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Entry to more than 200 participating California State Parks will be free on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced<\/a> on Friday. <\/p>\n Background: In December, the U.S. National Park Service eliminated free admission for MLK Day and Juneteenth \u2014 two of the country\u2019s major civil rights holidays. Instead, Trump added his own birthday, June 14, to the list of free admission days. <\/p>\n What you need to know: Free entry is valid for one vehicle with no more than nine passengers. A full list of participating parks is here<\/a>. Visitors are encouraged to arrive early, pack out what they pack in when they leave, and follow \u2018Leave No Trace\u2019 principles to help protect park resources.<\/p>\n Keep up with LAist.<\/p>\n If you’re enjoying this article, you’ll love our daily newsletter, The LA Report. Each weekday, catch up on the 5 most pressing stories to start your morning in 3 minutes or less. <\/p>\n Officials say: Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement that the Trump administration is attempting to whitewash civil rights history.<\/p>\n \u201cDr. King taught us that \u2018darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that,\u2019\u201d Newsom said. \u201cI\u2019m encouraging all Californians to get outside on MLK Day, spend time in nature, reflect on Dr. King\u2019s legacy, and reaffirm our commitment to advancing civil rights for all.\u201d<\/p>\n Who is covering the admission? In Newsom\u2019s announcement, funding for free admission was made possible by the California State Parks Foundation \u2013not taxpayer dollars.<\/p>\n