CA ACR96

Recognizes the 150th anniversary of the California State Park System, which began in 1862 when Captain Israel Ward Raymond and Senator John Conness advocated for preserving Yosemite as public land.

President Abraham Lincoln signed the Yosemite Grant Act on June 30, 1864, granting Yosemite Valley and Mariposa Big Tree Grove to California, with Governor Frederick Low accepting the grant in September 1864.

The Department of Parks and Recreation currently manages 280 park units containing approximately 1.59 million acres, including over 339 miles of coastline, nearly 300 parks and beaches, and 4,456 miles of nonmotorized trails.

California state parks preserve diverse natural, cultural, and recreational resources including redwood forests, deserts, beaches, historic sites, Native American sites, and off-highway vehicle parks.

The Legislature urges all Californians to celebrate the state park system's 150th anniversary and recognizes its role as a national and world leader in conservation.