monterey
|
107
|
43
|
1951
|
Balances protection of rocky coast and dune habitat with public access.
[13]
The 1913
Asilomar Conference Grounds
are a
National Historic Landmark
.
[14]
|
Auburn State Recreation Area
|
State recreation area
|
El Dorado
and
Placer
|
42,377
|
17,149
|
1966
|
Offers numerous recreational opportunities along the North and Middle Forks of the
American River
.
[15]
|
Austin Creek State Recreation Area
|
State recreation area
|
Sonoma
|
5,927
|
2,399
|
1964
|
Features a rugged wilderness on
Austin Creek
, adjacent to
Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve
.
[16]
|
Azalea State Natural Reserve
|
State natural reserve
|
Humboldt
|
30
|
12
|
1943
|
Harbors a profusion of spring-blooming
western azaleas
.
[17]
|
Bale Grist Mill State Historic Park
|
State historic park
|
Napa
|
0.75
|
0.30
|
1974
|
Showcases a restored 1846 water-powered grist mill in
Napa Valley
.
[18]
The mill is on the
NRHP
.
[19]
|
Bean Hollow State Beach
|
State beach
|
San Mateo
|
44
|
18
|
1958
|
Offers fishing and beachcombing among
tide pools
.
[20]
|
Benbow State Recreation Area
|
State recreation area
|
Humboldt
|
1,142
|
462
|
1958
|
Centers on a reservoir on the
South Fork Eel River
.
[21]
|
Benicia Capitol State Historic Park
|
State historic park
|
Solano
|
0.86
|
0.35
|
1951
|
Interprets the third and oldest-surviving California capitol, used 1853?54.
[22]
The building is on the
NRHP
.
[19]
|
Benicia State Recreation Area
|
State recreation area
|
Solano
|
447
|
181
|
1957
|
Preserves a tidal wetland on the
Carquinez Strait
.
[23]
|
Bethany Reservoir State Recreation Area
|
State recreation area
|
Alameda
|
609
|
246
|
1974
|
Offers
windsurfing
and other water recreation on the
Bethany Reservoir
.
[24]
|
Bidwell Mansion State Historic Park
|
State historic park
|
Butte
|
5.2
|
2.1
|
1964
|
Offers tours of the 1868
Victorian
mansion of influential settlers
John
and
Annie Bidwell
.
[25]
The mansion is on the
NRHP
.
|
Bidwell-Sacramento River State Park
|
State park
|
Butte
and
Glenn
|
349
|
141
|
1979
|
Preserves
riparian
habitat on the
Sacramento River
and its tributary
Big Chico Creek
.
[26]
|
Big Basin Redwoods State Park
|
State park
|
Santa Cruz
|
18,050
|
7,300
|
1902
|
Established as California's first state park, to preserve
coast redwoods
on
Waddell Creek
.
[27]
|
Bodie State Historic Park
|
State historic park
|
Mono
|
1,016
|
411
|
1962
|
Preserves the
ghost town
of Bodie, whose gold-mining heyday ran from 1877 to 1881, and is now a
National Historic Landmark
.
[28]
|
Bolsa Chica State Beach
|
State beach
|
Orange
|
169
|
68
|
1960
|
Offers
surf fishing
and catching
grunion
by hand.
[29]
|
Border Field State Park
|
State park
|
San Diego
|
1,316
|
533
|
1972
|
Occupies the southwesternmost point of the contiguous U.S., on the
Mexico ? United States border
. Part of the
Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve
.
[30]
|
Bothe-Napa Valley State Park
|
State park
|
Napa
and
Sonoma
|
1,991
|
806
|
1960
|
Contains the farthest inland
coast redwoods
in a California state park.
[31]
|
Brannan Island State Recreation Area
|
State recreation area
|
Sacramento
|
329
|
133
|
1952
|
Offers water recreation amid a maze of channels in the
Sacramento?San Joaquin River Delta
.
[32]
|
Burleigh H. Murray Ranch
|
Park property
|
San Mateo
|
1,325
|
536
|
1979
|
Encompasses a hidden valley with a historic ranch established in 1857.
[33]
|
Burton Creek State Park
|
State park
|
Placer
|
1,890
|
760
|
1976
|
Offers 6 miles (9.7 km) of unpaved roadway for hiking and cross-country skiing.
[34]
|
Butano State Park
|
State park
|
San Mateo
|
4,728
|
1,913
|
1956
|
Showcases a secluded
redwood
-filled valley.
[35]
|
Butte City Project
|
Park property
|
Butte
|
37
|
15
|
2007
|
In development, not open to public
|
Calaveras Big Trees State Park
|
State park
|
Calaveras
and
Tuolumne
|
6,498
|
2,630
|
1931
|
Protects two large groves of
giant sequoias
.
[36]
|
California Citrus State Historic Park
|
State historic park
|
Riverside
|
248
|
100
|
1984
|
Interprets the influence of the state's
citrus industry
.
[37]
|
California Indian Heritage Center State Park
|
State park
|
Yolo
|
7.91
|
3.20
|
2011
|
Undeveloped property located in West Sacramento. Plan is for this unit to eventually replace the State Indian Museum (State Historic Park).
[38]
|
California State Capitol Museum
|
Park property
|
Sacramento
|
40
|
16
[39]
|
1982
|
Offers exhibits and tours of the
California State Capitol
and its grounds.
[39]
|
California State Mining and Mineral Museum
|
Park property
|
Mariposa
|
|
|
1999
|
Exhibits the official state mineral collection and displays on the region's influential mining heritage.
[40]
|
Cambria State Marine Conservation Area
|
State marine park
|
San Luis Obispo
|
|
|
2007
|
California State Parks' first state marine park.
|
Candlestick Point State Recreation Area
|
State recreation area
|
San Francisco
|
204
|
83
|
1972
|
Constitutes California's first urban state recreation area, on the west shore of
San Francisco Bay
.
