November 6, 2021 - SACRAMENTO, Calif.— California State Parks is honoring the service of U.S. veterans, as well as active and reserve personnel, by offering free admission to 133 state parks on Veterans Day, Thursday, Nov. 11, 2021.
“State Parks thanks all military veterans of all branches – past and present – for their sacrifices, courage and service. We invite them and their families to visit their state parks for free as we celebrate and recognize their bravery, hard work and dedication to this country,” said California State Parks Director Armando Quintero.
Assembly Bill 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 Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and the National Guard of any state a reduced fee or free day use at participating state parks.
Participating parks include the California State Railroad Museum and Railtown 1897 State Historic Park along with state vehicular recreation areas such as Carnegie, Eastern Kern County Onyx Ranch, and Hungry Valley. The park units that honor historic military sites or veterans from the Mexican-American War to the Cold War include:
- Angel Island State Park
- Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park
- Fort Ross State Historic Park
- Fort Tejon State Historic Park
- Mount Diablo State Park
A full list of the participating park units can be found online at parks.ca.gov/VeteransDay2021. In order to enter the park units for free, a valid military ID or a California driver’s license identifying the individual as a veteran must be shown to park staff.
Visitors are advised to recreate responsibly, plan ahead and visit the webpage or social media account of their outdoor destination to find out what is open and what visitor guidelines are in effect. And remember to safely share the road. Be prepared for equestrians, pedestrians, joggers, wildlife, etc. on the roadways. For safety tips, please visit parks.ca.gov/SafetyTips.
Source: CA. State Parks
