Funding Sought For CA State Parks Library Pass Program To Keep Parks Accessible To All

California State Parks Foundation recently supported the introduction of new legislation aimed at securing the future of the California State Library Parks Pass program. The program for residents to "check out" free day-use vehicle entry at over 200 participating California state parks is currently funded through the end of 2026.

AB 1804 addresses the historical uncertainty of annual budget appropriations by providing explicit authorization for the program.

This program allows library cardholders to receive free day-use vehicle entry at more than 200 participating state parks. Since its inception, thousands of passes have been distributed to more than 1,100 public libraries across the state. Many libraries, such as the Temecula Public Library in Riverside County, also offers pre-filled hiking backpack kits to go along with the pass.

Each checked out pass allows entry for one passenger vehicle with nine people or fewer, or one highway licensed motorcycle, at participating state park units.

The pass does not, however, cover camping fees, and it is not valid for per-person entry or tour fees, at museums, boat use, group use or sites, or special events. (See the full list of participating CA State Parks, by county, below.

California State Assemblymember Gregg Hart (D-Santa Barbara) introduced AB 1804, a bill that would authorize the California Department of Parks and Recreation to collaborate with the California State Library and individual library systems to provide these park passes. The legislation aims to establish a permanent framework for the park pass program within the state’s Public Resources Code, which could lead to more consistent funding.

Rachel Norton, Executive Director of California State Parks Foundation, shared her thoughts on the program that helps more Californians access nature.

"Thanks to this initiative, we’re breaking down barriers to visiting state parks and opening up opportunities for Californians to enjoy the physical and mental benefits of spending time outdoors," Norton said. "AB 1804 is an important step forward for the program and will help ensure its future."

In 2021, the California State Library Parks Pass program began offering a mere 5,000 passes. In 2022, it expanded to offer 33,000 passes due to its popularity.

Libraries report these passes are among their most checked-out items.

"The State Library Parks Pass program is a true California gem," Hart, Santa Barbara's State Assemblymember, said of the legislation to codify the program. "By working together, State Parks and the State Library can ensure continued access to natural treasures for more Californians," he said.

Survey data from 2023 highlighted the program's impact: 63 percent cited cost as a barrier to visiting the park. Over 90 percent of users said they plan to visit parks more often.

California National Parks Participating in the Library Pass Program include:

ALAMEDA

• Albany SMR (also in Contra Costa)
• Bethany Reservoir SRA
• Emeryville Crescent SMR (also in Contra Costa)
• McLaughlin Eastshore SP SS (also in Contra Costa)
• ALPINE
• Grover Hot Springs SP

AMADOR

• Indian Grinding Rock SHP

BUTTE

• Bidwell Mansion SHP
• Bidwell-Sacramento River SP (also in Glenn)
• Lake Oroville SRA

CALAVERAS

• Calaveras Big Trees SP (also in Tuolumne)

COLUSA

• Colusa-Sacramento River SRA

CONTRA COSTA

• Albany SMR (also in Alameda)
• Emeryville Crescent SMR (also in Alameda)
• Franks Tract SRA
• McLaughlin Eastshore SP SS (also in Alameda)
• Mount Diablo SP

DEL NORTE

• Del Norte Coast Redwoods SP
• Jedediah Smith Redwoods SP
• Pelican SB
• Prairie Creek Redwoods SP (also in Humboldt)
• Tolowa Dunes SP

EL DORADO

• Auburn SRA (also in Placer)
• D.L. Bliss SP
• Ed Z’berg Sugar Pine Point SP
• Emerald Bay SP
• Folsom Lake SRA (also in Placer & Sacramento)
• Marshall Gold Discovery SHP
• Washoe Meadows SP

FRESNO

• Millerton Lake SRA (also in Madera)

GLENN

• Bidwell-Sacramento River SP (also in Butte)

HUMBOLDT

• Azalea SNR
• Benbow Lake SRA
• Fort Humboldt SHP
• Grizzly Creek Redwoods SP
• Harry A. Merlo SRA
• Humboldt Lagoon SP
• Humboldt Redwoods SP
• John B. Dewitt Redwoods SNR
• Little River SB
• Prairie Creek Redwoods SP (also in Del Norte)
• Richardson Grove SP
• Sinkyone Wilderness SP (also in Mendocino)
• Sue-meg SP
• Trinidad SB

