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Park Stories
Christine V, Vacaville, CA
Prairie Creek Redwood State Park
Imagine walking through a narrow canyon where the walls are completely covered by luxuriant ferns and mosses and are dripping with moisture. That's Fern Canyon, passed Orick, CA and right on the beach. So beautiful. Went there Labor Day weekend with my family. :)
Susan H, Santa Rosa
Grover Hot Springs State Park
Every year since our children were young we spend a week camping at Grover Hot Springs State Park. Now we bring our grandchildren and extended family. The rangers recognize us, and we've seen every campfire show. We think it is the best state park because of the beauty of the high Sierra, the spacious campsites, and of course the nearby public hot springs & pool. We would be heartbroken if it was closed down. Our six year old grandson counts down the days for months before our annual trip!
Marjorie M, Livermore
Petaluma Adobe State Historic Park
Our grandson is in the 4th grade in Elk Grove, CA. We had the most wonderful experience this weekend visiting the Mission Vallejo at Petaluma Adobe State Historic Park. We also visited Mr. Vallejo's home in Sonoma, CA. This has been a most valuable part of California. history, especially for 4th graders, the study of the Missions in the CA schools. The State Parks are a MUST for our young people. They need to enjoy these parks as much as we have all these years. PLEASE KEEP ARE STATE PARKS OPEN!!!!!!!!!
Tiffany A, Sherman Oaks
Columbia State Historic Park
Columbia State Historic Park is where my boyfriend and I fell in love! It is a magical place. It reminds us of the history of CA & brings us back to a simpler time. Columbia has so much to offer and holds so many beautiful memories of so many people. It is a break from the modern world.
Judy F, Red Bluff
Ide Adobe State Historic Park
As a parent, we think of our children someday getting married. I want my 24 year old daughter to get married at Ide Adobe State Historic Park in Tehama County in Red Bluff, Ca. I had gone to Ide Adobe State Historic Park with my now adult child every day when she was a little child to watch the squirrels, birds and quiet place like nothing else was around. Our favorite thing was the mighty Sacramento River to watch it stroll by. The history of this park has been celebrated by volunteers of the community who dress in Adobe's day and teach our local children how they lived and survived. The mention earlier about my dreams of my daughter getting married at Ide Adobe that we all will forever love, I want to plead with you to keep,IDE ADOBE in Tehama county Red Bluff California OPEN. Mostly the local history at Ide Adobe is my most plea to you to keep this park open to maintain our beautiful state and the PRIDE that we must have in our history. We only learn to help the future from our past, and Ide Adobe is a precious gem for this community and state.
Emily V, Georgetown
Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park
This park is so important to the state. 70,000 4th graders visit this historic spot. It's included in their 4th grade curriculum. Why close history? Our state parks are the most beautiful and prestigious areas in the state. How can you close them off to the people? Keep them ALL open !
Joaquin T, Lynwood
Pio Pico State Historic Park
I have always enjoyed going to this state park with my dad. It is very beautiful. But now I had heard the state government is going to close this state park. It is really sad. That is because when I go to this park I feel more close to my dad. This state park is very nice and peaceful.
Melanie E, Lakewood
Patrick's Point State Park
As long as I live, I will never forget the afternoon we picked berries AT our campsite, cooked them with sugar, sent dad to Trinidad for ice cream and sat around the fire eating ice cream with yummy berry sauce on top!!!
June S., Sacramento
All State Parks
My beloved sister was Carol A. Nelson, the first African-American Female ranger in the State of California. Because of her the state parks and all of nature's unending beauty will always be the most wonderful places in the world. Her husband Roger was a ranger and now her daughter, Corinne, is carrying on the torch. It seems so unecessary to have to explain how important the parks are to save, not only because we have enough malls, parking lots, etc, but because they add so much value to our lives.
Vicki E, Centralia, IL
the Redwood state parks
I have never been to California, but have dreamed of visiting the Redwoods State Park since I was a child and now am 50 years young. My husband and I have plans for a trip to California in September 2009, to visit multi sites but particularly, my dream come true, the beautiful Redwoods. I am just hoping and praying that none of the state parks will be closed, but particularly not the Redwoods, I have waited all of my life.
Paul & Mary, North San Juan
Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park
I remember that when I was in grade school in New Jersey we read about the California Gold Rush. The most memorable picture was of the hydraulic mining. Since then we have been all over the country and California. We often find ourselves in State Parks from Anza Borrego to Pio Pico to Manchester State Beach. It wasn't until we moved to the Sierra Foothills that we found out that the picture from my grade school text book was real. Here in Malakoff are the remains of the hydraulic mining and the town that supported the miners. From the right angle the cliffs of Malakoff remind me of Bryce. Recently, while puttering around as a volunteer I encountered visitors with heavy accents. It turns out that they had immigrated (legally) from Russia and now live in Sebastopol in Northern California. The original Sebastopol is on the Crimean peninsula in the Black Sea. Sebastopol was a major objective for the English and the French during the Crimean War. But Sebastopol was guarded by the Malakoff cliffs/tower. French survivors of the war settled in the gold fields near the hydraulic mines (especially French Corral). They took one look at the cliffs at the North Bloomfield Gravel and Mining Company and saw the similarity to the Malakoff Cliffs. Therefore the name for Malakoff Diggins. This couple knew the story of the battle of Malakoff, and they were familiar with the Malakoff District in Paris, France. The experience for them and for me is irreplaceable. Every school child who reads about the gold rush sees a picture of Malakoff Diggins. We cannot afford to throw away our culture and history. No amount of money will ever replace the setting and buildings once they are closed.
