Governor Newsom announces special free pass to California’s state historic parks in honor of Juneteenth and America’s 250th anniversary

“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, thirst for knowledge and sense of belonging 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, the California State Parks Foundation and the California State Railroad Museum Foundation, for supporting the free Historian Passport.”

“Juneteenth is a celebration of Black freedom, resilience, and the enduring pursuit of equality. For generations, Black Americans were excluded from public spaces and denied access to the opportunities and experiences that others enjoyed,” said Senator Akilah Weber Pierson, M.D., Chair, California Legislative Black Caucus. “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 free pass builds on Governor Newsom’s State Parks Forward announcement on Earth Day, a bold effort to establish three new state parks — including a historic site near Bakersfield — and expand existing parks by more than 30,000 acres by the end of the decade.

California’s values vs Trump’s hate 

The free special edition Historian Passport follows Governor Newsom’s directive in January that more than 200 state parks offer free entry on Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2026, and provides another stark contrast with the Trump administration, which directed the National Park Service to no longer offer free entry on MLK Day and Juneteenth.

The difference couldn’t be clearer:

California State Parks

✅Offered free entry at 200-plus participating parks on MLK Day 2026. 

✅No invasive questions for park visitors. 

✅One standard entry fee; we welcome international tourism and visitors. ✅Adding three new parks in the Central Valley. 

✅Leaning into the full story of California and America through programs like Reexamining Our Past. 

✅No politician mugshots on our passes.

National Parks under Trump

❌Eliminated free entry on MLK Day and Juneteenth and replaced it with his own birthday.

❌Asking for citizenship status for park fees. 

❌Soaking foreign tourists with $100 in extra fees per day. 

❌Slashing park staff by 24% in 2025. 

❌Erasing tough history through educational sign removal orders.

❌Putting Trump’s face on the annual pass. 

❌Using entry fees to fund the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool vanity project.

❌ Rolled back the Endangered Species Act.

❌ Weakened the U.S. Forest Service.

❌ Proposed offshore drilling off California’s coast.

❌Opened Alaska’s wildlands to drilling.

❌Rescinded the Public Lands Rule and is working to rescind the Roadless Rule, removing wilderness protections.

❌Ordered to reinstall historical signs in National Parks, erasing years of history

Discover California stories that shaped the nation

The California State Parks Historian Passport connects visitors to places that preserve the many cultures, communities, and defining moments that continue to shape California and the United States. Participating parks reflect stories of freedom, innovation, resilience, and identity that continue to resonate today. 

To visit the park sites, download your free special edition Historian Passport by July 6, and begin exploring California’s history firsthand. An account with ReserveCalifornia.com, California State Parks’ official reservation service, is required to download.

Here are just a few parks passholders can access: 

At Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park, visitors can explore a California town founded, financed, and governed by African Americans. Established in 1908 by Colonel Allen Allensworth and a group of Black pioneers, the state historic park stands as a powerful symbol of self-determination, opportunity, and freedom, making it especially meaningful during Juneteenth commemorations.

At Indian Grinding Rock State Historic Park, visitors can view what is thought to be the largest collection of bedrock mortars in North America and one of the largest ceremonial roundhouse still used by Native Americans in California. Within the park, the Chaw’se Regional Indian Museum features a variety of exhibits and an outstanding collection of artifacts from tribes throughout the region.