CA Offers Free Entrance To 133 State Parks On Veterans Day

CALIFORNIA — As COVID-19 cases surge once again across the Golden State, seeking refuge in nature has become one of the only safe activities recommended by public health officials. On Wednesday, entrance fees at all 133 California State Parks were waived for the day in honor of Veterans Day.

Additionally, all national park fees across the country were waived — and California has more parks than any other state.

On Wednesday, U.S. military veterans and Gold Star Families also became eligible to receive a lifetime America the Beautiful pass to national parks, forests, wildlife refuges, preserves and other federal lands.

"Today, nearly 1.6 million veterans live and work in our state, and many more Californians have close family members who are veterans," Gov. Gavin Newsom wrote in a Tuesday statement. "These individuals continue to serve their communities as small business owners, civic leaders, first responders, volunteers, mentors and in countless other roles and professions."

While active members of the military and their families already qualify for free annual park passes, which cost $80 yearly, a bill approved by Congress and signed by President Donald Trump added veterans to that benefit.

“We understand this has been a challenging year with the ongoing pandemic and the recent wildfires,” California State Parks Director Armando Quintero wrote in a statement. “California State Parks is proud to be able to honor our military community by thanking them for their service and sacrifices to our country. We hope they can enjoy one of our beautiful parks with their loved ones.”

SEE ALSO: Veterans Day 2020 Restaurant Freebies & Deals In CA

Participating parks across California were the California State Railroad Museum and Railtown 1897 State Historic Park, along with recreation areas such as Carnegie, Clay Pit, Eastern Kern County Onyx Ranch, Hollister Hills, Hungry Valley and Oceano Dunes

And parks that honor historic military sites or veterans from the Mexican-American War to the Cold War are listed here:

• Angel Island State Park
• Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park
• Fort Ross State Historic Park
• Fort Tejon State Historic Park
• Mount Diablo State Park

In order to enter the parks, a valid military ID or a California driver's license showing veteran status must be given to park staff. A full list of parks in California can be found here.

A full list of the nine national parks in California can be found here.