[41]
|
Cardiff State Beach
|
State beach
|
San Diego
|
507
|
205
|
1949
|
Provides a sandy, warm-water beach outside
San Diego
.
[42]
|
Carlsbad State Beach
|
State beach
|
San Diego
|
44
|
18
|
1933
|
Features a small beach at the foot of coastal bluffs.
[43]
|
Carmel River State Beach
|
State beach
|
Monterey
|
297
|
120
|
1953
|
Protects a 1-mile-long (1.6 km) beach and a
lagoon
at the mouth of the
Carmel River
which attracts many migratory birds.
[44]
|
Carnegie State Vehicular Recreation Area
|
State vehicular recreation area
|
Alameda
and
San Joaquin
|
5,075
|
2,054
|
1979
|
Provides
off-roading
opportunities in the
Diablo Range
around the former townsite of
Carnegie
.
[45]
|
Carpinteria State Beach
|
State beach
|
Santa Barbara
and
Ventura
|
62
|
25
|
1932
|
Offers a mile-long beach in the city of
Carpinteria
.
[46]
|
Caspar Headlands State Beach
|
State beach
|
Mendocino
|
75
|
30
|
1972
|
|
Caspar Headlands State Natural Reserve
|
State natural reserve
|
Mendocino
|
2.7
|
1.1
|
1972
|
Preserves a small strip of rugged coastline.
[47]
|
Castaic Lake State Recreation Area
|
State recreation area
|
Los Angeles
|
4,224
|
1,709
|
1965
|
Features 29 miles (47 km) of shoreline on
Castaic Lake
.
[48]
|
Castle Crags State Park
|
State park
|
Shasta
|
3,905
|
1,580
|
1934
|
Provides access to the
Castle Crags Wilderness
, with its 6,000-foot-tall (1,800 m) rock crags.
[49]
|
Castle Rock State Park
|
State park
|
Santa Clara
,
Santa Cruz
, and
San Mateo
|
5,242
|
2,121
|
1968
|
Encompasses a wild forest with
rock climbing
opportunities along the crest of the
Santa Cruz Mountains
.
[50]
|
Caswell Memorial State Park
|
State park
|
San Joaquin
|
258
|
104
|
1952
|
Preserves a
riparian forest
along the
Stanislaus River
.
[51]
|
Cayucos State Beach
|
State beach
|
San Luis Obispo
|
16
|
6.5
|
1940
|
Provides a swimming and surfing beach in the beach town of
Cayucos
.
[52]
|
China Camp State Park
|
State park
|
Marin
|
1,514
|
613
|
1976
|
Surrounds an 1880s
Chinese American
shrimp-fishing
village and
salt marshes
on
San Pablo Bay
.
[53]
|
Chino Hills State Park
|
State park
|
Orange
,
Riverside
, and
San Bernardino
|
14,173
|
5,736
|
1981
|
Preserves a large tract of the
Chino Hills
.
[54]
|
Chumash Painted Cave State Historic Park
|
State historic park
|
Santa Barbara
|
7.5
|
3.0
|
1976
|
Preserves a sandstone cave bearing
rock art of the Chumash people
.
[55]
|
Clay Pit State Vehicular Recreation Area
|
State vehicular recreation area
|
Butte
|
220
|
89
|
1981
|
Provides
off-roading
opportunities in the shallow
clay pit
excavated for material to build the
Oroville Dam
.
[56]
|
Clear Lake State Park
|
State park
|
Lake
|
590
|
240
|
1949
|
Provides recreation opportunities on the southwest shore of
Clear Lake
, the largest freshwater lake within California's borders.
[57]
|
Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park
|
State historic park
|
Tulare
|
3,715
|
1,503
|
1973
|
Interprets the town of
Allensworth
, founded in 1908 as a haven for
African Americans
by Colonel
Allen Allensworth
and other community leaders.
[58]
The town is a district on the
NRHP
.
|
Columbia State Historic Park
|
State historic park
|
Tuolumne
|
273
|
110
|
1946
|
Interprets
Columbia
's preserved
Gold Rush
-era downtown,
[59]
a
National Historic Landmark District
.
|
Colusa-Sacramento River State Recreation Area
|
State recreation area
|
Colusa
|
301
|
122
|
1955
|
Adjoins a stretch of the
Sacramento River
known for its fishing.
[60]
|
Corona del Mar State Beach
|
State beach
|
Orange
|
30
|
12
|
1947
|
Provides a half-mile-long swimming beach adjacent to the
Newport Beach
harbor jetty.
[61]
|
Crystal Cove State Park
|
State park
|
Orange
|
3,936
|
1,593
|
1979
|
Encompasses cliffbound coastline, inland chaparral canyons, and the
NRHP
-listed
Crystal Cove Historic District
of 1920s and 30s beach cottages.
[62]
|
Cuyamaca Rancho State Park
|
State park
|
San Diego
|
24,693
|
9,993
|
1933
|
Preserves an expansive tract of forests and meadows above 5,000 feet (1,500 m) in the
Laguna Mountains
, on the former
Rancho Cuyamaca
.
[63]
|
D. L. Bliss State Park
|
State park
|
El Dorado
|
2,149
|
870
|
1929
|
Features a balancing rock and the
Rubicon Point Light
on the shore of
Lake Tahoe
.
[64]
|
Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park
|
State park
|
Del Norte
|
31,261
|
12,651
|
1925
|
Preserves old-growth coast redwoods and is managed cooperatively with
RNSP
.
[65]
|
Delta Meadows
|
Park property
|
Sacramento
|
472
|
191
|
1985
|
Preserves undeveloped
wet meadows
and
sloughs
in the
Sacramento?San Joaquin River Delta
. Closed to the public.
