SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – California State Parks Foundation released the results of the second annual “Best of California’s State Parks.” This poll highlights state parks beloved for hiking, camping, spectacular views, wildflowers, family-friendly adventures, and more. This year’s poll also features two new categories — “Best State Park for Water Activities” and “Best State Park for Hidden Gem Experiences.”
This year, California State Parks Foundation invited its members, supporters, and the public to nominate and vote on their favorite parks across 12 categories. Over 2,000 people participated in the process. Many of the survey participants also sent in photos and shared their personal stories and memories about why these parks are special.
“The ‘Best of California’s State Parks‘ poll highlights the deep connection that people have to our parks,” said Rachel Norton, Executive Director of California State Parks Foundation. “These places represent the incredible diversity of experiences we can find in our state parks, from exploring the coast to learning about our history. We hope Californians will use the ‘Best of California’s State Parks‘ poll results to get inspired to get outdoors with family and friends.”
This year’s winners and honorable mentions include parks that stretch across 24 counties in California. It includes a wide range of parks, including urban, desert, coastal, woodland, and historic parks, highlighting the diversity of the system.
The California state park system includes 280 state parks and growing, over 340 miles of coastline, 970 miles of lake and river frontage, 15,000 campsites, 5,200 miles of trails, more than 3,000 historic buildings, and more than 11,000 known prehistoric and historic archaeological sites.
The winners of the 2026 “Best of California’s State Parks” poll include:
- Best State Park for Camping
- Winner: Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park (Monterey County)
- Honorable Mention: Anza-Borrego Desert State Park (Imperial, Riverside, and San Diego Counties)
- Honorable Mention: Calaveras Big Trees State Park (Calaveras and Tuolumne Counties)
- Best State Park for Hiking
- Winner: Big Basin Redwoods State Park (San Mateo and Santa Cruz Counties)
- Honorable Mention: Jack London State Historic Park (Sonoma County)
- Honorable Mention: Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park (Humboldt and Del Norte Counties)
- Best State Park for Spectacular Views
- Winner: Mount Tamalpais State Park (Marin County)
- Honorable Mention: Point Lobos State Natural Reserve (Monterey County)
- Honorable Mention: Crystal Cove State Park (Orange County)
- Best State Park for Birdwatching
- Winner: Morro Bay State Park (San Luis Obispo County)
- Honorable Mention: Humboldt Lagoons State Park (Humboldt County)
- Honorable Mention: Año Nuevo State Park (San Mateo County)
- Best State Park for Wildflowers
- Winner: Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve State Natural Reserve (Los Angeles County)
- Honorable Mention: Anza-Borrego Desert State Park (Imperial, Riverside, and San Diego Counties)
- Honorable Mention: Sugarloaf Ridge State Park (Sonoma and Napa Counties)
- Best State Park for Family-Friendly Adventures
- Winner: Angel Island State Park (Marin County)
- Honorable Mention: Railtown 1897 State Historic Park (Tuolumne County)
- Honorable Mention: Indian Grinding Rock State Historic Park (Amador County)
- Best State Park for Day Trips
- Winner: Point Lobos State Natural Reserve (Monterey County)
- Honorable Mention: Jack London State Historic Park (Sonoma County)
- Honorable Mention: Angel Island State Park (Marin County)
- Best State Park for Beaches
- Winner: Half Moon Bay State Beach (San Mateo County)
- Honorable Mention: Asilomar State Beach (Monterey County)
- Honorable Mention: Crystal Cove State Park (Orange County)
- Best State Park for Learning About History
- Winner: Bodie State Historic Park (Mono County)
- Honorable Mention: Jack London State Historic Park (Sonoma County)
- Honorable Mention: Indian Grinding Rock State Historic Park (Amador County)
- Best State Park for Dog-Friendly Adventures
- Winner: Folsom Lake State Recreation Area (El Dorado, Placer, and Sacramento Counties)
- Honorable Mention: Leo Carrillo State Park (Los Angeles and Ventura Counties)
- Honorable Mention: Candlestick Point State Recreation Area (San Francisco County)
- Best State Park for Water Activities
- Winner: Emerald Bay State Park (El Dorado County)
- Honorable Mention: Folsom Lake State Recreation Area (El Dorado, Placer, and Sacramento Counties)
- Honorable Mention: Clear Lake State Park (Lake County)
- Best State Park Hidden Gem
- Winner: Sugarloaf Ridge State Park (Sonoma and Napa Counties)
- Honorable Mention: Bodie State Historic Park (Mono County)
- Honorable Mention: China Camp State Park (Marin County)
