California offers a number of different annual state park passes depending on how you plan to use the California State Park system: Annual Day Use Pass, Golden Poppy Annual Day Use Pass, Annual Boat Use Pass, Off Highway Vehicle Day Use Pass, Sno-Park Season Pass, Disabled Discount Pass, Distinguished Veteran Pass, Golden Bear Pass and Limited Use Golden Bear Pass:
Annual Day Use California State Park Pass: $125
The California Annual Day Use State Parks Pass allows for vehicle parking at 125 California State Parks that charge a day use parking fee. The California Annual Day Use State Parks Pass is good for one year after the month of purchase. This pass is not honored at all California State Parks. You can download a list of the California State Parks that accept the California Annual Day Use State Parks Pass here (PDF)
Golden Poppy Annual Day Use California State Park Pass: $90
Golden Poppy Annual Day Use California State Park Pass allows for vehicle parking at 97 selected inland, northern and reservoir California State Parks that charge a day use parking fee. The Golden Poppy Annual Day Use California State Park Pass is good for one year after the month of purchase. This pass is not honored at all California State Parks. You can download a list of the California State Parks that accept the Golden Poppy Annual Day Use California State Park Pass here (PDF) This pass can be ordered online or purchased at the ranger station at most California State Parks.
Annual Boat Use California State Park Pass: $75
Annual Boat Use California State Park Pass is a small sticker that is placed on the Annual Day Use California State Park Pass hang tag or the Golden Poppy Annual Day Use California State Park Pass hang tag. It can also be placed on a separate card for those who already have their California State Park passes and for Golden Bear Pass users. The Annual Boat Use California State Park Pass is good for one year after the month of purchase. The Annual Boat Use California State Park Pass waives boat launching fees for motorized vessels and for sailboats over 8 feet in length. Sailboats under 8 feet do not require a boat launch fee. This pass can be ordered online or purchased at the ranger station at California State Parks where boats are permitted.
Off Highway Vehicle Day Use California State Park Pass: $50
The Off Highway Vehicle Day Use California State Park Pass gives unlimited access to California State Parks Off-Highway Vehicle recreational areas. The Off Highway Vehicle Day Use California State Park Pass is good for one year after the month of purchase. This pass can be ordered online or purchased at the ranger station California State Parks where Off Highway Vehicles are allowed.
Sno-Park Season Pass: $25
The California Department of Parks and Recreation operate 21 different Sno-Park sites from November 1 through May 30. These sites provide snow-cleared parking lots with access to snow play areas, cross-country ski and snowmobile trails. Permits to park in the Sno-Park sites are sold as Day Pass Permits ($5) or Seasonal Pass Permits by permit vendors throughout northern California.
Disabled Discount Pass: $3.50 for Lifetime Pass
The Disabled Discount Pass is available for permanently disabled persons. The pass provides a 50% discount for use of all basic facilities (including vehicle day use and camping) in California State Parks except Hearst San Simeon SHM. You can apply for the Disabled Discount Pass here (PDF)
Distinguished Veteran California State Park Pass: Free
The Distinguished Veteran California State Park Pass is available for honorably discharged war veterans who are residents of California. The veteran must either have a 50% or more service-connected disability, been held as prisoners of war, or received the Congressional Medal of Honor. Distinguished Veteran California State Park Pass gives the veteran the use of all basic California State Parks, including camping and day use, at no charge. You can apply for the Distinguished Veteran California State Park Pass here (PDF)
Golden Bear California State Park Pass: $5
The Golden Bear Pass is available to qualifying person receiving Aid to the Aged, Blind, or Disabled under the provisions of the Social Security Administration Program for Supplemental Security Income, anyone 62 years or older with income limitations specified on the application form or anyone receiving aid from the CalWORKS Program. The Golden Bear Pass is good for one calendar year. The pass gives free access to all California State Park where vehicle day use fees are collected, except Candlestick Point State Recreation Area. You can apply for the Golden Bear Pass here (PDF)
Limited Use Golden Bear California State Park Pass: $10
