Where the park cutbacks are
SACRAMENTO
October 29, 2009
5:35am
• State cuts hours, services at 279 parks, museums
• Most are effective Sunday
While Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger never went through with his threat to shut down the entire state park system, there are cuts in hours and services that are to take effect Sunday, Nov. 1, and run through June of next year.
The reduced spending is supposed to save about $14 million.
Some of the most common service reductions across include:
Reduce days of operation by two or three weekdays at selected parks. Other parks will close a portion of a campground or outlying day-use areas.
Close and consolidate some park offices and/or reduce hours of operation.
Reduce off-season lifeguard levels at some beaches.
Remove some trash cans and fire rings from the beach and close roughly half of the restrooms at some beaches.
Close many park visitor centers two or more days every week.
Reduce the numbers of school tours and interpretive programs at many parks.
As best as can b determined from California State Parks, here is a list of which parks will be impacted:
Bidwell Mansion SHP, Chico. November 2009 - March 2010. No Mansion tours will be given on Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays.
William B. Ide Adobe SHP, Red Bluff. November 2009 March 2010. No Adobe tours will be given on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays.
Shasta SHP, Shasta. November 2009 March 2010. The Shasta Courthouse Museum will be closed on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays.
Weaverville Joss House SHP, Weaverville. November 2009 March 2010. No Joss House tours will be given on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays.
In Sacramento, three state historic parks and one museum will be closed to the public on Mondays and include the following: the Governors Mansion State Historic Park; Leland Stanford Mansion State Historic Park; California State Indian Museum, and, Sutters Fort State Historic Park.
Railtown 1897 State Historic Park in Jamestown will be closed on Mondays as well.
Three other Capital-area parks -- the California State Railroad Museum, Old Sacramento State Historic Park and the State Capitol Museum -- will remain open seven days per week as usual but will experience some program reductions. Depending on the site, service reductions may include selected restroom closures, reductions in tours and other interpretive programs, deferral of building repairs and other ongoing maintenance needs as well as delay in filling certain vacancies.
Bull Frog Pond Campground and Tom King/Mannings Flat I and II Backcountry Campsites closed November 1, 2009 to June 30, 2010
Bodega Head East Day Use, Campbell Cove Day Use, Bodega Dunes Day Use, South Salmon Day Use, South Goat Rock and Blind Beach Day Use, Russian Gulch Day Use, and Vista Point Day Use closed Nov. 2 to June 30, 2010
Jenner Visitor Center and Public Restroom closed Nov. 2 to June 30, 2010
Bodega Dunes Campground partially closed Nov. 1 to June 30, 2010.
Willow Creek and Pomo Canyon Campgrounds closed Nov. 1 to June 30, 2010.
Fort Ross State Historic Parks Reef Campground and Day Use Area closed Nov. 1 to June 30, 2010
Fort Ross State Historic Park including Visitor Center and Fort Compound closed Monday through Thursday.
Kruse Rhododendron State Reserve restroom facilities closed Nov. 2 to June 30, 2010
Salt Point State Parks Fisk Mill Day Use and Lower Gerstile Cove Day Use closed Nov. 2 to June 30, 2010
Olompali State Historic Park will be closed to public use Monday through Friday, beginning Nov. 1 through June 30, 2010.
China Camp State Parks Back Ranch Meadows Campground will be open on weekends and some holidays on a first come, first served basis through March 25, 2010. Current reservations will be honored.
Back Ranch Meadows Campground will go back on the reservation system (through Reserve America) starting March 26, 2010.
Weber and Buckeye Point Day Use areas and the lower China Camp Village parking lot will be open on weekends and some holidays Nov. 1 through June 30, 2010
Restrooms at Weber, Buckeye Point and China Camp Village will only be open when those areas are open.
Angel Island State Parks Ayala Cove and United States Immigration Station restroom facilities will remain open during normal operating hours. All remaining restroom facilities will only be open on weekends and some holidays through April 30, 2010.
Environmental Living Programs will not be conducted, and other interpretive programs not related to the United States Immigration Station will be conducted on a limited basis, until such time as a State Park staff can be hired and trained to provide these programs. There will be delays in non-emergency responses to inquiries.
Samuel P. Taylor State Parks Madrone Group Camp and Irving Group Picnic Day Use areas will be closed Nov. 1 through March 25, 2010. They will open and go back on the reservation system (through Reserve America) starting March 26, 2010.
Devils Gulch Group Camp and Redwood Grove Group Picnic Day Use area will remain open. The family campground (Creek and Orchard Sections) will be opened as needed and will be available on a first come, first served basis through March 25, 2010. It will go back on the reservation system starting March 26, 2010. Restroom facilities in all closed areas will not be open.
Tomales Bay State Parks main entrance, Shell Beach parking lot, and Millerton Point parking lot will only be open weekends and some holidays through June 30, 2010. These areas may be open the week before and after Easter. Restroom facilities in all closed areas will not be open. Environmental Living Programs will not be conducted during the 2009/2010 academic year.
Mt. Tamalpais State Park
The upper mountain (from Pantoll to East Peak and W. Ridgecrest) will only be open to vehicular traffic weekends and some holidays Nov. 1 through June 30, 2010.
Bootjack parking lot will only be open weekends and some holidays Nov. 1 through June 30, 2010. These areas may be open during the weekdays the week before Easter and the week after Easter. Restroom facilities in all closed areas will not be open.
