California is eyeing a major expansion of its state park system in the Central Valley — notoriously underserved when it comes to park space in California.
If approved, the new parks would bring California’s total to 283, far more than any other state.
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On Earth Day, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced plans for three new state parks: one along the Feather River in Yuba County, another along the San Joaquin River near Fresno, and a small but historically significant site in Bakersfield.
“We’re expanding outdoor access and opportunities for recreation in the places that really need it,” said California State Parks Director Armando Quintero. “If you look at a current map of state parks in California, it looks like a necklace around California. And now we’re going to be doing the jewelry on the inside.”
This expansion comes amid a record 12 million visitors across California’s nine national parks in 2025, surpassing previous attendance records. Yosemite National Park alone logged 4.3 million visits, my colleague Jack Dolan wrote, demonstrating the enduring public affection for America’s protected natural spaces.
Historically underserved communities
The largest of the proposed parks, Feather River Park in Olivehurst, Yuba County, sits on nearly 2,000 acres along the Feather River. It would be the first state park in Yuba County, complete with a boat launch and riverside beach, as well as a floodplain designed to take on water in high-flow years.
The San Joaquin River Parkway in Fresno and Madera counties would join various properties in an 874-acre state park directly upriver from the city of Fresno, with parkland on both sides of the river. Officials said it would complement the nearby Millerton Lake State Recreation Area, making a “water recreation hub” in the fast-growing region.
In Bakersfield, Kern County, the proposed Dust Bowl Camp would mark California history at the site of the Sunset Migratory Labor Camp, one of the first camps established by the federal Farm Security Administration to house farmworkers who came to California during the Dust Bowl. The migrant workers played a profound role in shaping the economy, culture and identity of the Central Valley.
The roughly two-acre park would be the first to directly highlight the Dust Bowl and migrant farming camps of the Great Depression, officials said. It is home to several historic structures that are among the last remaining migrant camp buildings from the 1930s and ’40s Dust Bowl era in California. Also known as Weedpatch Camp, the site is on the National Register of Historic Places and inspired portions of John Steinbeck’s novel “The Grapes of Wrath.”
Rapid expansion
The new parks are part of California’s broader strategy to rapidly expand its 1.6 million-acre state park system. The last new state park, the 1,600-acre Dos Rios State Park near Modesto, was the first added in a decade when it opened in 2024.
The initiative also includes plans to grow existing state parks by 30,000 acres by 2030. Those expansions include 453 acres recently added to Montgomery Woods State Natural Reserve in Mendocino County, 218 acres to South Yuba River State Park in Nevada County and 133 acres to Pigeon Point Light Station State Historic Park in San Mateo County, also announced on Earth Day.
The parks department will immediately begin a planning and acquisition process for the three new parks, which are publicly held and can be acquired at little to no cost, officials said. They will also begin a public engagement process to hear directly from the surrounding communities.
Today’s top stories 
California Highway Patrol officers conduct a traffic stop in San Francisco in October.
(Nathan Weyland / Associated Press)
CHP’s 1-day crackdown on speeding driversThe California Highway Patrol is cracking down on speeders on the state’s roads through Wednesday evening, the agency announced.Based on preliminary data from the CHP’s Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System, more than 110,000 crashes in 2025 resulted from unsafe speeds, leading to more than 400 deaths and injuring more than 68,000 people.Candidates for governor scrap in a fiery debateDisneyland is now scanning your faceDisneyland has deployed facial recognition technology at park entrances to verify tickets and prevent fraud — a trend spreading across major U.S. entertainment venues.Privacy experts caution that the technology normalizes surveillance and poses security risks, though Disney says facial recognition is optional and data are deleted after 30 days.Sign up for our brand-new theme parks newsletter. Jimmy Kimmel is under fire (again)What else is going onCommentary and opinionsThis morning’s must-readAnother must-readFor your downtime 
Visitors attend Universal Studios’ Fan Fest Nights, an after-hours event at Universal Studios Hollywood.
(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)
Going outStaying inA question for you: What’s your favorite California-themed book?
Elsa says, Octavia Butler’s two parables books: “Parable of the Sower” and “Parable of the Talents.”
Maria says, “Cannery Row” by John Steinbeck.
Email us at essentialcalifornia@latimes.com, and your response might appear in the newsletter this week.
And finally … your photo of the day 
Crowds gather around a repurposed Arby’s sign from the former Sunset Boulevard Arby’s location in Hollywood at the Stagecoach Music Festival in Indio. Arby’s had a pop-up at the event and the sign became a popular photo spot.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Today’s great photo is from Times photographer Allen J. Schaben at Stagecoach Music Festival, where the iconic Hollywood Arby’s sign from Sunset Boulevard shone bright.
Have a great day, from the Essential California team
Jim Rainey, staff reporter
Hugo Martín, assistant editor, fast break desk
Kevinisha Walker, multiplatform editor
Andrew Campa, weekend writer
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