California State Parks to Add 52,400 Acres

California plans to expand its state parks system by 52,400 acres and build 45 miles of new trails using funds from Proposition 4, the climate bond voters approved in November.

The expansion is part of a broader $584 million investment announced this week, the largest parks funding package in recent state history.

The money breaks down into three categories: $290 million for land acquisition, $200 million for infrastructure improvements at existing parks, and $94 million for climate resilience projects including post-fire restoration and erosion control.

For Southern California, the announcement includes land expansion at Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, though specific parcels and acreage haven’t been disclosed yet. The park has been working to acquire inholdings and adjacent parcels for years, and closing those gaps could reduce access interruptions on remote desert routes.

Crystal Cove State Park gets funding for coastal access improvements — specifically parking expansion and trail connections. The park’s 2,400-acre backcountry has been constrained by limited trailhead parking for decades, so additional spaces would help.

Mount San Jacinto State Park receives infrastructure funding as well, likely for trailhead and day-use facilities. The expansion numbers sound substantial until you consider scale. California’s state parks system currently includes roughly 5,000 miles of trails, so 45 new miles represents less than 1% growth spread across the entire state.