California State Parks Closing

Jul 29, 2009

The closure of State Parks, or any parks for that matter, is a blow to the hiking and backpacking crowd. Such an unsavory blow is about to become a reality in California.

All states are having budget problems and it could get worse in 2010. California has been hit especially hard.

Governor Schwarzenegger and his team are working hard to close the budget gap. A major part of their plan is to put in place massive budget cuts.

Unfortunately, when budgets are cut, somebody suffers. It looks like hikers and backpackers won’t be exempt this time. Millions of dollars will be taken away from California’s Department of Parks and Recreation. As a result, more than 100 California State Parks are likely to shut down facilities and services.

Here is the official language taken from the California State Budget 2009-10 website.

The $14.2 million reduction to the Department of Parks and Recreation reflects an expenditure reduction to the state park system. This reduction will achieve $22.2 million in savings when fully implemented. It will result in the closure of probably more than 100 parks which will be identified once the Department has been able to complete a full assessment of its remaining resources and be in a position to determine where it will need to shut facilities down.

I don’t know what all the implications of these draconian measures will be. I can only guess that access to some or all state parks may be limited or eliminated completely. At the very least, safety and convenience will be curtailed.

Hopefully, when the sun begins to shine again on the world economy, its warm rays will fall on the California’s Department of Parks and Recreation for the benefit of the state parks as well as of hikers and backpackers.

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9 Comments

backpacking, Hiking, state parks

7 Comments

Ralph Alcorn • Jul 29, 2009 @8:47 am

As an avid hiker, I really hate the cuts to the Parks system. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. 500,000 children are losing their health insurance. A $20 increase in the vehicle license fee would raise more than half a billion dollars and eliminate the need for any of the vetoes of state services just done by the governor.

I believe the governor honestly thinks he is doing the right thing by holding to his pledge of no new taxes, but I think it is a breach of his duty as governor to act in the best interests of his constituents.
James • Jul 31, 2009 @6:34 am

This is the single most depressing thing I’ve read in a LONG time (and I’ve read some depressing stuff).

Many of our state parks collect fees for entrance or site reservation. Do you think these will be among the effected? I purchase annual state park and forest adventure passes. Not that I believe these fees to provide the necessary funds to make park areas financially self sustaining, however, won’t closing state parks and recreation areas potentially mean a LOSS in revenue for the state? In other words, is it possible that the closure number would be smaller if, through closure, the state wasn’t diminishing its own income? I know I am less likely to buy an adventure pass for the SB National Forest (mountains) should half of the parks we frequent there close. Ridiculous!
James • Jul 31, 2009 @6:37 am

Okay, so I’m not really less likely to purchase an adventure pass, but, I imagine many less frequent visitors are.

Is there anyone in particular one might call or write to concerning this matter?
admin • Jul 31, 2009 @9:47 am

This is depressing for me as well.

I don’t know which State Parks will be affected. Nor do I know what all the implications of closing state parks will be.

To get information, you might get some results from contacting the office of your State Senator.

To do so, use this url: http://192.234.213.69/smapsearch/framepage.asp. Let me know what you find out.

Best.

Richard
Paul • Aug 11, 2009 @10:40 am

We do not know what parks will be closed, or even what that means. Some parks will be put in custodial care, some may close seasonally, etc. Department of Parks and Recreation is playing it really close to the chest. They have put out a request to everyone for ideas on how to keep the parks open: corporate sponsorship, local non-profits, volunteers, ways to cut costs, etc. They will begin a serious review of all those ideas late August, and sometime in September they will finally make public what is happening. The best thing the public in general can do is write to state legislators and to the governor to find ways to fund parks. Perhaps a low percentage oil severance tax would permanently fund the parks.
admin • Aug 12, 2009 @4:13 am

Paul,

Thanks for these insights. I’m praying that someone, somewhere will come up with the means to keep all of the state parks open.
Tennyson Lee • Aug 23, 2009 @2:14 pm

I went camping in the lake tahoe area this weekend and was shocked to see Donner Lake State Park charging $35/night for a campsite.