Wow. I honestly have to say it again. Wow. I’m completely surprised, but today Governor Schwarzenegger announced exactly how many State Parks would be closed – zero.

According to a blog entry on the LA Times site, the State Parks will still have their budgets cut, but instead of closing, most parks will simply reduce the hours or days of operations.

The plan sounds like it’s park-specific – some parks will close a loop of campsites, others will close entire areas, while others might just reduce their cleaning schedule. Parks that are closed on a seasonal basis, like Bodie, might be closed for a few more weeks.

Obviously, this is a short-term solution – many of these parks are already running on reduced maintenance budgets – but it’s better than closing entire parks outright. We should still be volunteering, donating, and paying our entrance fees when we enjoy the California State Park System … and still work to get that $15 vehicle registration fee on the ballot for next year, just in case.

A list of parks with reduced services or hours has not yet been released.

Tags: california budget crisis, California State Park Closings, california state parks