{"id":366885,"date":"2026-06-19T07:36:14","date_gmt":"2026-06-19T07:36:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/366885\/"},"modified":"2026-06-19T07:36:14","modified_gmt":"2026-06-19T07:36:14","slug":"california-offers-free-passes-to-state-parks-honoring-juneteenth-and-americas-250-anniversary-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/366885\/","title":{"rendered":"California offers free passes to state parks honoring Juneteenth and America’s 250 anniversary"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Brief<\/p>\n

California is offering free access to more than 30 historic state parks.<\/p>\n

It’s part of a program to celebrate Juneteenth and America\u2019s 250th anniversary.<\/p>\n

The Historian Passport, with a value of $50, is valid for the rest of 2026.<\/p>\n

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – California is celebrating Juneteenth and America\u2019s upcoming 250th anniversary with a special pass allowing residents free access to more than 30 historic state parks.<\/p>\n

The Historian Passport, normally a $50 value, will allow up to four people unlimited visits to participating historic parks, starting Friday on Juneteenth until the end of the year.<\/p>\n

The free pass is available now to download and can be claimed through July 6.<\/p>\n

Governor Gavin Newsom\u2019s office<\/a> announced the offer, saying it represents a stark contrast to Donald Trump\u2019s actions involving national parks and the country’s past.<\/p>\n

Last year, the Trump administration moved to take both\u00a0Juneteenth and Martin Luther King Jr Day off the list of the National Park Service\u2019s fee-free entrance days. In doing so, it added Flag Day<\/a>, which is also Donald Trump’s birthday, as a “patriotic” fee-free day eligible to\u00a0residents only.<\/p>\n

What they’re saying<\/p>\n

“While President Donald Trump ends free admission to national parks on Juneteenth, uses entry fees to fund his latest vanity project, and attempts to whitewash the past, California is making the incredible sites that preserve the state\u2019s complex history free to visit through a special limited-time pass,” the governor\u2019s office said.<\/p>\n

California’s vast state park system<\/p>\n

Dig deeper<\/p>\n

California holds the title for the nation\u2019s largest and most diverse state park system with more than\u00a0280 state parks, according to the California State Parks Foundation<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The park system is home to historic sites that represent many peoples and cultures, while highlighting the state\u2019s complex and rich history, the governor\u2019s office said.<\/p>\n

SEE ALSO:What’s open and closed on Juneteenth 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

While the offer is for a limited time, state officials noted that State Parks offers free pass programs all year round as part of\u00a0California\u2019s\u00a0Outdoors for All<\/a> initiative. Programs include free access for families receiving public assistance, for fourth graders in California public schools and anyone with a library card.<\/p>\n

The special edition California State Parks Historian Passport\u00a0is being supported by donations from the California State Parks Foundation and the California State Railroad Museum Foundation<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Participating parks<\/p>\n

The governor\u2019s office highlighted some of the parks that are available as part of the Historian Passport program.<\/p>\n

They include:<\/p>\n

Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park<\/a>, in Tulare County, the site of a former California town that was founded, financed, and governed by African Americans. “The state historic park stands as a powerful symbol of self-determination, opportunity and freedom, making it especially meaningful during Juneteenth commemorations,” the governor\u2019s office said.<\/p>\n

\"<div>Colonel<\/p>\n

Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park in Earlimart, Calif.<\/p>\n

(California State Parks)<\/p>\n

In Amador County in the Sierra foothills,\u00a0Indian Grinding Rock State Historic Park<\/a>, is believed to be the site of the largest collection of bedrock mortars in North America. At the center of the 135-acre park, stands the state’s largest ceremonial roundhouses still used by Native Americans.<\/p>\n

California\u2019s Gold Rush history can be traced to\u00a0Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park<\/a>, in Coloma, in El Dorodo County.<\/p>\n

\"<div>Marshall<\/p>\n

Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park in Coloma, Calif.<\/p>\n

(California State Parks)<\/p>\n

Weaverville Joss House State Historic Park<\/a> in Trinity County, is the site of the\u00a0 oldest continuously used Chinese temple in California. The park “reflects the enduring contributions, traditions and resilience of Chinese immigrants who helped build California despite widespread discrimination and exclusion,” the governor\u2019s office said.<\/p>\n

\"<div>Weaverville<\/p>\n

Weaverville Joss House State Historic Park in Weaverville, Calif.<\/p>\n

(California State Parks)<\/p>\n

“California doesn\u2019t hide from hard truths and uncomfortable history \u2013 in fact, we embrace it and learn from it,” Newsom said in his news release, adding, “California is marking these celebrations of freedom by inviting everyone to learn our country\u2019s history \u2013 our real history \u2013 for free in our state parks.”<\/p>\n

To download the special Historian Passport, an account with California State Parks\u2019 official reservation service, ReserveCalifornia.com<\/a>, is required.<\/p>\n

\"<div>Dancing<\/p>\n

Dancing at Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park in Earlimart, Calif.<\/p>\n

(California State Parks)\"<div>Blacksmith<\/p>\n

Blacksmith exhibit at Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park in Earlimart, Calif.<\/p>\n

(California State Parks)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Brief California is offering free access to more than 30 historic state parks. It’s part of a…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":366886,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[2969,7,9,8,6333,148123,536,457,32957,25880,69916],"class_list":["post-366885","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-california","tag-calif","tag-california","tag-california-headlines","tag-california-news","tag-california-state-parks","tag-colonel-allensworth-state-historic-park","tag-donald-trump","tag-gavin-newsom","tag-juneteenth","tag-national-parks","tag-state-parks"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/366885","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=366885"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/366885\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/366886"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=366885"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=366885"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=366885"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}