[66]
|
Dockweiler State Beach
|
State beach
|
Los Angeles
|
91
|
37
|
1948
|
Features 3 miles (4.8 km) of beach and a
hang gliding
training site, adjacent to
Los Angeles International Airport
.
|
Doheny State Beach
|
State beach
|
Orange
|
254
|
103
|
1931
|
Offers surfing and beach-front camping in
Dana Point
.
[67]
|
Donner Memorial State Park
|
State park
|
Nevada
and
Placer
|
3,293
|
1,333
|
1928
|
Interprets the site where the
Donner Party
was trapped by weather in the
Sierra Nevada
during the winter of 1846?1847,
[68]
now a
National Historic Landmark
.
|
Dos Rios State Park
|
State park
|
Stanislaus
|
1,600
|
650
|
2024
|
As of its projected opening date of June 12, 2024, it will be the newest park in the state park system. "Nestled between the Tuolumne and San Joaquin rivers, around eight miles from Modesto, [it] is the largest public-private floodplain restoration project in the state [and] the first state park to open in California since Onyx Ranch State Vehicular Recreation Area in 2014."
[69]
|
Eastern Kern County Onyx Ranch State Vehicular Recreation Area
|
State vehicular recreation area
|
Kern
|
26,000
|
11,000
|
2014
|
As of April 2024, it is the newest and second largest state vehicular recreation area in the state park system. It is surrounded by Bureau of Land Management lands.
[70]
|
Ed Z'berg Sugar Pine Point State Park
|
State park
|
El Dorado
|
2,324
|
940
|
1965
|
Comprises the
Lake Tahoe
estate and 1903 summer home of banker
Isaias W. Hellman
.
[71]
|
El Capitan State Beach
|
State beach
|
Santa Barbara
|
2,634
|
1,066
|
1953
|
Features a narrow beach at the foot of coastal bluffs where
monarch butterflies
congregate in autumn.
[72]
|
El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park
|
State historic park
|
Santa Barbara
|
5.8
|
2.3
|
1966
|
Preserves components of a Spanish
presidio
dating back to 1782,
[73]
now on the
NRHP
.
|
Emerald Bay State Park
|
State park
|
El Dorado
|
1,533
|
620
|
1953
|
Contains
Lake Tahoe
's Emerald Bay and
Fannette Island
plus the 1929
Vikingsholm
mansion,
[74]
which is on the
NRHP
.
|
Emeryville Crescent State Marine Reserve
|
Park property
|
Alameda
and
Contra Costa
|
103.5
|
41.9
|
1985
|
Preserves a marsh on
San Francisco Bay
, managed as part of
McLaughlin Eastshore State Park
. Closed to the public. Unit will not become officially classified until action is also taken by the California Fish and Game Commission (ongoing since 2004).
|
Emma Wood State Beach
|
State beach
|
Ventura
|
112
|
45
|
1957
|
Contains a surfing beach and an
estuary
at the mouth of the
Ventura River
.
|
Empire Mine State Historic Park
|
State historic park
|
Nevada
|
853
|
345
|
1975
|
Offers tours of an underground gold mine which operated from 1850 to 1956, plus its surface surroundings.
[75]
The mine is on the
NRHP
.
|
Estero Bluffs State Park
|
State park
|
San Luis Obispo
|
353
|
143
|
2000
|
Preserves diverse coastal habitats on
Estero Bay
.
|
Folsom Lake State Recreation Area
|
State recreation area
|
El Dorado
,
Placer
, and
Sacramento
|
19,564
|
7,917
|
1956
|
Surrounds
Folsom
and
Natoma Lakes
, reservoirs on the
American River
.
[76]
|
Folsom Powerhouse State Historic Park
|
State historic park
|
Sacramento
|
35
|
14
|
1956
|
Interprets an 1895
hydroelectricity
plant, now a
National Historic
and
Historic Civil Engineering Landmark
.
[77]
|
The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park
|
State park
|
Santa Cruz
|
10,223
|
4,137
|
1963
|
Preserves a tract of
secondary forest
donated by the family of former owner Nisene Marks.
[78]
|
Fort Humboldt State Historic Park
|
State historic park
|
Humboldt
|
18
|
7.3
|
1955
|
Situated on its commanding bluff adjacent to
Humboldt Bay
, park interprets relations between U.S. army (present at fort 1853?1870), Native American groups, and settlers. Site includes a logging museum and logging equipment displays.
[79]
|
Fort Ord Dunes State Park
|
State park
|
Monterey
|
980
|
400
|
2009
|
Reclaims coastline overlooking
Monterey Bay
on former property of the decommissioned
Fort Ord
.
[80]
|
Fort Ross State Historic Park
|
State historic park
|
Sonoma
|
3,393
|
1,373
|
1909
|
Interprets the partially reconstructed
Fort Ross
, an 1812?1841
Russian-American Company
outpost that was the southernmost settlement in the
Russian colonization of the Americas
.
[81]
The fort is a
National Historic Landmark
.
|
Fort Tejon State Historic Park
|
State historic park
|
Kern
|
647
|
262
|
1940
|
Interprets the U.S. Army fort staffed 1854?1864 to monitor the
Sebastian Indian Reservation
.
[82]
The fort is on the
NRHP
.
|
Franks Tract State Recreation Area
|
State recreation area
|
Contra Costa
|
3,523
|
1,426
|
1959
|
Encompasses a flooded area in the
Sacramento?San Joaquin River Delta
accessible only by water.
[83]
|
Fremont Peak State Park
|
State park
|
Monterey
and
San Benito
|
162
|
66
|
1934
|
Provides views of the surrounding landscape from atop
Fremont Peak
and of the night sky from the
Fremont Peak Observatory
.
[84]
|
Garrapata State Park
|
State park
|
Monterey
|
2,939
|
1,189
|
1979
|
Preserves a largely hidden stretch of wild coast.
