Sacramento, CA — In honor of Juneteenth and the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Governor Gavin Newsom today announced a special edition of the California State Parks Historian Passport, free to download through July 6, 2026. This Historian Passport can be used for free admission at more than 30 historic state parks throughout California for the rest of the calendar year.

“California state parks help us understand the history of California, the United States, and the ongoing work of building a more inclusive democracy,” said Rachel Norton, Executive Director of California State Parks Foundation. “The special edition Historian Passport is a great opportunity to explore state parks for free. We hope access to the Historian Passport encourages more Californians to visit a historic state park and learn about, and reflect on, our shared history.”

The availability of the free pass, which typically costs $50, is made possible by California State Parks Foundation and the California State Railroad Museum Foundation. California State Parks Foundation sees this effort as one way to help ensure cost is not a barrier to connecting people with these important places. While park fees remain an important part of supporting the park system, programs like this create meaningful opportunities for more families and communities to access parks and experience them firsthand. 

From June 17 through July 6, Californians can download the pass for free and then use it for unlimited visits to participating state parks from Juneteenth (June 19) through December 31, 2026. An account with ReserveCalifornia.com, California State Parks’ official reservation service, is required to download the pass. It can be used for admission of up to four people per pass.

“California’s state historic parks preserve some of our nation’s most powerful and meaningful stories, and I’m proud to live in a state that celebrates diversity to connect more people with those stories through this limited-time free pass,” said California State Parks Director Armando Quintero. “I hope the free Historian Passport introduces more Californians to the state’s historic gems and sparks a curiosity and thirst for knowledge that leads to many return visits. I thank Governor Newsom and the First Partner for their unwavering support of State Parks, and a special thanks to our partners, California State Parks Foundation and the California State Railroad Museum Foundation, for supporting the free Historian Passport.”

California State Parks Foundation is a key proponent of ensuring all Californians can experience state parks. Earlier this year, California State Parks Foundation funded a free-admission day at more than 200 state parks in honor of Martin Luther King (MLK) Jr. Day. California State Parks Foundation also champions the California State Library Parks Pass, which provides free vehicle access to more than 200 state parks for library cardholders across the state.

“Initiatives like the special edition Historian Passport, free entry on MLK Day, and the Library Parks Pass help ensure that cost is never a barrier to experiencing California’s state parks,” continued Rachel Norton. “California State Parks Foundation will continue to support and advocate for initiatives that ensure all Californians can enjoy these places.”

The parks that accept the special edition Historian Passport highlight California’s diverse cultural, political, and social history, from Gold Rush-era communities to military landmarks, missions, and museums. These parks play an important role in telling the full history of the state through education, preservation, and interpretation. Examples of the participating parks include: 

  • Antelope Valley Indian Museum State Historic Park: Located in northeastern Los Angeles County, Antelope Valley Indian Museum State Historic Park offers visitors the opportunity to learn about the Native peoples of the Great Basin. Antelope Valley was a major prehistoric trade corridor, so the exhibits emphasize several Indigenous communities in the area. The museum explores both the history and contemporary impacts of Native cultures in the region.
  • Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park: Located in the Central Valley, Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park preserves the story of a remarkable community founded by Black pioneers more than a century ago. Today, visitors can walk historic streets, explore restored buildings, and learn about the people who built a California town founded, financed, and governed by Black Americans.
  • Indian Grinding Rock State Historic Park: Located in the Sierra Nevada foothills east of Jackson, Indian Grinding Rock State Historic Park contains 1,185 granite bedrock mortars used to process acorns, seeds, and other items — the largest collection of mortars in North America. Within the park, the Chaw’se Regional Indian Museum features a variety of exhibits and an outstanding collection of artifacts, including those from Northern, Central, and Southern Miwok, Maidu, Konkow, Monache, Nisenan, Tubatulabal, Washo, and Foothill Yokut.
  • Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park: Located in Coloma, west of Sacramento, Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park offers a site to reflect on the history of the Gold Rush and its impacts on California. These are the ancestral homelands of the Nisenan and foothill Miwok peoples and the area “Cullumah” means “beautiful valley” in the Nisenan language. The discovery of gold would consequentially lead to the migration of over 300,000 settlers and miners to the area, devastating the local Native people, and putting California on a fast track to statehood.
  • Railtown 1897 State Historic Park: Located in Jamestown, southeast of Sacramento, Railtown 1897 State Historic Park is home to the Historic Jamestown Shops and Roundhouse — an intact and still-functioning steam locomotive repair and maintenance facility, portions of which date back to 1897. This one-of-a-kind attraction combines industrial heritage and railroad history.


A list of participating parks is available here. To download the pass, visit here. 

ABOUT CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS FOUNDATION
California State Parks Foundation, an independent, member-supported nonprofit with over 50 years of history, is dedicated to protecting and preserving the California state park system for the benefit of all. We work in parks and in Sacramento with partners, park staff, and policymakers to address the challenges parks face. To make real and lasting change, we are working to build a movement of people who enjoy and advocate for their parks now and for future generations. Learn more at www.calparks.org, or find California State Parks Foundation @calparks on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter/X, and @californiaparks on Bluesky.