California State Parks First Day Hikes, a New Year's Tradition

parks.ca.gov

Participating state parks for the 2026 First Day Hikes include:

• Anderson Marsh State Historic Park, 12 p.m. 3.5 miles distance, 4 hours. Location: Highway 53, between Lower Lake and Clearlake
• Angel Island State Park, 10:30 a.m.  2.5 miles distance, 3 hours. Location: Boat access from San Francisco, CA
• Angel Island State Park, 10:30 a.m. 2.5 miles distance, 3 hours
• Armstrong Redwoods State Nature Reserve, 10 a.m. 1.5 miles distance, 2 hours
• Armstrong Redwoods State Nature Reserve, 12 p.m. 1.5 miles distance, 2 hours
• Armstrong Redwoods State Nature Reserve, 1 p.m. 1.5 miles distance, 2 hours
• Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, 10 a.m. 2 miles distance, 2 hours
• Asilomar State Beach, 1 p.m. 2 miles distance, 1 hour
• Asilomar State Beach, 2 p.m. 0 miles distance, 3 hours
• Auburn State Recreation Area, 9 a.m. 4.6 miles distance, 4 hours
  
• Auburn State Recreation Area, 5 p.m. 2.5 miles distance, 3 hours
• Big Basin Redwoods State Park, 10 a.m. 5 miles distance, 4 hours
• Burleigh H. Murray Ranch, 10 a.m. 2.5 miles distance, 2 hours
• Calaveras Big Trees State Park, 11:30 a.m.  1.7 miles distance, 2 hours
• California Citrus State Historic Park, 9:30 a.m. 0.5 miles distance, 14 hours
• California State Capitol Museum, 9 a.m. 0.5 miles distance, 2 hours
• California State Capitol Museum, 11 a.m. 0.5 miles distance, 1 hour
• Cardiff State Beach, 10 a.m. 0.3 miles distance, 2 hours
• Carmel River State Beach, 1 p.m. 2 miles distance, 2 hours
• Caswell Memorial State Park, 9 a.m. 2 miles distance, 1 hour
• Chino Hills State Park, 8:15 a.m. 3 miles distance, 3 hours
• Crystal Cove State Park, 9 a.m. 5 miles distance, 3 hours
• China Camp State Park, 6:15 a.m.  4 miles distance, 3 hours
• Crystal Cove State Park, 9 a.m. 5 miles distance, 3 hours
• Crystal Cove State Park, 10:30 a.m.  2 miles distance, 2 hours
• Cuyamaca Rancho State Park, 9 a.m. 2 miles distance, 2 hours
• Delta Meadows, 10 a.m. 1 mile distance, 2 hours
• Dos Rios, 10 a.m. 2 miles distance, 2 hours
• El Capitan State Beach, 11 a.m. 3 miles distance, 2 hours
• George J. Hatfield State Recreation Area, 11 a.m. 0.5 miles distance, 1 hour
• Great Valley Grasslands State Park, 9 a.m. 0.5 miles distance, 1 hour
• Hearst San Simeon State Park, 10 a.m. 1 mile distance, 2 hours
• Hearst San Simeon State Park, 1:30  p.m. 3 miles distance, 2 hours
• Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, 11 a.m. 1 mile distance, 2 hours
• Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, 1 p.m. 2 miles distance, 2 hours
• Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, 3 p.m. 1.5 miles distance, 2 hours
• Hearst San Simeon State Park, 1:30 p.m. 3 miles distance, 2 hours
• Hollister Hills State Vehicular Recreation Area, 10 a.m. 1.5 miles distance, 2 hours
• Humboldt Redwoods State Park, 1 p.m. 0.6 miles distance, 1 hour
• Jack London State Historic Park, 10 a.m. 8 miles distance, 5 hours
• Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, 12 p.m. 0.5 miles distance, 1 hour
• Lake Perris State Recreation Area, 2 p.m. 4 miles distance, 3 hours
• Lake Oroville State Recreation Area, 10 a.m. 0.5 miles distance, 2 hours
• La Purísima Mission State Historic Park December 31, 2025, 10 a.m. 2 miles distance, 2 hours
• Malibu Creek State Park, 10 a.m. 2 miles distance, 2 hours
• Malibu Creek State Park, 10:30 a.m. 1 mile distance, 2 hours
• Malibu Creek State Park, 2 p.m. 2 miles distance, 2 hours
• Malibu Creek State Park, 5 p.m. 2 miles distance, 2 hours
• Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park, 10 a.m. 4 miles distance, -10 hours
• Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park, 10:15 a.m.  1 mile distance, 1 hour
• McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park, 9 a.m. 2.7 miles distance, 3 hours
• McConnell State Recreation Area, 11 a.m. 0.5 miles distance, 1 hour
• Mendocino Headlands State Park, 11 a.m. 1 mile distance, 1 hour
• Montaña de Oro State Park, 10 a.m. 1.5 miles distance, 1 hour
• Montara State Beach, 10 a.m. 2 miles distance, 2 hours
• Morro Bay State Park, 10 a.m. 0.8 miles distance, 1 hour
• Mount San Jacinto State Park, 11 a.m. 1.5 miles distance, 2 hours
• Mount Tamalpais State Park, 9 a.m. 7 miles distance, 4 hours
• Morro Bay State Park, 10 a.m. 0.8 miles distance, 1 hour
• Mount Diablo State Park, 10 a.m. 4 miles distance, 4 hours
• Mount San Jacinto State Park, 11 a.m. 1.5 miles distance, 2 hours
• Mount Tamalpais State Park, 9 a.m. 7 miles distance, 4 hours
• Mendocino Headlands State Park, 11 a.m. 1 mile distance, 1 hour
• Millerton Lake State Recreation Area, 9 a.m. 3.5 miles distance, 4 hours
• New Brighton State Beach, 3 p.m. 2 miles distance, 2 hours
• Pismo State Beach, 10 a.m. 2 miles distance, 2 hours
• Prairie City State Vehicular Recreation Area, 10 a.m. 1.5 miles distance, 2 hours
• Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, 2 p.m. 0.5 miles distance, 1 hour
• Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, 11 a.m. 0.7 miles distance, 1 hour
  
• Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, 2 p.m. 2 miles distance, 2 hours
• Point Lobos State Nature Reserve, 2 p.m. 1 mile distance, 2 hours
• Red Rock Canyon State Park, 9 a.m. 2.5 miles distance, 2 hours
• Saddleback Butte State Park, 9 a.m. 5 miles distance, 3 hours
• Saddleback Butte State Park, 10 a.m. 3.5 miles distance, 2 hours
• Saddleback Butte State Park, 11 a.m. 0.5 miles distance, 1 hour
• Salt Point State Park, 10:30 a.m. 2 miles distance, 3 hours
• San Onofre State Beach, 2 p.m. 1.5 miles distance, 2 hours
• Santa Susana Pass State Historic Park, 11 a.m. 2 miles distance, 2 hours
• Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, 9 a.m. 2 miles distance, 5 hours
• Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, 9 a.m. 6.5 miles distance, 5 hours
• Su-meg State Park, 2 p.m. 0.5 miles distance, 1 hour
• Mount Diablo State Park, 10 a.m. 4 miles distance, 4 hours
• Sutters Fort State Historic Park, 11:30 a.m.  1 mile distance, 3 hours
• Torrey Pines State Nature Reserve, 9 a.m. 1.5 miles distance, 1 hour
• Torrey Pines State Nature Reserve, 10 a.m. 1.5 miles distance, 1 hour
• Torrey Pines State Nature Reserve, 11 a.m. 1.5 miles distance, 1 hour
• Torrey Pines State Beach, 2 p.m. 1.5 miles distance, 2 hours
• The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park, 9 a.m. 4 miles distance, 4 hours
  
• Trione-Annadel State Park, 10 a.m. 2.5 miles distance, 2 hours
• Tule Elk State Nature Reserve, 10 a.m. 2 miles distance, 2 hours
• Van Damme State Park, 10 a.m. 1.5 miles distance, 3 hours

Events are not guaranteed. It is your responsibility to confirm before going.