California offers free pass to more than 30 historic state parks - for a limited time only

California is offering free admission to more than 30 state historic parks through the end of the year under a limited-time promotion tied to Juneteenth and the nation’s 250th anniversary.

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the special edition Historian Passport this week in recognition of Juneteenth and the approaching 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

The pass can be downloaded for free through July 6 and used for unlimited visits to participating historic parks from Juneteenth through Dec. 31, according to the governor’s office and California State Parks. Each pass covers admission for up to four people.

The regular Historian Passport costs $50 and is designed for state historic parks and museums that charge per-person admission or day-use vehicle fees.

“California doesn’t hide from hard truths and uncomfortable history - in fact, we embrace it and learn from it,” Newsom said in a statement. “While Trump ignores and tries to rewrite the past, California is marking these celebrations of freedom by inviting everyone to learn our country’s history - our real history - for free in our state parks.”

The free pass is available through ReserveCalifornia.com, the state’s official reservation system. Users must create an account to download the pass.

Participating sites include Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park in Tulare County, which preserves a town founded, financed and governed by African Americans in the early 20th century; Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park in Coloma, where James Marshall’s 1848 discovery helped ignite the California Gold Rush; and Weaverville Joss House State Historic Park in Trinity County, home to what State Parks describes as California’s oldest continuously used Chinese temple.

Several participating sites are within a day trip of the Bay Area, including Sonoma State Historic Park, Jack London State Historic Park in Glen Ellen, Petaluma Adobe State Historic Park, Benicia Capitol State Historic Park, Olompali State Historic Park in Novato, Marconi Conference Center State Historic Park near Tomales Bay and Bale Grist Mill State Historic Park near St. Helena.

“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,” State Parks Director Armando Quintero said in a statement.

Sen. Akilah Weber Pierson, chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus, said the offer is especially meaningful around Juneteenth, which commemorates the end of slavery in the United States.

“Juneteenth is a celebration of Black freedom, resilience, and the enduring pursuit of equality,” Weber Pierson said in a statement. “By widening access to California’s historic state parks to more families, we help ensure that public lands are places where everyone can learn and benefit from.”

The promotion follows the fifth annual California State Parks Week, held June 10-14, and comes as the state continues its “Reexamining Our Past” initiative, a State Parks effort to revisit how California history is presented at public sites.

The state also offers several free or reduced-cost park access programs year-round.

Those include the California State Library Parks Pass, which allows library cardholders to check out free day-use vehicle passes at participating libraries; the Adventure Pass for public school fourth-graders and their families; the Golden Bear Pass for eligible low-income residents, older Californians and tribal assistance participants; and the Distinguished Veterans Pass.

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