[85]
|
Gaviota State Park
|
State park
|
Santa Barbara
|
2,787
|
1,128
|
1953
|
Flanks the narrow gorge of Gaviota Creek, which funnels
Sundowner winds
onto the popular beach area.
[86]
|
George J. Hatfield State Recreation Area
|
State recreation area
|
Merced
|
46.5
|
18.8
|
1953
|
Adjoins the
Merced River
.
[87]
|
Governor's Mansion State Historic Park
|
State historic park
|
Sacramento
|
0.78
|
0.32
|
1903
|
Interprets the 1877 mansion that housed 13 of
California's governors
and their families from 1903 to 1967.
[88]
|
Gray Whale Cove State Beach
|
State beach
|
San Mateo
|
3.1
|
1.3
|
1966
|
Embraces a steep-walled cove, near the
Devil's Slide
, where
gray whales
are often seen close to shore.
[89]
|
Great Valley Grasslands State Park
|
State park
|
Merced
|
2,826
|
1,144
|
1982
|
Preserves a remnant of the native grasslands once extensive in the
Central Valley
.
[90]
|
Greenwood State Beach
|
State beach
|
Mendocino
|
47
|
19
|
1978
|
Features a picturesque beach in
Elk
and a visitor center interpreting the town's lumbering history.
[91]
|
Grizzly Creek Redwoods State Park
|
State park
|
Humboldt
|
430
|
170
|
1943
|
Harbors groves of
coast redwoods
in three separate units along the
Van Duzen River
.
[92]
|
Grover Hot Springs State Park
|
State park
|
Alpine
|
553
|
224
|
1959
|
Boasts
hot springs
that feed a swimming pool complex in an alpine meadow.
[93]
|
Half Moon Bay State Beach
|
State beach
|
San Mateo
|
181
|
73
|
1956
|
Encompasses four popular sandy beaches on
Half Moon Bay
.
[94]
|
Harmony Headlands State Park
|
State park
|
San Luis Obispo
|
748
|
303
|
2003
|
Preserves an undeveloped parcel of Pacific coast.
|
Harry A. Merlo State Recreation Area
|
State recreation area
|
Humboldt
|
955
|
386
|
1982
|
Offers fishing on
Big Lagoon
adjacent to
Humboldt Lagoons State Park
|
Hatton Canyon
|
Park property
|
Monterey
|
130
|
53
|
2002
|
Preserves a canyon in
Carmel
saved from a planned freeway route. In development, not open to public.
|
Hearst San Simeon State Historical Monument
|
State historical monument
|
San Luis Obispo
|
209
|
85
|
1958
|
Offers tours of newspaper magnate
William Randolph Hearst
's opulent 115-room "Hearst Castle," designed by architect
Julia Morgan
between 1919 and 1947.
[95]
|
Hearst San Simeon State Park
|
State park
|
San Luis Obispo
|
2,309
|
934
|
1932
|
Preserves rocky coast and rare habitats like
mima mounds
and
Monterey pine
forest, as well as a 5,850-year-old Native American archaeological site.
[96]
|
Heber Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area
|
State vehicular recreation area
|
Imperial
|
342
|
138
|
1998
|
Attracts
ATV
riders to sandy,
tamarisk
-dotted dunes along a former course of the
Alamo River
.
[97]
|
Hendy Woods State Park
|
State park
|
Mendocino
|
816
|
330
|
1958
|
Preserves two groves of old-growth
coast redwoods
in the
Anderson Valley
.
[98]
|
Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park
|
State park
|
Santa Cruz
|
4,623
|
1,871
|
1953
|
Boasts its
Redwood Grove
and other old-growth forest.
[99]
|
Henry W. Coe State Park
|
State park
|
Santa Clara
and
Stanislaus
|
89,164
|
36,083
|
1959
|
Encompasses a sprawling wilderness of ridges and steep canyons in the
Diablo Range
.
[100]
|
Hollister Hills State Vehicular Recreation Area
|
State vehicular recreation area
|
San Benito
|
6,624
|
2,681
|
1975
|
Offers a variety of
off-roading
tracks and events in the hills outside
Hollister
.
[101]
|
Humboldt Lagoons State Park
|
State park
|
Humboldt
|
2,256
|
913
|
1931
|
Protects part of the largest
lagoon
system in the United States, including
Big Lagoon
,
Stone Lagoon
, and
Freshwater Lagoon
.
[102]
|
Humboldt Redwoods State Park
|
State park
|
Humboldt
|
51,651
|
20,902
|
1921
|
Preserves the world's largest remaining old-growth
coast redwood
forest,
[103]
including
Stratosphere Giant
, the fourth-tallest known tree.
|
Hungry Valley State Vehicular Recreation Area
|
State vehicular recreation area
|
Los Angeles
and
Ventura
|
18,533
|
7,500
|
1978
|
Offers 130 miles (210 km) of off-highway tracks, connecting to more routes in
Los Padres National Forest
.
[104]
|
Huntington State Beach
|
State beach
|
Orange
|
121
|
49
|
1942
|
Contains 2 miles (3.2 km) of wide, flat beach in the city of
Huntington Beach
.
[105]
|
Indian Grinding Rock State Historic Park
|
State historic park
|
Amador
|
135
|
55
|
1962
|
Interprets an outcrop with 1,185
mortar
holes where Native Americans ground acorns into flour.
[106]
|
Indio Hills Palms
|
Park property
|
Riverside
|
5,630
|
2,280
|
1983
|
Harbors a profusion of
California fan palms
growing along the
San Andreas Fault
in the
Indio Hills
. Part of the multi-agency Coachella Valley Preserve.
[107]
|
Ishxenta State Park
|
Park property
|
Monterey
|
1,329
|
538
|
1998
|
Closed to the public except for tours on a limited basis
|
Jack London State Historic Park
|
State historic park
|
Sonoma
|
1,611
|
652
|
1959
|
Contains several structures from the ranch of author
Jack London
and his wife
Charmian London
, as well as their grave. The ranch is a
National Historic Landmark
.