Alice Eastwood Group Camp will be closed Nov. 1 through March 25, 2010. It will go back on the reservation system (though Reserve America) on March 26, 2010. Current reservations will be honored.
The Frank Valley Horse Camp will be closed Nov. 1 through June 30, 2010.
The Pantoll walk-in campground will continue to stay open on a first come, first served basis.
There will be new fees areas at Rock Spring parking lot and the parking lot on Panoramic Highway across from the Mountain Home Inn.
Lake Perris SRA - Park closed to public and vehicle entry for day use and camping every Tuesday and Wednesday each week until March 31, 2010. Park will be open for day use and camping Thursday through Monday and any holidays each week until March 31, 2010. Park day use hours changed to 7 a.m.-6 p.m. from the current 6 a.m.-8 p.m.
Starting April 1, 2010 to June 30, 2010 Park returns to being open 7 days a week with day use hours changed to 6 a.m.-8 p.m.
Lake Perris Sector Office will return to being open Monday Thursday with the first three Fridays of each month closed due to furlough days.
Silverwood Lake SRA - Park closed to public and vehicle entry for day use and camping every Wednesday and Thursday each week until March 31, 2010. The park will be open for day use and camping Friday through Tuesday and any holidays each week until March 31, 2010. Day Use hours changed to 7 a.m.-5 p.m. Starting April 1, 2010 to June 30, 2010, the park returns to being open 7 days a week with day use hours changed to 6 a.m. to 9 p/m. Silverwood Sector Office will return to being open Monday-Thursday with the first three Fridays of each month closed due to furlough days.
California Citrus SHP - Park closed to general public and vehicle entry for day use every Monday though Thursday each week until June 30, 2010. Park will be open Friday, Saturday, Sunday and any holidays each week until June 30, 2010. Park day use hours changed to 8 a.m.-5 p.m. when open to the public Friday-Sunday and holidays. Weddings and Sunkist Building Rentals will still be available 7 days a week through the California Citrus Non-Profit Management Corporation. School tours will also still be accommodated by park volunteers on a case-by-case basis. The main Park Sector Office located at the Citrus Park will completely be closed to the public until June 30, 2010. Regular park office business and phone operations will temporarily be transferred to Lake Perris SRA approximately 20 miles away.
Chino Hills SP - Park closed to public and vehicle entry for day use and camping every Monday though Thursday each week until June 30, 2010. Park will be open Friday, Saturday, Sunday and any holidays each week until June 30, 2010. Park day use hours changed to 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Mount San Jacinto SP - Idyllwild Campground, Day Use and Sector Office will be closed every Monday through Wednesday each week starting Nov. 2 until May 14, 2010. This facility will be open Thursday through Sunday each week during this off-peak time. Starting May 15, 2010 these park facilities will revert back to being open 7 days a week. Stone Creek Campground near Idyllwild is normally closed for the season during this time. It will also open May 15, 2010 seven days a week. Mount San Jacinto Wilderness Area and Long Valley Ranger Station (Palm Springs Tram area) will remain open year round as usual.
San Timoteo and Wildwood Canyon SP - No service reductions.
For the Channel Coast District, which includes state parks in western Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties, service reductions will be as follows:
Reduction in seasonal staffing levels for all service areas including visitor services and maintenance functions at the following park units:
> Refugio State Beach
> El Capitan State Beach
> Gaviota State Park
> La Purisima Mission State Historic Park
> McGrath State Beach
> San Buenaventura State Beach
> Emma Wood State Beach
> Carpinteria State Beach
Campgrounds at Gaviota State Park north of Santa Barbara and the Ventura River Group Camp at Emma Wood State Beach west of Ventura will be closed to all camping until at least March 31, 2010. In addition, McGrath State Beach near Oxnard and the Anacapa Campground at Carpinteria State Beach will be closed to camping weekly from Sunday evening through Friday afternoon.
Lifeguard service across the entire Channel Coast District will be affected by the service reductions. Most beaches will see a reduction in the number of hours that lifeguards are on duty. Some beaches that have had lifeguard service in past years will be left unguarded.
For the Mendocino District, all park units will have a reduction in public safety patrols, trash services, maintenance of facilities including restrooms, exotic weed removal and wildlife monitoring. Specific service reductions for the parks within the District are as follows:
Greenwood State Beach:
> Closure of vault toilet near the beach.
Hendy Woods State Park:
> Seasonal closure of campground - Dec. 2 through March 25, 2010.
Jug Handle State Natural Reserve:
> Closure of Jug Handle office. Relocate office to open facilities.
MacKerricher State Park:
> Reduction in Visitor Center hours. Closed Monday-Thursday.
Mendocino Headlands State Park:
> Closure of the restroom facility on Main Street. Replaced with portable toilet from Big River Beach.
> Reduction in Ford House Visitor Center hours. Closed Tuesday-Thursday.
Navarro River Redwoods State Park:
> Removal of two portable toilets from the Navarro Beach campground and one at the Mill House.
Point Cabrillo Light Station State Historic Park:
> Closure of the Visitor Center including restrooms. Relocate offices to open facilities.
> Installation of portable restroom at the Visitor Center.
> Closure of one restroom at the Light Station.
Russian Gulch State Park
> Reduction in camping season Closed until May 14, 2010
Schooner Gulch State Park:
> Closure of one vault toilet.
Van Damme State Park:
> Reduction in campsites. Reduce to 20 sites from Nov. 1 to March 25, 2010. Only one restroom remains open.
> Seasonal closure of Visitor Center from Nov. 1 through March 25, 2010.