Twin Lakes and Mission Santa Cruz on List of State Park Closures

In what opponents call a devastating blow to local communities, Gov. Jerry Brown announced the closings of 70 parks, including Santa Cruz's Twin Lakes and Mission Santa Cruz, to cut $22 million from the state budget.

"When the governor first proposed the cut to state parks, we warned that the closures would be devastating, and clearly they will be," said Elizabeth Goldstein, president of the California State Parks Foundation, in a press release.

"At a time when local communities are struggling to be part of the state’s recovery, this proposal shuts the door to a vital part of our economy. Closing these parks is going in the wrong direction.” 

Thirty-six of the state's 58 counties will see closures, including  40 percent of the state's historic parks, such as the Mission Santa Cruz.

"I don't know what it means," said Santa Cruz Vice Mayor Don Lane. "How do you close a beach? Tell people not to go? Does this mean it falls back to the local government to enforce the rules there?

"For our community the Mission is an incredible historical resource. I guess it means they are just going to lock the door. Or they are just figuring that they will let the local people figure out how to do it."

No matter what, says Lane, it means a loss of access for people.

"We thrive on people visiting these places."

Adds Bonny Hawley, executive director of Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks:

“Even though we’ve been preparing for this news, it’s a very sad day for California. We’re especially disappointed to see local treasures on the list, including the State Cruz Mission State Historic Park, Castle Rock State Park, Twin Lakes State Beach, Seabright State Beach and Schwann Lagoon.

"We should be asking, ‘Is this the kind of state we want to be living in?’ Until we have a better answer to that question, Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks is prepared to step up in new ways to save these parks and beaches for future generations as they were saved for us.”

According to the State Parks Foundation the closures include: 

• The second-largest state park in the entire state park system and largest in Northern California (Henry Coe State Park)

• The home of famous author, adventurer, and California native Jack London (Jack London State Historic Park)

• The state park that has served as a backdrop for more than 200 films and still draws the film industry today (Railtown 1897 State Historic Park)

The complete list:

Anderson Marsh SHP 

Annadel SP 

Antelope Valley Indian Museum 

Austin Creek SRA 

Bale Grist Mill SHP 

Benbow Lake SRA 

Benicia Capitol SHP 

Benicia SRA 

Bidwell Mansion SHP 

Bothe-Napa Valley SP 

Brannan Island SRA 

California Mining & Mineral Museum 

Candlestick Point SRA 

Castle Crags SP 

Castle Rock SP 

China Camp SP 

Colusa-Sacramento River SRA 

Del Norte Coast Redwoods SP 

Fort Humboldt SHP 

Fort Tejon SHP 

Garrapata SP 

George J. Hatfield SRA 

Governor's Mansion SHP 

Gray Whale Cove SB 

Greenwood SB 

Grizzly Creek Redwoods SP 

Hendy Woods SP 

Henry W. Coe SP 

Jack London SHP 

Jug Handle SNR 

Leland Stanford Mansion SHP 

Limekiln SP 

Los Encinos SHP 

Malakoff Diggins SHP 

Manchester SP 

McConnell SRA 

McGrath SB 

Mono Lake Tufa SNR 

Morro Strand SB 

Moss Landing SB 

Olompali SHP 

Palomar Mountain SP 

Petaluma Adobe SHP 

Picacho SRA 

Pio Pico SHP 

Plumas-Eureka SP 

Point Cabrillo Light Station 

Portola Redwoods SP 

Providence Mountains SRA 

Railtown 1897 SHP 

Russian Gulch SP 

Saddleback Butte SP 

Salton Sea SRA 

Samuel P. Taylor SP 

San Pasqual Battlefield SHP 

Santa Cruz Mission SHP 

Santa Susana Pass SHP 

Shasta SHP 

South Yuba River SP 

Standish-Hickey SRA 

Sugarloaf Ridge SP 

Tomales Bay SP 

Tule Elk SNR 

Turlock Lake SRA 

Twin Lakes SB 

Weaverville Joss House SHP 

Westport-Union Landing SB 

William B. Ide Adobe SHP 

Woodson Bridge SRA 

Zmudowski SB