[108]
Currently managed by the
Jack London Park Partners
, a non-profit that takes no state funding to maintain the park.
|
Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park
|
State park
|
Del Norte
|
10,430
|
4,220
|
1939
|
Honors explorer
Jedediah Smith
with a tract of
coast redwoods
along the
Smith River
. Part of
Redwood National and State Parks
.
[109]
|
John B. Dewitt Redwoods State Natural Reserve
|
State natural reserve
|
Humboldt
|
1,164
|
471
|
1929
|
Contains three undeveloped
coast redwood
groves split off from
Humboldt Redwoods State Park
in 2001.
[110]
In development, not open to the public.
|
John Little State Natural Reserve
|
State natural reserve
|
Monterey
|
21
|
8.5
|
1953
|
Protects rugged cliffs on the
Big Sur
coast flanking the mouth of a creek.
[111]
|
Jug Handle State Natural Reserve
|
State natural reserve
|
Mendocino
|
776
|
314
|
1976
|
Interprets a series of
marine terraces
each exhibiting a different stage of
ecological succession
.
[112]
|
Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park
|
State park
|
Monterey
|
3,762
|
1,522
|
1962
|
Stretches from the
Big Sur
coast up to 3,000-foot (910 m) ridges.
[113]
Includes the iconic seaside
McWay Falls
.
|
Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area
|
State recreation area
|
Los Angeles
|
401
|
162
|
1984
|
Offers urban open space in the
Baldwin Hills
of
Los Angeles
.
[114]
|
Kings Beach State Recreation Area
|
State recreation area
|
Placer
|
7.7
|
3.1
|
1974
|
Encompasses 700 feet (210 m) of lakefront on the north shore of
Lake Tahoe
.
[115]
|
Kruse Rhododendron State Natural Reserve
|
State natural reserve
|
Sonoma
|
317
|
128
|
1934
|
Harbors a secondary forest with spring-blooming
rhododendrons
adjacent to
Salt Point State Park
.
[116]
|
La Purisima Mission State Historic Park
|
State historic park
|
Santa Barbara
|
1,934
|
783
|
1935
|
Contains the 1813
La Purisima Mission
, the most completely restored
Spanish mission in California
.
[117]
|
Lake Del Valle State Recreation Area
|
State recreation area
|
Alameda
|
3,732
|
1,510
|
1967
|
Surrounds
Lake Del Valle
, a reservoir on the
Arroyo Valle
managed by the
East Bay Regional Park District
|
Lake Oroville State Recreation Area
|
State recreation area
|
Butte
|
29,447
|
11,917
|
1967
|
Surrounds
Lake Oroville
, a reservoir on the
Feather River
.
[118]
|
Lake Perris State Recreation Area
|
State recreation area
|
Riverside
|
6,675
|
2,701
|
1974
|
Contains the southernmost reservoir in the 701-mile (1,128 km)
California State Water Project
and the Ya'i Heki' Regional Indian Museum.
[119]
|
Lake Valley State Recreation Area
|
State recreation area
|
El Dorado
|
155
|
63
|
1985
|
Offers an 18-hole golf course in the
High Sierras
.
[120]
|
Leland Stanford Mansion State Historic Park
|
State historic park
|
Sacramento
|
0.88
|
0.36
|
1978
|
Offers tours of governor and tycoon
Leland Stanford
's restored 1856 mansion, now a
National Historic Landmark
.
[121]
|
Leo Carrillo State Park
|
State park
|
Los Angeles
and
Ventura
|
2,513
|
1,017
|
1953
|
Honors actor and conservationist
Leo Carrillo
with a 1.5-mile (2.4 km) beach. Part of
Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
.
[122]
|
Leucadia State Beach
|
State beach
|
San Diego
|
10.6
|
4.3
|
1949
|
Comprises a small, rocky beach in
Encinitas
.
[123]
|
Lighthouse Field State Beach
|
State beach
|
Santa Cruz
|
38
|
15
|
1978
|
Features the
Steamer Lane
surf break and a lighthouse containing the
Santa Cruz Surfing Museum
.
[124]
|
Limekiln State Park
|
State park
|
Monterey
|
711
|
288
|
1994
|
Contains four
lime kilns
from an 1887 lime-smelting operation on the
Big Sur
coast.
[125]
|
Little River State Beach
|
State beach
|
Humboldt
|
152
|
62
|
1931
|
Comprises a broad open beach with
dunes
.
[126]
|
Los Angeles State Historic Park
|
State historic park
|
Los Angeles
|
32
|
13
|
2001
|
Provides
urban open space
on the site of an 1875 train station where many travelers first arrived in Los Angeles.
[127]
|
Los Encinos State Historic Park
|
State historic park
|
Los Angeles
|
4.7
|
1.9
|
1949
|
|
Los Osos Oaks State Natural Reserve
|
State natural reserve
|
San Luis Obispo
|
85
|
34
|
1972
|
|
MacKerricher State Park
|
State park
|
Mendocino
|
2,519
|
1,019
|
1949
|
|
Mailliard Redwoods State Natural Reserve
|
State natural reserve
|
Mendocino
|
242
|
98
|
1945
|
|
Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park
|
State historic park
|
Nevada
|
3,143
|
1,272
|
1965
|
Preserves the largest
hydraulic mining
site in
California
.
|
Malibu Creek State Park
|
State park
|
Los Angeles
|
8,215
|
3,324
|
1974
|
|
Malibu Lagoon State Beach
|
State beach
|
Los Angeles
|
110
|
45
|
1951
|
|
Manchester State Park
|
State park
|
Mendocino
|
5,272
|
2,134
|
1955
|
|
Mandalay State Beach
|
State beach
|
Ventura
|
92
|
37
|
1985
|
|
Manresa State Beach
|
State beach
|
Santa Cruz
|
138
|
56
|
1948
|
|
Marconi Conference Center State Historic Park
|
State historic park
|
Marin
|
62
|
25
|
1976
|
|
Marina State Beach
|
State Beach
|
Monterey
|
171
|
69
|
1977
|
|
Marsh Creek State Historic Park
|
State historic park
|
Contra Costa County
|
3,659
|
1,481
|
2012
|
Features
Stone House of John Marsh
;Park is under construction and closed to public as of 2023.