IMPERIAL

• Picacho SRA
• Salton Sea SRA (also in Riverside)
• Anza-Borrego Desert SP (also in Riverside & San Diego)

KERN

• Red Rock Canyon SP
• Tule Elk SNR

LAKE

• Anderson Marsh SHP
• Clear Lake SP
• Robert Louis Stevenson SP (also in Napa & Sonoma)

LOS ANGELES

• Antelope Valley CA Poppy Reserve SNR
• Kenneth Hahn SRA (Baldwin Hills Overlook Only)
• Leo Carrillo SP (also in Ventura)
• Los Angeles SHP
• Malibu Creek SP
• Malibu Lagoon SB
• Rio de LA State Park SRA
• Robert H. Meyer Memorial SB
• Saddleback Butte SP
• Topanga SP
• Verdugo Mountains Park Property
• Will Rogers SHP

MADERA

• Millerton Lake SRA (also in Fresno)

MARIN

• China Camp SP
• Mount Tamalpais SP
• Olompali SHP
• Samuel P. Taylor SP
• Tomales Bay SP

MENDOCINO

• Admiral William Standley SRA
• Caspar Headlands SB
• Caspar Headlands SNR
• Greenwood SB
• Hendy Woods SP
• Jug Handle SNR
• MacKerricher SP
• Mailliard Redwoods SNR
• Manchester SP
• Mendocino Headlands SP
• Mendocino Woodlands SP
• Montgomery Woods SNR
• Navarro River Redwoods SP
• Reynolds WC
• Russian Gulch SP
• Schooner Gulch SB
• Sinkyone Wilderness SP (also in Humboldt)
• Smithe Redwoods SNR
• Standish-Hickey SRA
• Van Damme SP
• Westport Union Landing SB

MERCED

• George J. Hatfield SRA
• Great Valley Grasslands SP
• McConnell SRA
• Pacheco SP (also in Santa Clara)
• San Luis Reservoir SRA

MONO

• Mono Lake Tufa SNR

MONTEREY

• Andrew Molera SP
• Asilomar SB
• Carmel River SB
• Fort Ord Dunes SP
• Fremont Peak SP (also in San Benito)
• Garrapata SP
• Hatton Canyon Park Property
• John Little SNR
• Julia Pfeiffer Burns SP
• Marina SB
• Monterey SB
• Moss Landing SB
• Pfeiffer Big Sur SP
• Point Lobos SNR
• Salinas River SB (also in Santa Cruz)
• Zmudowski SB (also in Santa Cruz)

NAPA

• Bale Grist Mill SHP
• Robert Louis Stevenson SP (also in Lake & Sonoma)
• Sugarloaf Ridge SP (also in Sonoma)
• Bothe-Napa Valley SP (also in Sonoma)

NEVADA

• Donner Memorial SP (also in Placer)
• Malakoff Diggins SHP
• South Yuba River SP

ORANGE

• Bolsa Chica SB
• Chino Hills SP (also in Riverside & San Bernardino)
• Crystal Cove SP
• Doheny SB
• Huntington SB
• San Clemente SB
• San Onofre SB (also in San Diego)

PLACER

• Auburn SRA (also in El Dorado)
• Burton Creek SP
• Donner Memorial SP (also in Nevada)
• Folsom Lake SRA (also in El Dorado & Sacramento)
• Kings Beach SRA
• Tahoe SRA
• Ward Creek Park Property
• Burton Creek SP
• Donner Memorial SP (also in Nevada)
• Folsom Lake SRA (also in El Dorado & Sacramento)
• Kings Beach SRA
• Tahoe SRA
• Ward Creek Park Property

PLUMAS

• Plumas-Eureka SP

RIVERSIDE

• Anza-Borrego Desert SP (also in Imperial & San Diego)
• California Citrus SHP
• Chino Hills SP (also in Orange & San Bernardino)
• Indio Hills Palms Park Property
• Lake Perris SRA
• Mount San Jacinto SP
• Salton Sea SRA (also in Imperial)
• San Timoteo Canyon Park Property
• Wildwood Canyon Park Property

