FREE Entry to California State Parks on MLK Day: Jan 19

by

California State Parks is pleased to offer free vehicle day-use entry in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day on January 19, 2026, at more than 200 participating state parks. The free entry applies to one passenger vehicle with a capacity of nine people or fewer, or one highway-licensed motorcycle, at the parks listed below.

Free vehicle entry on MLK Day is being made possible by the California State Parks Foundation, a key proponent of the free California State Library Parks Pass. The parks participating on MLK Day are the same parks that accept the library pass all year! 

Some parks, including state vehicular recreation areas (off-highway vehicle parks), those with per-person entry or tour fees like Hearst Castle, and those that are operated by partner organizations, will still require a fee.

Please make sure to visit the park unit webpage or the Incidents webpage before heading out to make sure there are no park closure or restrictions.

MLK DAY PARTICIPATING PARKS

ALAMEDA

  • Albany SMR (also in Contra Costa)
  • Bethany Reservoir SRA
  • Emeryville Crescent SMR (also in Contra Costa)
  • McLaughlin Eastshore SP SS (also in Contra Costa)
  • ALPINE
  • Grover Hot Springs SP

AMADOR

  • Indian Grinding Rock SHP

BUTTE

  • Bidwell Mansion SHP
  • Bidwell-Sacramento River SP (also in Glenn)
  • Lake Oroville SRA

CALAVERAS

  • Calaveras Big Trees SP (also in Tuolumne)

COLUSA

  • Colusa-Sacramento River SRA

CONTRA COSTA

  • Albany SMR (also in Alameda)
  • Emeryville Crescent SMR (also in Alameda)
  • Franks Tract SRA
  • McLaughlin Eastshore SP SS (also in Alameda)
  • Mount Diablo SP

DEL NORTE

  • Del Norte Coast Redwoods SP
  • Jedediah Smith Redwoods SP
  • Pelican SB
  • Prairie Creek Redwoods SP (also in Humboldt)
  • Tolowa Dunes SP

EL DORADO

  • Auburn SRA (also in Placer)
  • D.L. Bliss SP
  • Ed Z’berg Sugar Pine Point SP
  • Emerald Bay SP
  • Folsom Lake SRA (also in Placer & Sacramento)
  • Marshall Gold Discovery SHP
  • Washoe Meadows SP

FRESNO

  • Millerton Lake SRA (also in Madera)

GLENN

  • Bidwell-Sacramento River SP (also in Butte)

HUMBOLDT

  • Azalea SNR
  • Benbow Lake SRA
  • Fort Humboldt SHP
  • Grizzly Creek Redwoods SP
  • Harry A. Merlo SRA
  • Humboldt Lagoon SP
  • Humboldt Redwoods SP
  • John B. Dewitt Redwoods SNR
  • Little River SB
  • Prairie Creek Redwoods SP (also in Del Norte)
  • Richardson Grove SP
  • Sinkyone Wilderness SP (also in Mendocino)
  • Sue-meg SP
  • Trinidad SB

IMPERIAL

  • Picacho SRA
  • Salton Sea SRA (also in Riverside)
  • Anza-Borrego Desert SP (also in Riverside & San Diego)

KERN

  • Red Rock Canyon SP
  • Tule Elk SNR

LAKE

  • Anderson Marsh SHP
  • Clear Lake SP
  • Robert Louis Stevenson SP (also in Napa & Sonoma)

LOS ANGELES

  • Antelope Valley CA Poppy Reserve SNR
  • Kenneth Hahn SRA (Baldwin Hills Overlook Only)
  • Leo Carrillo SP (also in Ventura)
  • Los Angeles SHP
  • Malibu Creek SP
  • Malibu Lagoon SB
  • Rio de LA State Park SRA
  • Robert H. Meyer Memorial SB
  • Saddleback Butte SP
  • Topanga SP
  • Verdugo Mountains Park Property
  • Will Rogers SHP

MADERA

  • Millerton Lake SRA (also in Fresno)

MARIN

  • China Camp SP
  • Mount Tamalpais SP
  • Olompali SHP
  • Samuel P. Taylor SP
  • Tomales Bay SP

