California Festivals

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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.

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