SACRAMENTO

• Brannan Island SRA
• Delta Meadows Park Property
• Folsom Lake SRA (also in El Dorado & Placer)
• Folsom Powerhouse SHP
• Locke Boarding House Museum POI
• Stone Lake Park Property

SAN BENITO

• Fremont Peak SP (also in Monterey)
• San Juan Bautista SHP

SAN BERNARDINO

• Chino Hills SP (also in Orange & Riverside)
• Providence Mountains SRA
• Silverwood Lake SRA

SAN DIEGO

• Anza-Borrego Desert SP (also in Riverside & Imperial)
• Border Field SP
• Cardiff SB
• Carlsbad SB
• Cuyamaca Rancho SP
• Palomar Mountain SP
• San Elijo SB
• San Onofre SB (also in Orange)
• San Pasqual Battlefield SHP
• Silver Strand SB
• South Carlsbad SB
• Tijuana Estuary NP POI
• Torrey Pines SB
• Torrey Pines SNR

SAN FRANCISCO

• Candlestick Point SRA

SAN JOAQUIN

• Caswell Memorial SP

SAN LUIS OBISPO

• Estero Bluffs SP
• Harmony Headlands SP
• Hearst San Simeon SP
• Los Osos Oaks SNR
• Montaña de Oro SP
• Morro Bay SP
• Morro Strand SB
• Pismo SB

SAN MATEO

• Año Nuevo SP
• Bean Hollow SB
• Big Basin Redwoods SP (also in Santa Cruz)
• Burleigh H. Murray Ranch Park Property
• Butano SP
• Gray Whale Cove SB
• Half Moon Bay SB
• Montara SB
• Pescadero SB
• Pigeon Point Light Station SHP
• Pomponio SB
• Portola Redwoods SP
• San Gregorio SB
• Thornton SB
• Castle Rock SP (also in Santa Cruz & Santa Clara)

SANTA BARBARA

• Chumash Painted Cave SHP
• El Capitán SB
• Gaviota SP
• La Purísima Mission SHP
• Point Sal SB
• Refugio SB
• Carpinteria SB (also in Ventura)

SANTA CLARA

• Henry W. Coe SP (also in Stanislau)
• Pacheco SP (also in Merced County)
• Castle Rock SP (also in Santa Cruz & San Mateo)

SANTA CRUZ

• Big Basin Redwoods SP (also in San Mateo)
• Henry Cowell Redwoods SP
• Lighthouse Field SB
• Manresa SB
• Natural Bridges SB
• New Brighton SB
• Salinas River SB (also in Monterey)
• Santa Cruz Mission SHP
• Seacliff SB
• Sunset SB
• The Forest of Nisene Marks SP
• Wilder Ranch SP
• Zmudowski SB (also in Monterey)
• Castle Rock SP (also in San Mateo & Santa Clara)

SHASTA

• Ahjumawi Lava Springs SP
• Castle Crags SP
• McArthur Burney Falls SP

SOLANO

• Benicia SRA
• Benicia Capitol SHP

SONOMA

• Armstrong Redwoods SNR
• Austin Creek SRA
• Fort Ross SHP
• Jack London SHP
• Kruse Rhododendron SNR
• Robert Louis Stevenson SP (also in Lake & Napa)
• Salt Point SP
• Sonoma Coast SP
• Sugarloaf Ridge SP (also in Napa)
• Trione-Annadel SP
• Bothe-Napa Valley SP (also in Napa)

STANISLAUS

• Henry W. Coe SP (also in Santa Clara)
• Turlock Lake SRA

TEHAMA

• William B. Ide Adobe SHP
• Woodson Bridge SRA

TULARE

• Colonel Allensworth SHP

TUOLUMNE

• Columbia SHP
• Calaveras Big Trees SP (also in Calaveras)

VENTURA

• Carpinteria SB (also in Santa Barbara)
• Emma Wood SB
• Leo Carrillo SP (also in Los Angeles)
• Mandalay SB
• McGrath SB
• Point Mugu SP
• San Buenaventura SB