The parks are in the early stages of planning and formation, with California State Parks working to acquire the land that will eventually become the new parks.<\/p>\n
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California Gov. Gavin Newsom announces the expansion of the state park system during a news conference near the Sycamore Island fishing dock along the San Joaquin River Parkway in Madera County on Wednesday. CRAIG KOHLRUSS ckohlruss@sacbee.com <\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re absolutely thrilled about what this is going to bring to the system of state parks in California,\u201d California State Parks director Armando Quintero said of Feather River Park.<\/p>\n
The riverside land designated for Feather River Park covers a swath of floodplain, which takes on water when the river swells, and riverfront trails south of Marysville.<\/p>\n
The proposed park includes Grays Beach and Star Bend boat launch, each of which lies along the east bank of the river west of Olivehurst and Plumas Lake.<\/p>\n
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A drone photo of the site of a new state park in Yuba County along the Feather River. California State Parks Expanding state parks<\/p>\n
The initiative, announced on Earth Day as a state-level counter to Trump administration cuts to the National Park Service, also includes the expansion of some existing parks by 30,000 acres by 2030.<\/p>\n
South Yuba River State Park in Nevada County \u2014 far upstream of the juncture between the Feather and Yuba rivers north of the planned Feather River Park \u2014 recently added 218 acres of adjacent land. That acquisition includes Independence Trail, part of the Rush Creek property donated by the Bear Yuba Land Trust.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs an organization rooted in this community, we\u2019re proud to see this land permanently protected as part of South Yuba River State Park,\u201d said Erin Tarr, executive director, Bear Yuba Land Trust, in a news release.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis transfer reflects years of partnership and a shared commitment to conserving critical habitat while ensuring that iconic places like the Independence Trail remain accessible to all, now and into the future.\u201d<\/p>\n
Acquiring new parks<\/p>\n
State officials targeted the three chosen parks for their locations in the Central Valley, an area lacking proximity to state parks on par with other parts of the state. The sites would offer access to natural features, such as the Feather River and San Joaquin River, not accessible through the existing 280 state parks.<\/p>\n
Dust Bowl Camp, currently not open to the public, carries history from Great Depression migrant farming camps, and inspired John Steinbeck\u2019s novel \u201cThe Grapes of Wrath.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI want to be clear that there\u2019s still a lot of work to be done in bringing these parks and turning them into state park properties,\u201d Quintaro said. \u201cAnd when we are done with that, we\u2019ll raise the total of state parks in California to 283 state parks. And we\u2019re gonna move quickly.\u201d<\/p>\n
Through Senate Bill 630 and Assembly Bill 679, which Newsom signed into law last year, the state will acquire land to grow existing parks at \u201clow to no\u201d cost, said Wade Crowfoot, California Natural Resources Secretary.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd also, low or no increase in management cost, because these are really, essentially, managing the same park system that existed,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
This story was originally published April 22, 2026 at 1:37 PM.<\/p>\n
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