California State Parks
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| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1864 (First State Park) 1927 (Bureaucratic Forming) |
| Headquarters |
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| Employees | 1,835.1 permanent staff, 1,543.5 seasonal (2022–2023) |
| Annual budget | $1.367 billion (2025) |
Agency executive |
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Parent agency | California Natural Resources Agency |
| Website | parks.ca.gov |
The California Department of Parks and Recreation (CDPR), operating as California State Parks, is a department of the California Natural Resources Agency within the California state government. The system is the largest state park system in the United States.
California State Parks administers 279 separate park units on 1.4 million acres (5,700 km2), with over 280 miles (450 km) of California coastline; 625 miles (1,006 km) of lake and river frontage; nearly 15,000 campsites; and 3,000 miles (4,800 km) of hiking, biking, and equestrian trails. Headquartered in Sacramento, park administration is divided into 21 districts.