NEWS CLIPS

 The opinions and views expressed in the news stories of interest do not always reflect those of the California Department of Parks and Recreation.

News Stories of Interest 

California Department of Parks and Recreation 

Week of Sept. 28, 2026 

The opinions and views expressed in the news stories of interest do not always reflect those of the California Department of Parks and Recreation. 

Botched Altadena evacuations, dysfunction in Pacific Palisades: Long-awaited fire investigation identifies missteps: A long-awaited independent investigation commissioned by Gov. Gavin Newsom provides the most frank and in-depth review of the Jan. 7, 2025 catastrophes, and points out multiple shortcomings in governmental planning and response. 

Noah Haggerty, Grace Toohey, Terry Castleman & Alene Tchekmedyian, LA Times, Oct. 2, 2026 

FIFTY YEARS WILD: Few places in the Santa Monica Mountains inspire the same sense of wonderment as Malibu Creek State Park, where rolling hills, rugged chaparral, towering rock formations and wide-open skies create a landscape that has captivated generations of visitors—and filmmakers. 

Eamon Murphy, The Acorn, Oct. 2, 2026 

2 people rescued after falling off rocks at Panther Beach: Two people fell into the ocean Tuesday afternoon while fishing on the rocks at Panther Beach near Davenport, prompting rescue efforts. (Subscription Required) 

Gabrielle Gillette, Santa Cruz Sentinel, Oct. 1, 2026 

4 Fun Ways to Celebrate Halloween Around the Sacramento Region This Year: For just the fourth time ever, the Leland Stanford Mansion will serve as your host—your ghost host, of course—this Halloween. 

Elyssa Lee & Sean Timm, Sactown Magazine, Oct. 1, 2026 

One of the country’s best-preserved ghost towns is hidden in a California state park — but if you visit, beware the ‘Bodie curse’: Tucked high in the eastern Sierra Nevada mountains sits a state park where a once-booming gold mining camp has been frozen in time — dusty, deserted and eerily untouched. 

McKenzie Beard, New York Post, Oct. 1, 2026 

Come celebrate the Empire Mine SHP 50th Anniversary Staff & Mining Family Reunion (press release): On Saturday, October 10, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., California State Parks is inviting former Empire Mine State Historic Park staff and the descendants of the Empire Mines’ employees to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Empire Mine State Historic Park. 

The Union, Oct. 1, 2026 

 

Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park opened 60 years ago: Nevada City newspaper publisher Alfred E. Heller (1929-2019) might have called himself the father of Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park. An unassuming man, he never did that. Besides, he had bigger plans. 

Gage McKinney, The Union, Oct. 1 2026 

After El Niño, what will be left of LA’s Olympic surf venue?Recent storms have brought an epic run of big, surfable waves to Southern California. But they’ve also wreaked havoc on beaches, surfside homes and coastal infrastructure. 

Jill Replogle, LAist, Oct. 1, 2026 

Rescue team saves two fishers swept away at Santa Cruz County beach:Multiple government agencies helped save two adults swept away by waves at a Santa Cruz County beach.On Tuesday, two people were fishing on rocks near Panther Beach when waves carried them out to sea, Cal Fire wrote in a Facebook post. The agency was the first to arrive. 

Olivia Harden, SFGATE, Sept. 30, 2026 

Settlement agreement bars expanded OHV access at Red Rock Canyon State Park: An agreement finalized this week bars state officials from expanding off-road vehicle access within Red Rock Canyon State Park but does not ban dirt bikers and other off-highway operators from roads already open to them at the popular attraction in eastern Kern County. 

John Cox, Bakersfield Californian, Sept. 30, 2026 

Secret tunnel on Highway 1 leads to one of the most scenic hikes in California: This small California tunnel has a long history.Just off Highway 1, the Partington Cove Trail leads hikers to one of the Golden State’s most stunning coastal vistas, with rugged views of a wave-battered beach and turquoise waters.But getting there requires a trek through a 60-foot, hand-carved passageway. 

Christopher Edwards, California Post, Sept. 30, 2026 

Volunteers Wanted to Pull Invaders from North Coast Dunes This October (press release): Redwood Parks Conservancy (RPC), in partnership with California State Parks North Coast Redwoods District, invites the public to volunteer this October to help restore coastal dunes and native habitats across Northern California. 

Redheaded Blackbelt, Sept. 30, 2026 

Santa Cruz County ocean rescue leaves 2 hospitalized: Two anglers were hospitalized after being swept off rocks near Panther State Beach on the Santa Cruz County coast Tuesday afternoon, according to officials. 