The Limited Use Golden Bear Pass is available to anyone 62 years or older. The Limited Use Golden Bear Pass is good for one calendar year. The pass gives free access to all California State Park where vehicle day use fees are collected, except Candlestick Point State Recreation Area, during non-peak season. The Limited Use Golden Bear Pass is not valid during the peak season from the Friday before Memorial Day through Labor Day at most state parks. It is also not valid the Friday before Labor Day through Memorial Day at Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, Picacho State Recreation Area and Salton Sea State Recreation Area. You can apply for the Golden Bear Pass here (PDF)
California State Park List
California has the following state parks in their system:
Admiral William Standley State Recreation Area
Ahjumawi Lava Springs State Park
Albany State Marine Reserve
Anderson Marsh State Historic Park
Andrew Molera State Park
Angel Island State Park
Annadel State Park
Año Nuevo State Reserve
Año Nuevo State Park
Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve
Antelope Valley Indian Museum State Historic Park
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
Armstrong Redwoods State Reserve
Arthur B. Ripley Desert Woodland State Park
Asilomar State Beach
Auburn State Recreation Area
Austin Creek State Recreation Area
Azalea State Reserve
Bale Grist Mill State Historic Park
Bean Hollow State Beach
Benbow Lake State Recreation Area
Benicia State Recreation Area
Benicia Capitol State Historic Park
Bethany Reservoir State Recreation Area
Bidwell Mansion State Historic Park
Bidwell-Sacramento River State Park
Big Basin Redwoods State Park
Big River State Park
Bodie State Historic Park
Bolsa Chica State Beach
Border Field State Park
Bothe-Napa Valley State Park
Brannan Island State Recreation Area
Burleigh H. Murray Ranch
Burton Creek State Park
Butano State Park
Calaveras Big Trees State Park
California Citrus State Historic Park
California Mining and Mineral Museum
California State Capitol
California State Capitol Museum
California State Indian Museum
California State Railroad Museum
Candlestick Point State Recreation Area
Cardiff State Beach
Carlsbad State Beach
Carmel River State Beach
Carnegie State Vehicular Recreation Area
Carpinteria State Beach
Caspar Headlands State Reserve
Caspar Headlands State Beach
Castaic Lake State Recreation Area
Castle Crags State Park
Castle Rock State Park
Castro Adobe
Caswell Memorial State Park
Cayucos State Beach
China Camp State Park
Chino Hills State Park
Chumash Painted Cave State Historic Park
Clay Pit State Vehicular Recreation Area
Clear Lake State Park
Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park
Columbia State Historic Park
Colusa-Sacramento River State Recreation Area
Cornfield State Park
Corona del Mar State Beach
Cowell Ranch/John Marsh State Historic Park
Crystal Cove State Park
Cuyamaca Rancho State Park
D. L. Bliss State Park
Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park
Delta Meadows
Dockweiler State Beach
Doheny State Beach
Donner Memorial State Park
El Capitán State Beach
El Escorpion State Park
El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park
Emerald Bay State Park
Emeryville Crescent State Marine Reserve
Emma Wood State Beach
Empire Mine State Historic Park
Estero Bluffs State Park
Folsom Powerhouse State Historic Park
The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park
Fort Humboldt State Historic Park
Fort Ord Dunes State Park
Fort Ross State Historic Park
Fort Tejon State Historic Park
Franks Tract State Recreation Area
Fremont Peak State Park
Garrapata State Park
Gaviota State Park
George J. Hatfield State Recreation Area
Governor’s Mansion State Historic Park
Gray Whale Cove State Beach
Great Valley Grasslands State Park
Greenwood State Beach
Grizzly Creek Redwoods State Park
Grover Hot Springs State Park
Harmony Headlands State Park
Harry A. Merlo State Recreation Area
Hatton Canyon
Hearst San Simeon State Historical Monument
Heber Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area
Hendy Woods State Park
Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park
Henry W. Coe State Park
Hollister Hills State Vehicular Recreation Area
Humboldt Lagoons State Park
Humboldt Redwoods State Park
Hungry Valley State Vehicular Recreation Area
Huntington State Beach
Indian Grinding Rock State Historic Park
Indio Hills Palms
Jack London State Historic Park
Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park
John B. Dewitt State Reserve
John Little State Reserve
Jug Handle State Reserve
Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park
Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area
Kings Beach State Recreation Area
Kruse Rhododendron State Reserve
La Purisima Mission State Historic Park
