California State Parks is honoring the service of veterans, as well as active and reserve personnel, by offering free admission to 144 state parks on Veterans Day, Monday, November 11.
“We invite our veterans and active/reserve military personnel to wear their uniforms with pride while visiting one of our beautiful parks,” said California State Parks Director Lisa Mangat. “We thank them for their service and sacrifices to our country. This is a small gesture of our gratitude and appreciation.”
A valid military ID must be presented to park staff in order to receive free admission to the California State Railroad Museum (Sacramento), Railtown 1897 State Historic Park (Jamestown), eight state vehicular recreation areas and 134 state parks accessible with the “California Explorer” Annual Pass. A list of participating park units is available at www.parks.ca.gov/VeteransDay2019.
Participating parks include sites that honor historic military sites or veterans from the Mexican American War to the Cold War, such as:
AB 150 (Olsen), signed by Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr. in 2013, authorized California State Parks to offer veterans, active duty, and reserve military personnel from the United States Armed Forces and the National Guard of any state a reduced or free-day use at participating state parks.
California’s 280 state parks and the recreational programs supported by the department are a gateway to the well-being of environments, economies and all people. They offer the opportunity for families, friends and communities to connect through various recreational opportunities such as off-highway motor vehicle recreation, boating activities, horseback riding, on and off-road cycling, hiking, camping, rock climbing, tours, school group enrichment and special events.
Before leaving for a park, find out if any roads, trails and/or campgrounds are closed by visiting the park’s web page or the park’s social media accounts. Check your destination’s and route’s weather conditions and prepare accordingly. And remember, safely share the road. Be prepared for equestrians, pedestrians, joggers, wildlife, rocks, tree limbs, etc., in the roadway.
