Hiking and camping spiked during COVID. Then they kept going up
- Share via
It took an invading contagion from the other side of the world to remind some of us: California is best experienced outdoors. Leaving screens, phones and Amber alerts behind, Californians enjoy, among other delights, the glory of America’s most majestic coastline and its most spectacular mountain range.
During those queasy days of 2020 when public health officials shut down most public gathering places in an attempt to control the COVID-19 pandemic, state and national park attendance skyrocketed.
You're reading the Essential California newsletter
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
The drive to be outside has only grown since the pandemic
Stats from the state and feds show how the drive to be outside has only grown, even as the virus has receded and indoor spaces have become welcoming again. That trend has been demonstrated again, as the number of camping reservations for this summer at California state parks jumped 36% over the already elevated figures for June, July and August of 2024.
Some parks have seen even bigger increases for that period, led by Henry W. Coe State Park near Silicon Valley-adjacent Morgan Hill, where nearly twice as many camp spots have been reserved; Half Moon Bay State Beach, up 75%, MacKerricher State Park in Mendocino County, up 71%, Bolsa Chica State Beach in Orange County, up 69%.
The state’s marquee outdoor space, Yosemite National Park, has experienced a similar boom, with attendance spiraling up 56% in four years, to more than 4.1 million in 2024.
That’s all fine and good, but the extra car and foot traffic is not easy to manage. And the government agencies that oversee those spaces will be straining to both welcome the influx and protect those beloved havens, with less help than they had before.
Staffing levels at parks, though, keep falling
State parks sustained a 7.95% budget reduction, a cut similar to those being absorbed by other California departments, in the just-approved state budget.
The state’s parks leaders have chosen to maintain the staffing, cleanup and maintenance that is “visitor facing,” while postponing natural resource conservation and endangered species management, in places where “the impacts are not going to be permanent,” said Adrien Contreras, assistant deputy director for state park operations.
The National Park Service has also been underfunded for decades, and reduced staffing 16.5% since 2023, according to the National Parks Conservation Assn., a leading nonprofit advocating for public lands. That amounts to 3,600 fewer rangers and other personnel across the country.
In order to keep basic services in place, workers have been reassigned. That maintenance man cleaning your toilet just might be a trained biologist.
So thank the workers when you crowd into a park this summer. They mostly took these jobs to serve the public, not to get rich, said Contreras, who began as a 19-year-old seasonal employee and remains with the state parks agency, almost a quarter of a century later.
“These are very important places for people to go out and find solace,” Contreras said. “It’s a very stressful time, with everything going on right now, so we want to make sure we are there for the public.”
Today’s top stories
Tsunami advisory
- Officials said people should stay away from beach for the time being as the tsunami warning continues after a massive quake in Russia.
- But neither California nor Hawaii has seen major issues so far.
- In fact, Hawaii is lifting some evacuation orders. In California, some alerts were downgraded. Officials warn the wave action will continue for hours.
- Here’s what to expect along the coast when waves arrive.
- Here’s everything we know about the warnings and advisories.
The New York gunman’s L.A. ties
- A gunman who walked into a Manhattan building and opened fire, killing four people inside, was a former Southern California high school football player.
- The shooter reportedly left a note contending he had brain trauma and blamed it on the National Football League.
- Here’s everything we know about the suspect, Shane Tamura.
ICE is using the LAPD to track down immigrants for deportation
- LAPD leaders have gone out of their way for months to reassure the public that the department has strict limits on cooperating with immigration officials.
- But federal court records show that Los Angeles police help ICE find new targets by routinely sharing fingerprints with federal law enforcement.
Trump and L.A.’s top federal prosecutor
- The Trump administration has taken unusual steps to allow Bill Essayli to remain as U.S. attorney for the Central District of California without confirmation by the Senate or appointment by a panel of federal judges.
- Essayli is plagued by criticism that he is acting in a hyper-partisan manner to support President Trump’s agenda.
UCLA’s $6.45-million antisemitism settlement
- UCLA will pay $6.45 million to settle a lawsuit three Jewish students and a professor brought against the school, which alleged that pro-Palestinian protesters violated their civil rights.
- Each plaintiff will receive $50,000. About $2.3 million will be donated to eight groups that work with Jewish communities.
- Meanwhile, the DOJ said Tuesday that UCLA violated the civil rights of Jewish and Israeli students.
What else is going on
- SoCal residents visiting Reno for a bachelor party were among the victims of the mass shooting there.
- Despite a new sales tax to reduce homelessness, LAHSA is cutting back an effective path to housing.
- California’s NPR and PBS stations will cut staff and programs after their funding was slashed.
- California and other states filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration over a bill defunding Planned Parenthood.
Commentary and opinions
- Columnist Jonah Goldberg explains why MAGA’s ideologues can’t always get what they want.
- There’s hope for pruning federal regulations, writes contributor Patrick A. McLaughlin. Some state experiments are paying off.
- Columnist Glenn Whipp reminds us that this year’s Emmys are on CBS. A Stephen Colbert win would be sweet revenge, he says.
This morning’s must reads
Financing statements — meant to record legitimate business liens — are now a vehicle for conspiracy-laced claims, trillion-dollar demands and vendettas against politicians, businesses and public employees.
Other must reads
- Oh, you weren’t at the 200-person literary reading in a pool at the Korean spa?
- David Ellison is coming to Paramount with Silicon Valley cash. But can he save a classic studio?
- Here’s why the future of Latino history preservation in the U.S. hinges on Trump’s federal budget.
For your downtime
Going out
- Movies: For $27.99 a month, you can join the hottest Gen-Z club: AMC A-List.
- Theater: ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ at the Hollywood Bowl is “the musical theater version of the Avengers,” our critic writes.
- Music: Want to get better at making beats? This workshop offers free instruction and mentorship.
Staying in
- TV: NBC’s ‘Dateline’ hitting the road for a live true crime show — and maybe a new revenue stream.
- TV: ‘Wednesday’ is back for Season 2, and the focus is on her family
- 🥗 Here’s a recipe for Damian’s Summer Ceviche.
- ✏️ Get our free daily crossword puzzle, sudoku, word search and arcade games.
And finally ... your photo of the day
Today’s great photo is from Alejandro Cegarra. It depicts a Stryker armored vehicle patrolling the border area dividing Juárez, Mexico, from El Paso, Texas, after Trump’s tariff threats.
Have a great day, from the Essential California team
Jim Rainey, staff writer
Diamy Wang, homepage intern
Izzy Nunes, audience intern
Kevinisha Walker, multiplatform editor
Andrew Campa, Sunday writer
Karim Doumar, head of newsletters
How can we make this newsletter more useful? Send comments to essentialcalifornia@latimes.com. Check our top stories, topics and the latest articles on latimes.com.
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
More From the Los Angeles Times
Podcasts
Malibu is a top fire-risk area. After recent devastating fires, how can it rebuild sustainably and prepare for the next one? We hear from residents who lost homes and a fire recovery expert.
Madison McGhee and L.A. Times Reporter Richard Winton talk through an explosion at the Sheriff’s training office in East LA and the potential mistakes that led to an active bomb in the police facility.
Sammy Roth talks with L.A. Times housing reporter Liam Dillon about the state’s controversial move to roll back parts of CEQA in hopes of building more homes and what that means for climate policy.