MENDOCINO

  • Admiral William Standley SRA
  • Caspar Headlands SB
  • Caspar Headlands SNR
  • Greenwood SB
  • Hendy Woods SP
  • Jug Handle SNR
  • MacKerricher SP
  • Mailliard Redwoods SNR
  • Manchester SP
  • Mendocino Headlands SP
  • Mendocino Woodlands SP
  • Montgomery Woods SNR
  • Navarro River Redwoods SP
  • Reynolds WC
  • Russian Gulch SP
  • Schooner Gulch SB
  • Sinkyone Wilderness SP (also in Humboldt)
  • Smithe Redwoods SNR
  • Standish-Hickey SRA
  • Van Damme SP
  • Westport Union Landing SB

MERCED

  • George J. Hatfield SRA
  • Great Valley Grasslands SP
  • McConnell SRA
  • Pacheco SP (also in Santa Clara)
  • San Luis Reservoir SRA

MONO

  • Mono Lake Tufa SNR
carmel beach

MONTEREY

  • Andrew Molera SP
  • Asilomar SB
  • Carmel River SB – Check our visit to Carmel River State Beach
  • Fort Ord Dunes SP
  • Fremont Peak SP (also in San Benito)
  • Garrapata SP
  • Hatton Canyon Park Property
  • John Little SNR
  • Julia Pfeiffer Burns SP
  • Marina SB
  • Monterey SB
  • Moss Landing SB
  • Pfeiffer Big Sur SP
  • Point Lobos SNR
  • Salinas River SB (also in Santa Cruz)
  • Zmudowski SB (also in Santa Cruz)

NAPA

  • Bale Grist Mill SHP
  • Robert Louis Stevenson SP (also in Lake & Sonoma)
  • Sugarloaf Ridge SP (also in Sonoma)
  • Bothe-Napa Valley SP (also in Sonoma)

NEVADA

  • Donner Memorial SP (also in Placer)
  • Malakoff Diggins SHP
  • South Yuba River SP

ORANGE

  • Bolsa Chica SB
  • Chino Hills SP (also in Riverside & San Bernardino)
  • Crystal Cove SP
  • Doheny SB
  • Huntington SB
  • San Clemente SB
  • San Onofre SB (also in San Diego)

PLACER

  • Auburn SRA (also in El Dorado)
  • Burton Creek SP
  • Donner Memorial SP (also in Nevada)
  • Folsom Lake SRA (also in El Dorado & Sacramento)
  • Kings Beach SRA
  • Tahoe SRA
  • Ward Creek Park Property
  • Burton Creek SP
  • Donner Memorial SP (also in Nevada)
  • Folsom Lake SRA (also in El Dorado & Sacramento)
  • Kings Beach SRA
  • Tahoe SRA
  • Ward Creek Park Property

PLUMAS

  • Plumas-Eureka SP

RIVERSIDE

  • Anza-Borrego Desert SP (also in Imperial & San Diego)
  • California Citrus SHP
  • Chino Hills SP (also in Orange & San Bernardino)
  • Indio Hills Palms Park Property
  • Lake Perris SRA
  • Mount San Jacinto SP
  • Salton Sea SRA (also in Imperial)
  • San Timoteo Canyon Park Property
  • Wildwood Canyon Park Property

SACRAMENTO

  • Brannan Island SRA
  • Delta Meadows Park Property
  • Folsom Lake SRA (also in El Dorado & Placer)
  • Folsom Powerhouse SHP
  • Locke Boarding House Museum POI
  • Stone Lake Park Property

SAN BENITO

  • Fremont Peak SP (also in Monterey)
  • San Juan Bautista SHP

 SAN BERNARDINO

  • Chino Hills SP (also in Orange & Riverside)
  • Providence Mountains SRA
  • Silverwood Lake SRA

SAN DIEGO

  • Anza-Borrego Desert SP (also in Riverside & Imperial)
  • Border Field SP
  • Cardiff SB
  • Carlsbad SB
  • Cuyamaca Rancho SP
  • Palomar Mountain SP
  • San Elijo SB
  • San Onofre SB (also in Orange)
  • San Pasqual Battlefield SHP
  • Silver Strand SB
  • South Carlsbad SB
  • Tijuana Estuary NP POI
  • Torrey Pines SB
  • Torrey Pines SNR

