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2h ago

California Waives MLK Day Entry Fees at 200+ State Parks

The privately funded move answers recent National Park Service changes that dropped civil-rights holidays from fee-free days.

A waterfall in the heart of California’s Big Basin Redwoods State Park.
Waterfalls along the Falls Trail Loop in Mount Diablo State Park in Clayton, Calif., on Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021. (Ray Saint Germain/Bay City News)
TOPANGA, CA – FEBRUARY 17: Hikers take in a view from Eagle Rock along the Backbone Trail in Topanga State Park on Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021 in Topanga, CA. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
A family makes sandcastles at China Camp Beach in China Camp State Park in San Rafael in 2021. Over 200 California state parks, including China Camp, will be free on Martin Luther King Day this year.

Overview

  • Free vehicle day-use entry applies Monday, Jan. 19, for one passenger vehicle with up to nine people or one highway-licensed motorcycle at more than 200 participating sites.
  • Off-highway vehicle areas, parks with per-person or tour fees such as Hearst Castle, and partner-operated locations will still charge their usual rates.
  • The California State Parks Foundation is covering the cost, with state officials emphasizing that no taxpayer dollars are being used.
  • Gov. Gavin Newsom framed the decision as a rebuttal to federal policy under President Donald Trump, which removed MLK Day and Juneteenth from national park fee-free days and added Flag Day.
  • National parks in California will charge standard entrance fees on Monday, and visitors can find park lists and details on the California State Parks website along with ongoing access programs like the Library Parks Pass.