|
Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park
|
State historic park
|
El Dorado
|
575
|
233
|
1942
[128]
|
Marks the discovery of
gold
by
James W. Marshall
at
Sutter's Mill
in 1848, sparking the
California Gold Rush
.
|
Martial Cottle Park State Recreation Area
|
State recreation area
|
Santa Clara
|
137
|
55
|
2003
|
|
McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park
|
State park
|
Shasta
|
910
|
370
|
1920
|
|
McConnell State Recreation Area
|
State recreation area
|
Merced
|
74
|
30
|
1949
|
|
McGrath State Beach
|
State beach
|
Ventura
|
314
|
127
|
1948
|
|
McLaughlin Eastshore State Park State Seashore
|
State seashore
|
Alameda
and
Contra Costa
|
442
|
179
|
1985
|
Encompasses several remnant and restored parcels along the
East Bay
waterfront.
|
Mendocino Headlands State Park
|
State park
|
Mendocino
|
7,709
|
3,120
|
1972
|
|
Mendocino Woodlands State Park
|
State park
|
Mendocino
|
720
|
290
|
1977
|
|
Millerton Lake State Recreation Area
|
State recreation area
|
Fresno
and
Madera
|
6,857
|
2,775
|
1957
|
Includes 40 miles (64 km) of shoreline on
Millerton Lake
and the 1867 Millerton County Courthouse.
[129]
|
Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve
|
State natural reserve
|
Mono
|
55,300
|
22,400
|
1982
|
|
Montana de Oro State Park
|
State park
|
San Luis Obispo
|
10,366
|
4,195
|
1934
|
|
Montara State Beach
|
State beach
|
San Mateo
|
780
|
320
|
1959
|
|
Monterey State Historic Park
|
State historic park
|
Monterey
|
9.6
|
3.9
|
1916
|
|
Monterey State Beach
|
State beach
|
Monterey
|
114
|
46
|
1960
|
|
Montgomery Woods State Natural Reserve
|
State natural reserve
|
Mendocino
|
2,743
|
1,110
|
1947
|
|
Moonlight State Beach
|
State beach
|
San Diego
|
15
|
6.1
|
1949
|
|
Morro Bay State Park
|
State park
|
San Luis Obispo
|
2,783
|
1,126
|
1934
|
|
Morro Strand State Beach
|
State beach
|
San Luis Obispo
|
183
|
74
|
1932
|
|
Moss Landing State Beach
|
State beach
|
Monterey
|
60
|
24
|
1972
|
|
Mount Diablo State Park
|
State park
|
Contra Costa
|
20,124
|
8,144
|
1931
|
|
Mount San Jacinto State Park
|
State park
|
Riverside
|
13,718
|
5,551
|
1933
|
|
Mount Tamalpais State Park
|
State park
|
Marin
|
6,243
|
2,526
|
1928
|
|
Natural Bridges State Beach
|
State beach
|
Santa Cruz
|
62
|
25
|
1933
|
|
Navarro River Redwoods State Park
|
State park
|
Mendocino
|
727
|
294
|
1928
|
|
New Brighton State Beach
|
State beach
|
Santa Cruz
|
157
|
64
|
1933
|
|
Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area
|
State vehicular recreation area
|
San Luis Obispo
|
2,675
|
1,083
|
1974
|
|
Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation Area
|
State vehicular recreation area
|
Imperial
and
San Diego
|
50,553
|
20,458
|
1976
|
Offers
off-roading
opportunities adjacent to
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
.
[130]
|
Old Sacramento State Historic Park
|
State historic park
|
Sacramento
|
293
|
119
|
1967
|
Includes the
California State Railroad Museum
which celebrates the
history of rail transportation in California
with museum displays, 21 restored
locomotives
, and a
heritage railway
along the
Sacramento River
.
[131]
|
Old Town San Diego State Historic Park
|
State historic park
|
San Diego
|
29
|
12
|
1967
|
|
Olompali State Historic Park
|
State historic park
|
Marin
|
700
|
280
|
1977
|
|
Pacheco State Park
|
State park
|
Merced
and
Santa Clara
|
6,894
|
2,790
|
1995
|
|
Pacifica State Beach
|
State beach
|
San Mateo
|
21
|
8.5
|
1979
|
|
Palomar Mountain State Park
|
State park
|
San Diego
|
1,909
|
773
|
1932
|
|
Pelican State Beach
|
State beach
|
Del Norte
|
5.2
|
2.1
|
1947
|
|
Pescadero State Beach
|
State beach
|
San Mateo
|
700
|
280
|
1958
|
|
Petaluma Adobe State Historic Park
|
State historic park
|
Sonoma
|
41
|
17
|
1951
|
|
Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park
|
State park
|
Monterey
|
1,391
|
563
|
1933
|
|
Picacho State Recreation Area
|
State recreation area
|
Imperial
|
6,759
|
2,735
|
1960
|
|
Pigeon Point Light Station State Historic Park
|
State historic park
|
San Mateo
|
76
|
31
|
1981
|
|
Pio Pico State Historic Park
|
State historic park
|
Los Angeles
|
5.5
|
2.2
|
1917
|
|
Pismo State Beach
|
State beach
|
San Luis Obispo
|
1,412
|
571
|
1935
|
|
Placerita Canyon State Park
|
State park
|
Los Angeles
|
342
|
138
|
1949
|
|
Plumas-Eureka State Park
|
State park
|
Plumas
|
4,424
|
1,790
|
1959
|
|
Point Cabrillo Light Station State Historic Park
|
State historic park
|
Mendocino
|
383
|
155
|
2002
|
|
Point Dume State Beach
|
State beach
|
Los Angeles
|
37
|
15
|
1958
|
|
Point Lobos State Natural Reserve
|
State natural reserve
|
Monterey
|
1,325
|
536
|
1933
|
|
Point Mugu State Park
|
State park
|
Ventura
|
13,947
|
5,644
|
1966
|
|
Point Sal State Beach
|
State beach
|
Santa Barbara
|
84
|
34
|
1948
|
|
Point Sur State Historic Park
|
State historic park
|
Monterey
|
92
|
37
|
1986
|
Contains the still-operational 1889
Point Sur Lighthouse
and a former U.S. Navy
SOSUS
base. The lighthouse is on the
NRHP
.