SAN FRANCISCO

  • Candlestick Point SRA

SAN JOAQUIN

  • Caswell Memorial SP

SAN LUIS OBISPO

  • Estero Bluffs SP
  • Harmony Headlands SP
  • Hearst San Simeon SP
  • Los Osos Oaks SNR
  • Montaña de Oro SP
  • Morro Bay SP
  • Morro Strand SB
  • Pismo SB

SAN MATEO

  • Año Nuevo SP
  • Bean Hollow SB
  • Big Basin Redwoods SP (also in Santa Cruz)
  • Burleigh H. Murray Ranch Park Property
  • Butano SP
  • Gray Whale Cove SB
  • Half Moon Bay SB
  • Montara SB
  • Pescadero SB
  • Pigeon Point Light Station SHP
  • Pomponio SB
  • Portola Redwoods SP
  • San Gregorio SB
  • Thornton SB
  • Castle Rock SP (also in Santa Cruz & Santa Clara)

SANTA BARBARA

  • Chumash Painted Cave SHP
  • El Capitán SB
  • Gaviota SP
  • La Purísima Mission SHP
  • Point Sal SB
  • Refugio SB
  • Carpinteria SB (also in Ventura)

SANTA CLARA

  • Henry W. Coe SP (also in Stanislau)
  • Pacheco SP (also in Merced County)
  • Castle Rock SP (also in Santa Cruz & San Mateo)

SANTA CRUZ

  • Big Basin Redwoods SP (also in San Mateo)
  • Henry Cowell Redwoods SP
  • Lighthouse Field SB
  • Manresa SB
  • Natural Bridges SB
  • New Brighton SB
  • Salinas River SB (also in Monterey)
  • Santa Cruz Mission SHP
  • Seacliff SB
  • Sunset SB
  • The Forest of Nisene Marks SP
  • Wilder Ranch SP
  • Zmudowski SB (also in Monterey)
  • Castle Rock SP (also in San Mateo & Santa Clara)

SHASTA

  • Ahjumawi Lava Springs SP
  • Castle Crags SP
  • McArthur Burney Falls SP

SOLANO

  • Benicia SRA
  • Benicia Capitol SHP

SONOMA

  • Armstrong Redwoods SNR
  • Austin Creek SRA
  • Fort Ross SHP
  • Jack London SHP
  • Kruse Rhododendron SNR
  • Robert Louis Stevenson SP (also in Lake & Napa)
  • Salt Point SP
  • Sonoma Coast SP
  • Sugarloaf Ridge SP (also in Napa)
  • Trione-Annadel SP
  • Bothe-Napa Valley SP (also in Napa)

STANISLAUS

  • Henry W. Coe SP (also in Santa Clara)
  • Turlock Lake SRA

TEHAMA

  • William B. Ide Adobe SHP
  • Woodson Bridge SRA

TULARE

  • Colonel Allensworth SHP

TUOLUMNE

  • Columbia SHP
  • Calaveras Big Trees SP (also in Calaveras)

VENTURA

  • Carpinteria SB (also in Santa Barbara)
  • Emma Wood SB
  • Leo Carrillo SP (also in Los Angeles)
  • Mandalay SB
  • McGrath SB
  • Point Mugu SP
  • San Buenaventura SB

POI = Point of Interest
SB = State Beach
SHM = State Historical Monument
SHP = State Historic Park
SMP = State Marine Park
SMR = State Marine Reserve
SNR = State Natural Reserve
SP = State Park
SP SS = State Park State Seashore
SRA = State Recreation Area
SVRA = State Vehicular Recreation Area
WC = Wayside Campground

Other Fun Things to do in California:

DISCOUNT TO THEME PARKS AND ATTRACTIONS:

Arizona

California

Connecticut

Florida

Georgia

Illinois

Iowa

Kentucky

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Missouri

New Jersey

New York

North Carolina

Ohio

Pennsylvania

Texas

Virginia

Wisconsin

Canada

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. AnyTots.com has made every effort to confirm the information in this article and we try our best to update as often as possible but things can often change so we urge you to confirm every event detail like date, time, location, ticket price from the host of the event or attraction, and actual savings calculation in case of an error on our part. AnyTots does not sell any tickets but only lists reliable sources where you can buy discounted tickets, make sure to check the refund or exchange policy before buying tickets through them. AnyTots is in no way responsible for any injuries or damages you sustain while visiting an attraction or event posted on our website and you assume the sole risk of relying on any of the information in our post.