Natural-Bridges State Beach, near Santa Cruz (credit: Ca. Dept. of Parks and Recreation)
“These state parks are our cathedrals. This is what defines us as Californians to the rest of the world. But they are not cheap to run. And so I think Californians need to decide whether it’s worth it to them to save these parks … I think it begs a much deeper question of what we value as Californians.”
- Ruth Coleman, California state parks director
sustainability
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A (mini) Guide to California’s Parks
INCLUDES: INTERACTIVE MAPS AND KQED MULTIMEDIA LINKS
Click on the photo to explore KQED's radio and interactive series on California's parks.
California has a lot of state parks. 278 to be exact – more than any other state in the U.S. Some are tiny specks on the map – mini historic sites that you may have driven by without even noticing. Others are vast swaths of land – thousands of preserved acres of old growth forest, sweeping vistas, pristine beaches. Size and stature aside, each has it’s own significance, and the majority were spearheaded as a result of citizen-led campaigns to make the land public and accessible to anyone who wanted to visit. Continue reading