[132]
|
Pomponio State Beach
|
State beach
|
San Mateo
|
421
|
170
|
1960
|
|
Portola Redwoods State Park
|
State park
|
San Mateo
|
2,608
|
1,055
|
1945
|
|
Prairie City State Vehicular Recreation Area
|
State vehicular recreation area
|
Sacramento
|
2,786
|
1,127
|
1990
|
Offers open
off-roading
at the foot of the
Sierra Nevada
as well as a
go-kart
track and 4WD obstacle course. This unit has never been officially named and 'Prairie City' is used until official action.
[133]
|
Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park
|
State park
|
Humboldt
|
14,187
|
5,741
|
1923
|
|
Providence Mountains State Recreation Area
|
State recreation area
|
San Bernardino
|
5,890
|
2,380
|
1956
|
Closed to the public
|
Railtown 1897 State Historic Park
|
State historic park
|
Tuolumne
|
24
|
9.7
|
1982
|
|
Rancho San Andres Castro Adobe
|
Park property
|
Santa Cruz
|
1
|
0.40
|
2002
|
Comprises the grand 1849 hacienda of the prominent Castro family on their
Rancho San Andres
.
[134]
In development, not open to public. The hacienda is on the
NRHP
.
|
Red Rock Canyon State Park
|
State park
|
Kern
|
25,325
|
10,249
|
1970
|
|
Refugio State Beach
|
State beach
|
Santa Barbara
|
905
|
366
|
1950
|
|
Reynolds Wayside Campground
|
Wayside campground
|
Mendocino
|
66
|
27
|
1966
|
Preserves a parcel of old-growth
redwoods
and
Douglas fir
beside
U.S. Route 101
. The campground was removed in 1976.
[135]
|
Richardson Grove State Park
|
State park
|
Humboldt
|
1,772
|
717
|
1922
|
|
Rio de Los Angeles State Park State Recreation Area
|
State recreation area
|
Los Angeles
|
58
|
23
|
2001
|
|
Robert H. Meyer Memorial State Beach
|
State beach
|
Los Angeles
|
37
|
15
|
1978
|
|
Robert Louis Stevenson State Park
|
State park
|
Napa
,
Sonoma
, and
Lake
|
5,990
|
2,420
|
1949
|
|
Robert W. Crown Memorial State Beach
|
State beach
|
Alameda
|
132
|
53
|
1961
|
|
Russian Gulch State Park
|
State park
|
Mendocino
|
1,305
|
528
|
1933
|
|
Saddleback Butte State Park
|
State park
|
Los Angeles
|
2,954
|
1,195
|
1957
|
|
Salinas River State Beach
|
State beach
|
Monterey
and
Santa Cruz
|
281.84
|
114.06
|
1960
|
|
Salt Point State Park
|
State park
|
Sonoma
|
5,684
|
2,300
|
1968
|
|
Salton Sea State Recreation Area
|
State recreation area
|
Imperial
and
Riverside
|
16,901
|
6,840
|
1951
|
|
Samuel P. Taylor State Park
|
State park
|
Marin
|
2,707
|
1,095
|
1946
|
|
San Bruno Mountain State Park
|
State park
|
San Mateo
|
298
|
121
|
1980
|
|
San Buenaventura State Beach
|
State beach
|
Ventura
|
110
|
45
|
1961
|
|
San Clemente State Beach
|
State beach
|
Orange
|
117
|
47
|
1931
|
|
San Elijo State Beach
|
State beach
|
San Diego
|
588
|
238
|
1952
|
|
San Gregorio State Beach
|
State beach
|
San Mateo
|
414
|
168
|
1958
|
|
San Juan Bautista State Historic Park
|
State historic park
|
San Benito
|
6.1
|
2.5
|
1933
|
|
San Luis Reservoir State Recreation Area
|
State recreation area
|
Merced
|
26,036
|
10,536
|
1969
|
|
San Onofre State Beach
|
State beach
|
San Diego
|
2,107
|
853
|
1971
|
|
San Pasqual Battlefield State Historic Park
|
State historic park
|
San Diego
|
69
|
28
|
1918
|
|
San Timoteo Canyon
|
Park property
|
Riverside
|
1,148
|
465
|
2002
|
|
Santa Cruz Mission State Historic Park
|
State historic park
|
Santa Cruz
|
1.9
|
0.77
|
1959
|
|
Santa Monica State Beach
|
State beach
|
Los Angeles
|
48
|
19
|
1948
|
|
Santa Susana Pass State Historic Park
|
State historic park
|
Los Angeles
|
671
|
272
|
1979
|
|
Schooner Gulch State Beach
|
State beach
|
Mendocino
|
54
|
22
|
1983
|
|
Seacliff State Beach
|
State beach
|
Santa Cruz
|
89
|
36
|
1931
|
|
Shasta State Historic Park
|
State historic park
|
Shasta
|
25
|
10
|
1937
|
|
Silver Strand State Beach
|
State beach
|
San Diego
|
3,749
|
1,517
|
1932
|
|
Silverwood Lake State Recreation Area
|
State recreation area
|
San Bernardino
|
2,201
|
891
|
1978
|
|
Sinkyone Wilderness State Park
|
State park
|
Mendocino
and
Humboldt
|
7,937
|
3,212
|
1975
|
|
Smithe Redwoods State Natural Reserve
|
State natural reserve
|
Mendocino
|
689
|
279
|
1963
|
|
Sonoma State Historic Park
|
State historic park
|
Sonoma
|
64
|
26
|
1909
|
|
Sonoma Coast State Park
|
State park
|
Sonoma
|
10,018
|
4,054
|
1934
|
|
South Carlsbad State Beach
|
State beach
|
San Diego
|
118
|
48
|
1949
|
|
South Yuba River State Park
|
State park
|
Nevada
|
8,720
|
3,530
|
1979
|
|
Standish-Hickey State Recreation Area
|
State recreation area
|
Mendocino
|
1,021
|
413
|
1921
|
|
State Indian Museum
|
State historic park
|
Sacramento
|
|
|
1914
|
Interprets the diverse cultures of the
indigenous peoples of California
.