Vesna D, Woodland Hills
Carpinteria State Beach
My husband and I, married only 4 years now, are creating new memories by camping at Carpinteria State Beach. We love the atmosphere, the friendly camp hosts and the safe environment with which to enjoy California's beautiful coast among family and friends. I never camped when I was a child, so having this opportunity now is a great pleasure mere words could not express. The thought of park closures due to California's deficit just breaks my heart. There is so much to see and enjoy in our splendid state. Please don't take that away from us.
Donald C, Denver, CO
All
I cannot afford to move to California so I visit twice a year, with the state parks being the centerpiece of my trips. When flying into San Francisco, I frequently drive to Fort Bragg to relax a MacKerricher State Park while making day trips to the Lost Coast and the state parks south of there by Mendocino. Sometimes I stay in Santa Cruz and visit the parks south of the bay area. At times I fly into L.A, or Sand Diego. I usually stay in San Clemente or Oceanside and relax at San Onofre--happily paying the parking fee, although I like to take side trips to the desert state parks. I also enjoy the beaches in the less populated areas north of L.A. towards Ventura. While visiting, I obviously spend money at hotels, restaurants and the fee-heavy rental cars at the airports. Should my favorite parks shut down, I would have to change my ocean visits to Oregon and Washington.
Dorothee S, Raywick, KY
Malibu Creek State Park
The first time I came to CA, I asked to go to Malibu Creek. It was the film location for a TV show called "The Rifleman" that was a tender story about a widowed rancher raising his son in 1880s New Mexico Territory. The whole first season and all the iconic images which translated to "home" for millions of viewers, young and old, were filmed in a valley there at Malibu Creek. In all my days, I don't think I was so moved. I came around the bend, stepped into that valley and was truly home. Since then, it has become a true home place to me, a spot to paint and write. I travel to CA whenever I can and stay for extended periods of time. Because of the show and the emotions it evokes, others are interested in making this same journey and again, finding home. Only a TV show? Only a park? No. A link. That park is a physical place not only of vast beauty, but a link between the imagination and real hope. It is an historical treasure for TV and movie history. Future generations will want to visit this park not only for recreation and beauty, but for a sense of who we are. It's a natural tie to LA's movie history. Don't let it slip away, please.
Melanie B, Temecula
MacKerricher State Park
Beauty - that is really the only word that I can think of to describe MacKerricher State Park . From the huge trees in the large, secluded campsites to the waves that roll up on the beach that I can hear from my site. My son and daughter are the 3rd generation that has been coming to this park. My father in law came in the 50s, my husband in the 70's and now my kids as well. I am an inland girl from Montrose, Colorado and i had never seen tide pools like this. You can walk out on them forever and watch the abalone divers below the rocks. In 2007 a whale came into the cove in the park and was literally only 30 feet or so offshore. My kids and I had never seen anything like it. Deer come and graze on grasses in empty campsites and in the areas all around the park. Lake Cleone has a 1.5 mile hike around it and there are SO MANY different birds! The Park Rangers give tours and let kids use binoculars and teach them about all the native birds. 10 mile beach where you can walk and see hundreds of sand dollars and baby seals resting on the beach. MacKerricher State Park is heaven and California is a better place with parks like this one in it!
Marcia B. , Carson City , NV
GroverHot Springs State Park
I have pictures of myself when I was 10 years old standing in the meadow at Grover's. I don't know if it was a state park at that time but my wonderful memories of the area go back 60 years. As a young family my husband, myself and our four children would spend two weeks every July camping at Grover's. There isn't just one special memory related to this magnificent area but a patchwork of memories that warm my heart every time I look at family vacation pictures, or get together with my grown children and rehear "remember when" stories. Our family has added another generation to those who know the beauty of the meadow and mountains. Our grandchildren now have stories of their own to tell.
Nancy B, Little River
Multiple State Parks
My husband and I are members of a running, walking and biking group of over 50 members that uses our local Mendocino Coast state parks three time EVERY SINGLE WEEK. We use Russian Gulch State Park, Jug Hand Gulch State Park, Van Damme State Park, Big River State Park and McKerricher State Park to name a few. We urge you to take action to avoid the closure of 220 state parks.
Patricia C. , Whittier
Asilomar
I was relatively unfamiliar with the state park system until my husband was accepted into the Park Ranger Academy at the Mott Training Center at Asilomar, Pacific Grove. Even though now we've had numerous State Park experiences, my favorite was his graduation from the Academy. During the ceremony, I developed so much pride in the state park system. The speeches, mission, and beliefs of the Department show so much concern with preserving our natural resources for us now and for future generations. Our family, like many others will be affected in so many ways if the state parks aren't saved. We just had to pull our daughter out of preschool because with the budget cuts we can no longer afford to pay the tuition.
Debbie B, Thousand Oaks
Carpinteria State Beach
Our family has been camping at Carpinteria State Beach for the past ten years. My best childhood memories come from there, specifically my Grandma taking us there and boogie boarding with us! We are now taking our kids and their Grandma. The rangers and camp hosts are amazing; the park is family friendly because of their hard work and love for the park. My children have learned so much by visiting the tide pools every summer and then attending Jr. Rangers where the rangers and hosts take the kids for some hands on learning. We love this park and the city of Carpinteria State Beach and would lose a much needed and loved family tradition if it closed!
Joe D, Playa del Rey
Topanga State Park
I can drive 22 minutes from my home early on a Saturday morning, head up Santa Ynez Canyon Trail and, 3 minutes after leaving the trailhead, be as far away from one of the largest cities in the world as if I had traveled to a far away land. Please keep Topanga State Park open.
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