List of Bay Area Parks about to close.

[Killjoy]

Folks,

Due to the state of our State, they are looking to close a bunch of the State Parks in order to save money.

Here is that list;
Marin County
-- Angel Island
-- China Camp
-- Marconi Conference Center, historic park
-- Mount Tamalpais
-- Olompali, historic park
-- Samuel P. Taylor
-- Tomales Bay

Napa County
-- Bale Grist Mill, historic park
-- Bothe-Napa Valley
-- Robert Louis Stevenson

San Francisco County
-- Angel Island
-- Candlestick Point State Recreation Area

San Mateo County
-- Año Nuevo, natural reserve
-- Bean Hollow, beach
-- Big Basin Redwoods
-- Burleigh H. Murray Ranch (park property)
-- Butano
-- Castle Rock
-- Gray Whale Cove, beach
-- Half Moon Bay, beach
-- Montara, beach
-- Pacifica, beach
-- Pescadero, beach
-- Pigeon Point Light Station, historic park
-- Point Montara Light Station (park property)
-- Pomponio, beach
-- Portola Redwoods
-- San Bruno Mountain
-- San Gregorio, beach
-- Thornton, beach

Santa Clara County
-- Castle Rock
-- Henry W. Coe
-- Pacheco
-- Martial Cottle Project (park property)

Solano County
-- Benicia, recreation area
-- Benicia Capitol, historic park

Sonoma County
-- Annadel
-- Armstrong Redwoods, natural reserve
-- Austin Creek, recreation area
-- Bothe-Napa Valley
-- Fort Ross, historic park
-- Jack London, historic park
-- Kruse Rhododendron, natural reserve
-- Petaluma Adobe, historic park
-- Robert Louis Stevenson
-- Salt Point
-- Sonoma, historic park
-- Sonoma Coast
-- Sugarloaf Ridge

Note: Parks listed in more than one county cross the county borders.

The date for the closures is July 1st, but they are talking about keeping most of them open until the end of summer seeing as there are a lot of camping reservations and such, until then.

My question is, who want's to go out and see how many of these we can visit and photograph, before they close?

Please remember rule #1. Religious/Political discussions are NOT allowed.
So please, let's not let this thread get ugly. I started it to see if we want to go shoot the parks. I do NOT want to discuss the politics of it.

Thank you.

[windrivermaiden]

i always get myself a state park pass in January. Then go to as many as I can during the year. Mostly local but I want to try to get out to some more this year. guess I should devote each weekend to a different park rather than going to the same ones.

San Mateo county seems to be getting hit especially hard. How do you close a beach? Just pull out the lifeguards, trashcans and let it go?

How about getting some highschool kids who need those newly required community service hours to pitch in?

How can you close things like Ft Ross? Pigeon point?

[lvolkjr]

Here's my empty commitment.........I'll go to all of them! Twice!

[windrivermaiden]

the yearly pass is only 125. gets you in all year. Cant even take one person to a full day at Disneyland and feed them for that.

[Killjoy]

Crystal, does that pass cover National Parks that are in California too?

Hmm. Gotta look into that.

Edit: Here's the list of parks that you can access with the pass.

[lvolkjr]

How many parks do you have to visit to justify the price?

[cbrunberg]

The pass is only for state parks not national. I volunteer as a mounted patrol in the Folsom Lake area. So I get free admission to the district. If I log over 200 hours a year I get an all state pass.

[Lilikoi the cat]

and your horse gets a free meal too.
It is 500 hours for the National parks.

[windrivermaiden]

The state park pass covers most, but not all, state parks. (concessioned parks like San Simeon are not covered, does not cover camping fees, you can see the list at the state park website and they send a list with your pass if you buy on line). Most parks are 6 to 10 dollars for entry fee, some have a seasonal rate which is higher, mostly state beaches that get heavy usage. (plus alot of parks have a "no leave and re entry" so if you leave to grab charcoal for your weinie roast...you have to pay the fee again to return. With the pass, you can come and go all day long for the same price.

So about 12 trips to break even. I got my pass Jan 1 and have already passed the break even point.

National Parks have a tier system. One pass for just parks, one for parks and forests, national seashores. I hold the Inter-agencypass which covers All Nat'l Parks, and reserves, monuments and Nat'l Forest/BLM fee areas. It does not cover camping fees. The cost of the Nat'l Park pass 80 bucks, entry to Yosemite is $25. If you live close to a Nat'l Park 3.5 visits and you are on the gravy train.

I think it is a no brainer.

[lvolkjr]

Thanks Crystal, as always you are wealth of information.