[136]
|
Stone Lake
|
Park property
|
Sacramento
|
1,090
|
440
|
1978
|
|
Sue-meg State Park
|
State park
|
Humboldt
|
652
|
264
|
1930
|
Formerly Patrick's Point State Park
|
Sugarloaf Ridge State Park
|
State park
|
Sonoma
and
Napa
|
4,416
|
1,787
|
1920
|
Managed by a group of Sonoma County non-profits as
Team Sugarloaf
with no state funding.
|
Sunset State Beach
|
State beach
|
Santa Cruz
|
302
|
122
|
1931
|
|
Sutter Buttes State Park
|
State park
|
Sutter
|
1,785
|
722
|
2003
|
In development on the north side of the
Sutter Buttes
. This park has not officially been named but has been classified as a state park. The use of Sutter Buttes in the name was allowed temporarily by the California State Parks Commission in 2004. Currently no public access.
[137]
|
Sutter's Fort State Historic Park
|
State historic park
|
Sacramento
|
5.8
|
2.3
|
1914
|
|
Tahoe State Recreation Area
|
State Recreation Area
|
Placer
|
62
|
25
|
|
Campground on
Lake Tahoe
[138]
|
Thornton State Beach
|
State beach
|
San Mateo
|
58
|
23
|
1955
|
|
Tolowa Dunes State Park
|
State park
|
Del Norte
|
4,399
|
1,780
|
1983
|
|
Tomales Bay State Park
|
State park
|
Marin
|
2,443
|
989
|
1952
|
Open under
National Park Service
management
|
Tomo-Kahni State Historic Park
|
State historic park
|
Kern
|
560
|
230
|
1993
|
|
Topanga State Park
|
State park
|
Los Angeles
|
12,666
|
5,126
|
1967
|
|
Torrey Pines State Beach
|
State beach
|
San Diego
|
61
|
25
|
1952
|
|
Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve
|
State natural reserve
|
San Diego
|
1,461
|
591
|
1952
|
|
Trinidad State Beach
|
State beach
|
Humboldt
|
159
|
64
|
1937
|
|
Trione-Annadel State Park
|
State park
|
Sonoma
|
5,092
|
2,061
|
1971
|
Supports a variety of day-use activities at the northern end of
Sonoma Valley
.
[139]
|
Tule Elk State Natural Reserve
|
State natural reserve
|
Kern
|
984
|
398
|
1932
|
|
Turlock Lake State Recreation Area
|
State recreation area
|
Stanislaus
|
3,559
|
1,440
|
1950
|
|
Twin Lakes State Beach
|
State beach
|
Santa Cruz
|
95
|
38
|
1955
|
|
Van Damme State Park
|
State park
|
Mendocino
|
2,336
|
945
|
1932
|
Preserves beach, bog, and a
pygmy forest
on the site of a former redwood lumbering settlement.
[140]
The pygmy forest is a
National Natural Landmark
.
[141]
|
Verdugo Mountains
|
Park property
|
Los Angeles
|
251
|
102
|
1984
|
|
Ward Creek Project
|
Park property
|
Placer
|
173
|
70
|
1978
|
|
Washoe Meadows State Park
|
State park
|
El Dorado
|
628
|
254
|
1985
|
|
Wassama Round House State Historic Park
|
State historic park
|
Madera
|
27
|
11
|
1978
|
|
Watts Towers of Simon Rodia State Historic Park
|
State historic park
|
Los Angeles
|
0.11
|
0.045
|
1978
|
|
Weaverville Joss House State Historic Park
|
State historic park
|
Trinity
|
2.8
|
1.1
|
1956
|
|
Westport-Union Landing State Beach
|
State beach
|
Mendocino
|
58
|
23
|
1952
|
|
Wilder Ranch State Park
|
State park
|
Santa Cruz
|
8,342
|
3,376
|
1974
|
|
Wildwood Canyon
|
Park property
|
San Bernardino
|
856
|
346
|
2002
|
In development
|
Will Rogers State Beach
|
State beach
|
Los Angeles
|
82
|
33
|
1931
|
|
Will Rogers State Historic Park
|
State historic park
|
Los Angeles
|
189
|
76
|
1944
|
|
William B. Ide Adobe State Historic Park
|
State historic park
|
Tehama
|
3.9
|
1.6
|
1951
|
|
Woodland Opera House State Historic Park
|
State historic park
|
Yolo
|
0.26
|
0.11
|
1980
|
|
Woodson Bridge State Recreation Area
|
State recreation area
|
Tehama
|
323
|
131
|
1959
|
|
Zmudowski State Beach
|
State beach
|
Monterey
and
Santa Cruz
|
194
|
79
|
1950
|
|