Ryan Mense, KRON-TV (San Franciso), Sept. 30, 2026 

Center for Biological Diversity Agreement Secures California State Park Safeguards Against Off-Road Vehicles: On Tuesday, the Center for Biological Diversity reached an agreement to secure safeguards for the Red Rock Canyon State Park against off-road vehicle damage. 

Sierra Sun Times, Sept. 30, 2026 

Mary Zmudowski was a California schoolteacher when she donated 155 acres of coastal land to the state in 1950; today it is a 220-acre state beach bearing her name: Twenty miles northwest of Monterey on Highway 1 lies Zmudowski State Beach, a 220-acre expanse of dunes, birds, and the confluence of the Pajaro River with the sea. 

Economic Times, Sept. 30, 2026 

Hidden Amongst the Redwoods, This Quietly Cool Mountain Town Is the Fall Escape You Need: Tucked away amidst lush redwood groves in the Santa Cruz Mountains, there’s something charming and almost enchanted about Felton. It’s small enough to feel intimate, and weird enough to keep it Santa Cruz. 

Krista Simmons, Sunset Magazine, Sept. 30, 2026 

Gold Rush comes alive in Coloma Oct. 9-11 (press release): Celebrate 250 years of the United States by stepping back in time during Coloma Gold Rush Live! at Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park. 

Gold Mountain News, Sept. 30, 2026 

Free state parks admission, new hurdles for offshore oil drilling among environmental bills Newsom signs: With less than 100 days left in his final term as governor, Gavin Newsom on Tuesday signed a bill that makes it more difficult for President Donald Trump to open California’s coast to new offshore oil drilling. 

Paul Rogers, San Jose Mercury News, Sept. 29, 2026 

Highway 1 is open again in Big Sur. Which campgrounds, trails are still closed?Highway 1 has reopened in Big Sur, but recreational opportunities remain limited due to wildfires raging in the area. A 45-mile stretch of Highway 1 closed in Big Sur in late August due to the Plaskett Fire and Timber Fire. 

Alexiah Syrai Olsen, The San Luis Obispo Tribune, Sept. 29, 2026 

In 1944, Betty Rogers donated her late husband Will Rogers’ 359-acre Pacific Palisades ranch to California. Today, it’s a state park, but the 31-room house was destroyed in the Palisades Fire: Will Rogers was one of the most popular and highest-paid actors in Hollywood during the 1930s. Known as “America’s most beloved citizen,” he rose to fame as a columnist, a “cowboy philosopher”, aviation enthusiast, philanthropist, radio personality and movie star. 

Liz Lindane, Parade, Sept. 29, 2026 

An eroding California beach and the fight over driving on the sand: For Dylan Feierabend, there are few things more life-affirming than fishing for redtail surfperch and smelt at Centerville Beach in rural Humboldt County. 

Hailey Branson-Potts, Los Angeles Times, Sept. 29, 2026 

Come see what autumn is bringing to Anderson Marsh State Historic Park (press release): The first guided nature walk of the fall season at Anderson Marsh State Historic Park will be held on Saturday, Oct. 10, beginning at 8:30 a.m. Come see what autumn is bringing to the park.  

Lake County News, Sept. 29, 2026 

Man rescued after drowning at Torrey Pines State Beach: A man was rushed to the hospital Monday evening after a water rescue at Torrey Pines State Beach. Emergency crews were called to the area around 6:07 p.m. 

Mallory Smith, CBS-8 (San Diego), Sept. 28, 2026 

Navy Helicopter Plucks Three Lost Hikers From Big Sur Backcountry After Dark: Three hikers who became lost and disoriented in the rugged terrain of Limekiln State Park were hoisted to safety by a Navy helicopter after a satellite 911 call alerted rescuers to their location. 

Eileen Vargas, Hoodline, Sept. 28, 2026 

California Wants Rename a Bay Area State Park Over a Massacre That Happened Near Redding in 1846: California State Parks issued a notice Wednesday opening a 30-day public comment period on renaming Fremont Peak State Park in San Benito County as tooyohtak State Park, restoring the traditional Mutsun placename. It is pronounced too-YOH-tahk and means place of the bees. 

Active NorCal, Sept. 28, 2026 

More prescribed burning planned in Calaveras Big Trees State Park's vulnerable South Grove: California State Parks, with Cal Fire, plans to conduct prescribed burns in Calaveras Big Trees State Park as soon as next Wednesday, Sept. 30, in four treatment areas covering about 780 acres in the South Grove of Giant Sequoias in Tuolumne County, and at North Grove Meadow and West Moran in Calaveras County, state parks staff announced Monday. 

