California State Parks: Tales and Trails

California State Parks protect the essential California—an epic coastline, the tallest trees on earth, high Sierra country, and desert canyons that lead to hidden oases. They also carry the stories of the state itself, from Gold Rush landscapes to historic shorelines, where the past is still part of the hike.

I’ve walked them all—all 280 state parks—an undertaking that might sound a little obsessive because, in truth, it is. Over more than three decades, I’ve followed their trails and shared their stories, each one revealing something distinct about California.