Angelika Every tourist is familiar with the spectacular American national parks that are spread across the entire USA. My goal is to visit each of these national parks at least once. And although Michael and I have already visited quite a few, there are still several we haven't seen. In addition to the national parks, we also enjoy spending time in the so-called state parks, which can be found in every American state. The idea behind the state park system is also to make scenic or historically significant areas or buildings accessible to the public and to preserve them for future generations. California alone boasts 278 state parks with different focuses, including 300 miles of coastline. On average, almost 80 million people visit the various California state parks each year. So, it is quite a popular leisure activity. State parks are smaller compared to national parks: a beach, a forest, a lake, a lighthouse, a mission church.
As the name suggests, State Parks are managed and funded by the respective state. In California, however, the coffers have been empty for several years, and the recently passed budget once again includes cuts in the millions to plug the ever-growing holes. Unfortunately, our governor Arnold Schwarzenegger showed no mercy even with the State Parks, despite usually portraying himself as an environmental angel. When signing the budget, he cut an additional 6.2 million from the State Park fund, putting the parks, which are already not exactly flush with cash, in a precarious situation. It is feared that 50-100 State Parks in California may have to close unless private sponsors or nonprofit organizations and groups can be found to keep some parks, currently on the blacklist, alive. This would be the first time in California's history that State Park closures occur.
Visiting a state park usually costs a small fee per car. The entrance fee currently ranges from 2 to 14 dollars, with us usually paying 5 or 6 dollars. Prices were increased in mid-August, which is just a drop in the bucket and cannot stop the threatened closures. Strangely enough, in our early years, almost 13 years ago, we paid an average of 10 dollars for entry to California state parks, until some smart people reduced the fees across the board by 50% in the year 2000--a decision that was not exactly forward-thinking.