Calif. State Park Closure Mess -Finance Audit & Resolution

[S. Heisley]

With the economic recession, the Federal government and many of our states and cities are experiencing the need to cut costs. To shave losses off the California state budget, 70 of its 278 parks are slated to close by June of 2012. The following information is given so that those of you who live in California or will be in California this year will have a chance, possibly your last, to visit some of these closing parks.

For a more complete explanation, a list of the closing parks and related information about them, please look here:

http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=26685

Finance Audit and Resolution results are on page 2.

[Wolfgang92025]

Sharon,

Turn out there is a new wrinkle the state had forgotten about.
Some of the parks have received federal money. Part of the agreement was to have public access.
So now the state will have to evaluate some more what can and can not be done.
I'm afraid time will only tell if this is another political ploy, or if this time they mean it.
Also I have not heard exactly what closed means. No ranger, no services, maybe locked entrance gates..... Still yet to be determined.

Stay tuned as the "Golden State" tries to make it past this bad spot in the economy

[S. Heisley]

Wolfgang 92025 wrote:

Turn out there is a new wrinkle the state had forgotten about.
Some of the parks have received federal money. Part of the agreement was to have public access.
So now the state will have to evaluate some more what can and can not be done.
I'm afraid time will only tell if this is another political ploy, or if this time they mean it.
Also I have not heard exactly what closed means. No ranger, no services, maybe locked entrance gates..... Still yet to be determined.

Stay tuned as the "Golden State" tries to make it past this bad spot in the economy.

Thanks, Wolfgang.

It is possible that some of the parks may be open some of the time, on a limited basis; however, it is best to check before you make your plans. You can go here to see what’s happening with any CA State Park:

http://www.parks.ca.gov/parkindex/?tab=1

Example: If you select ‘B’ from the “Visit a Parkâ€

[DragonFire]

I can't believe they are closing Samuel P Taylor! That park was always so busy...surely it's pulling it's own weight?

Thankfully we still have Chaw'se Indian Grinding Rock SHP. It's a hidden gem. I only wish they made reservations!

[doug hodder]

This kind of stuff always bugs me....it's all so political. Seems that no one working for the state is ever considered "non-essential" to the point of actually laying someone off, they got 2 extra days a month off.

Hit the common people with lack of services and then tell them they need to pay more in taxes. Why is it that no matter how many bills on education increases that pass, it never seems to work no matter how much money you throw at it? Billions into high speed rail between SF and LA....now that's a real need! Show off projects like that are just plain stupid...."my train is faster than yours"...China's got it....and it doesn't pay for itself...Anarchy now! Doug

[GuitarPhotog]

Yeah, it's a PITA, but until we Californians learn that we must pay for our services through taxes, it's gonna be a "fee-for-service" economy.

But there are lots of alternatives, some of them cheaper even. I spent 4 nights last week at Lassen Volcanic National Park for $18 per night, as opposed to $35 a night at Bothe-Napa last month.

There are regional parks, such as Lopez Lake near San Luis Obispo that are less crowded, cheaper, and sometimes nicer than our overcrowded, understaffed, undermaintained state parks.

<Chas>
a 3rd-generation native Californian

[campmaster-k]

If you live in an area where there is a state park that is slated for closure contact your city or county. The state is making agreements with local govs. to run the parks as city or county parks. The cities and counties are already set up for it . We are in the process of taking over the Sac River SRA in Colusa. It can be done.

[jhb]

Keep up the good work, that will happen here with Montaña de Oro should it go on the block, but there is really nothing to close there.

[boomboomtulum]

Yes very irratating they are going to close. I checked the list and my did favs did not make the list next year at least. Russian Gulch though did.
Just going to make it even harder to get in to the ones that will remain open, like it was easy anyway. Try to get into New Brightan in Capitola lately? Or Yosemite? Forget it.

[Shadow Catcher]

From what I remember there is a net loss due to loss of tourist dollars jobs etc. Certainly analogous to what is happening on the national level.

[jhb]

Another thing is attendance is off the past 10 years, with the exception being Yosemite this spring and summer (lots of water in the falls...along with a few people). The article I read indicated a steady decline since the mid 80's. These days, it seems, people only go where their iPhones work fast, which, fortunately, is not the case in most national and state parks.

[DragonFire]

I'm still bummed that Samuel P. Taylor was on the list. But thankfully, Chaw'se (Indian Grinding Rock State Historic Park) was not. I think that will be the first place I will take my teardrop when I'm ready to head out.

If we camp in state parks they have a better chance of staying open. If we go for the National or Regional instead, out State Parks will close, due to lack of demand. Of course, this being California, they might close anyway, but at least we tried.

[sunny16]

So, is Montana d' Oro still open? I enjoyed that a couple of years ago. I would like to get back there again. Even if only to see if the racoons are still there! LOL
Maybe a gathering needs to be planned again.

[GuitarPhotog]

So, is Montana d' Oro still open? I enjoyed that a couple of years ago. I would like to get back there again. Even if only to see if the racoons are still there! LOL
Maybe a gathering needs to be planned again.

I visited Montana d'Oro in June. It was very open. State park closures aren't scheduled to begin until 2012.

I would not count on "if we go they will stay open due to demand." One of the parks with the highest occupancy rate (Big Basin SP) is on the list scheduled to be closed, along with such unknown, low-use parks as Robert Louis Stevenson SP above Calistoga.

<Chas>

[jhb]

So, is Montana d' Oro still open? I enjoyed that a couple of years ago. I would like to get back there again. Even if only to see if the racoons are still there! LOL
Maybe a gathering needs to be planned again.

I'm sure the raccoons are still about, hopping to find a Izuzu full of bacon again..., and there are several of bobcat now, the female that was there for the gather (I saw her on a picnic table mid-day) had a litter and at least three survived.

There are no reservations there, so a big gather is a bit risky for those who have to travel a ways, but that is a great spot.