Lake Del Valle State Recreation Area
Lake Oroville State Recreation Area
Lake Perris State Recreation Area
Lake Valley State Recreation Area
Leland Stanford Mansion State Historic Park
Leo Carrillo State Park
Leucadia State Beach
Lighthouse Field State Beach
Limekiln State Park
Little River State Beach
Los Angeles State Historic Park (Cornfield State Park)
Los Encinos State Historic Park
Los Osos Oaks State Reserve
McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park
MacKerricher State Park
Mailliard Redwoods State Reserve
Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park
Malibu Creek State Park
Malibu Lagoon State Beach
Manchester State Park
Mandalay State Beach
Manresa State Beach
Marconi Conference Center State Historic Park
Marina State Beach
Marital Cottle Project
Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park
McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park
McConnell State Recreation Area
McGrath State Beach
Mendocino Headlands State Park
Mendocino Woodlands State Park
Millerton Lake State Recreation Area
Mono Lake Tufa State Reserve
Montaña de Oro State Park
Montara State Beach
Monterey State Historic Park
Monterey State Beach
Montgomery Woods State Reserve
Moonlight State Beach
Morro Bay State Park
Morro Strand State Beach
Moss Landing State Beach
Mount Diablo State Park
Mount San Jacinto State Park
Mount Tamalpais State Park
Natural Bridges State Beach
Navarro River Redwoods State Park
New Brighton State Beach
Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area
Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation Area
Old Sacramento State Historic Park
Old Town San Diego State Historic Park
Olompali State Historic Park
Point Lobos State ReservePacheco State Park
Pacifica State Beach
Palomar Mountain State Park
Patrick’s Point State Park
Pelican State Beach
Pescadero State Beach
Petaluma Adobe State Historic Park
Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park
Picacho State Recreation Area
Pigeon Point Light Station State Historic Park
Pio Pico State Historic Park
Pismo State Beach
Placerita Canyon State Park
Plumas-Eureka State Park
Point Cabrillo Light Station
Point Dume State Beach
Point Lobos State Reserve
Point Lobos Ranch
Point Montara Light Station
Point Mugu State Park
Point Sal State Beach
Point Sur State Historic Park
Pomponio State Beach
Portola Redwoods State Park
Prairie City State Vehicular Recreation Area
Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park
Providence Mountains State Recreation Area
Railtown 1897 State Historic Park
Red Rock Canyon State Park
Refugio State Beach
Reynolds Wayside Campground
Richardson Grove State Park
Rio de Los Angeles State Park
Robert H. Meyer Memorial State Beach
Robert Louis Stevenson State Park
Robert W. Crown Memorial State Beach
Russian Gulch State Park
Saddleback Butte State Park
Salinas River State Beach
Salt Point State Park
Salton Sea State Recreation Area
Samuel P. Taylor State Park
San Bruno Mountain State Park
San Buenaventura State Beach
San Clemente State Beach
San Elijo State Beach
San Gregorio State Beach
San Juan Bautista State Historic Park
San Luis Reservoir State Recreation Area
San Onofre State Beach
San Pasqual Battlefield State Historic Park
San Simeon State Park
San Timoteo Canyon
Santa Cruz Mission State Historic Park
Santa Monica State Beach
Santa Susana Pass State Historic Park
Schooner Gulch State Beach
Seacliff State Beach
Shasta State Historic Park
Silver Strand State Beach
Silverwood Lake State Recreation Area
Sinkyone Wilderness State Park
Smithe Redwoods State Reserve
Sonoma State Historic Park
Sonoma Coast State Beach
South Carlsbad State Beach
South Yuba River State Park
Standish-Hickey State Recreation Area
State Indian Museum State Historic Park
Stone Lake
Sugar Pine Point State Park
Sugarloaf Ridge State Park
Sunset State Beach
Sutter Buttes State Park (not yet open)
Sutter’s Fort State Historic Park
Tahoe State Recreation Area
Thornton State Beach
Tijuana Estuary
Tolowa Dunes State Park
Tomales Bay State Park
Tomo-Kahni State Historic Park
Topanga State Park
Torrey Pines State Beach
Torrey Pines State Reserve
Trinidad State Beach
Tule Elk State Reserve
Turlock Lake State Recreation Area
Twin Lakes State Beach
Van Damme State Park
Verdugo Mountains
Ward Creek
Washoe Meadows State Park
Wassama Round House State Historic Park
Watts Towers of Simon Rodia State Historic Park
Weaverville Joss House State Historic Park
Westport-Union Landing State Beach
Wilder Ranch State Park
Wildwood Canyon
Will Rogers State Beach
Will Rogers State Historic Park
William B. Ide Adobe State Historic Park
William Randolph Hearst Memorial State Beach
Woodland Opera House State Historic Park
Woodson Bridge State Recreation Area
Zmudowski State Beach