Guy McCarthy, The Union Democrat, Sept. 28, 2026 

‘Bomb-like’ marine marker among unusual items that El Niño has washed onto California’s shores: Powerful swells driven by recent storms amid a growing El Niño are warming ocean waters, causing sand erosion and drawing animals rarely seen to California’s shore. 

Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, Sept. 28, 2026 

Smoke from Angel Island controlled burn leaves East Bay officials fuming: Wednesday’s prescribed burn on Angel Island sparked concerns among some East Bay officials about the need to protect residents from smoke by better planning for when deliberate and controlled fires are allowed. (Subscription Required) 

Sierra Lopez, Mercury News, Sept. 28, 2026 

  • Additional Coverage: KQED 

Prescribed Burns Planned for Bald Hills Starting in Late September: Redwood National and State Parks will conduct a series of prescribed burns this fall in six areas of the Bald Hills: DA Second Growth, Williams Ridge, Schoolhouse, Wooden Gate, Lower Dolason and South Boundary. (Copy of Press Release) 

Redheaded Blackbelt, Sept. 27, 2026 

A Century of Sand Debt Comes Due in Malibu: A new study finds the world’s great surf breaks are vulnerable to climate change. In Malibu, the problem is more specific: a coast with few defenses, with a record El Niño winter closing in. 

Kate Waxman, Inside Climate News, Sept. 27, 2026 

Free Marine Flare Collection Events in October 2026: Several California regions, in partnership with the California Product Stewardship Council, California State Parks, and the Coastal Commission’s Boating Clean and Green Program, are hosting free expired marine flare collection events this fall. (Copy of Press Release) 

CC News, Sept. 27, 2026 

6 California campsites rank among ‘favorite’ spots in the US. Where to stay next: Some of Hipcamp users’ favorite places to camp are in California. The lodging reservation platform highlighted 50 favorite places to camp in the United States in 2026, based on reviews, ratings, regional trends and more. 

Alexiah Syrai Olsen, Sacramento Bee, Sept. 26, 2026 

$1.4M in grants aims to enhance boating safety education: California State Parks’ Division of Boating and Waterways announces it is now accepting grant applications from organizations that teach on-the-water boating safety education to the public. (Copy of Press Release) 

Plumas Sun, Sept. 26, 2026 

Fall tours begin at Tomo-Kahni State Historic Park: California State Parks is taking reservations for the fall tour season at Tomo-Kahni State Historic Park. (Copy of Press Release) 

AV Press, Sept. 26, 2026 

Fremont peak name change proposed in honor of Amah Mutsun Tribe: California officials are proposing to strip the name of a 19th century explorer from Fremont Peak State Park in Monterey and San Benito counties, replacing it with the Native American name Tooyohtak. 

Pete Young, Local News Matters, Sept. 26, 2026 

New California law gives tribes role in West Sacramento Indian Heritage Center: The California Indian Heritage Center under construction in West Sacramento will have a new framework for tribal involvement in its operations and programming under a law signed Friday by Gov. Gavin Newsom. 

Daniel Lempres, Sacramento Bee, Sept. 25, 2026 

Calaveras Big Trees plans prescribed fire. Why it’s done, and how to avoid smoke: Wildfire season is giving way to prescribed-burning season in and near the Sierra Nevada. One of them is scheduled to begin Sept. 30 in Calaveras Big Trees State Park. 

John Holland, Modesto Bee, Sept. 25, 2026 

Family of missing mom Angelica Brophy reveals shock new timeline and casino pit stops before disappearance 80 days ago: The heartbroken family of a missing mom of two who vanished in July have revealed a new timeline detailing her exact movements in the lead up to her mysterious disappearance. 

Steve Brenner, The Sun, Sept. 25, 2026 

Encinitas's Grandview Beach stairs close again after bluff collapse, despite $1M repair project: For the last week, a popular beach access point in Encinitas has been closed. According to the city of Encinitas, it was made aware that a portion of the bluff Grandview Beach, just north of the staircase, collapsed on Sept. 18. 

Brooke Martell, NBC San Diego, Sept. 25, 2026 

Malibu reaches 100-permit rebuilding milestone as infrastructure challenges shape fire recovery: Malibu has issued its 100th construction permit and first certificate of occupancy for homes rebuilt following the deadly January 2025 Palisades fire, marking measurable progress in a recovery complicated by steep terrain, coastal erosion, wastewater infrastructure and property-specific engineering demands. (Subscription Required) 

Michelle Edgar, Los Angeles Daily News, Sept. 25, 2026