{"id":7451,"date":"2026-06-17T16:01:58","date_gmt":"2026-06-17T16:01:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sandiegorelocationnews.com\/index.php\/2026\/06\/17\/free-passes-to-california-state-parks-mark-juneteenth-250th-anniversary-of-us\/"},"modified":"2026-06-17T16:01:58","modified_gmt":"2026-06-17T16:01:58","slug":"free-passes-to-california-state-parks-mark-juneteenth-250th-anniversary-of-us","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sandiegorelocationnews.com\/index.php\/2026\/06\/17\/free-passes-to-california-state-parks-mark-juneteenth-250th-anniversary-of-us\/","title":{"rendered":"Free passes to California state parks mark Juneteenth, 250th anniversary of US"},"content":{"rendered":"
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A free pass to more than 30 California state historic parks will be offered through July 6 to honor Juneteenth and the 250th anniversary of the United States, state officials said.<\/p>\n

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The free passes are good from Juneteenth on Friday, June 19, through the end of the year.<\/p>\n

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Juneteenth commemorates the effective end of slavery in the United States, marking the date in 1865 when Union troops arrived in Galveston to announce that slaves in Texas were free.<\/p>\n

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In a news release on the offer, Gov. Gavin Newsom accused President Donald Trump of \u201ctrying to whitewash the past\u201d by ending free admission to national parks on Juneteenth.<\/p>\n

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\u201cCalifornia doesn\u2019t hide from hard truths and uncomfortable history \u2013 in fact, we embrace it and learn from it,\u201d Newsom said in the release. \u201cWhile Trump ignores and tries to rewrite the past, California is marking these celebrations of freedom by inviting everyone to learn our country\u2019s history \u2013 our real history \u2013 for free in our state parks.\u201d<\/p>\n

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How to get a free pass<\/h2>\n

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You can download a pass for a family of four for free. Passes are good for unlimited visits to participating state parks through the end of 2026.<\/p>\n

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The Historian Passport normally costs $50. Although the passport is good for the rest of 2026, the free offer is only available through July 6.<\/p>\n

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The offer gives more Californians \u201cthe opportunity to experience the unmatched natural and cultural resources of the nation\u2019s largest and most diverse state park system,\u201d the release said.<\/p>\n

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The offer is sponsored by donations from the California State Parks Foundation and the California State Railroad Museum Foundation.<\/p>\n

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\u201cCalifornia\u2019s state historic parks preserve some of our nation\u2019s most powerful and meaningful stories, and I\u2019m proud to live in a state that celebrates diversity to connect more people with those stories through this limited-time free pass,\u201d said California State Parks Director Armando Quintero in the release.<\/p>\n

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