California State Parks Foundation is inviting park visitors and photography enthusiasts of all ages and experience levels to capture the natural beauty, recreational activities, and unique landscapes of California’s state parks. The California State Parks Foundation Photo Contest is now open for submissions and runs through Sept. 30, 2025.
“We’re excited to open submissions to the California State Parks Foundation Photo Contest,” said Rachel Norton, Executive Director of California State Parks Foundation. “This is a fun opportunity for Californians to highlight and raise awareness for the parks they love. With hundreds of state parks around the state, we expect to see a diversity of photos that include beaches, mountains, urban parks, rivers, people enjoying nature, and more.”
The California state park system includes 280 state park units; over 340 miles of coastline; 970 miles of lake and river frontage; 15,000 campsites; 5,200 miles of trails; 3,195 historic buildings; and more than 11,000 known prehistoric and historic archaeological sites. Earlier this year, California State Parks Foundation highlighted some of these beloved places with the first-ever “Best of California’s State Parks” – a poll that asked their members and followers to vote on their favorite places for camping, hiking, picnicking, and more.
Participants can enter up to three photos in the photo contest in the following categories:
Scenic Landscapes — Natural beauty across all seasons
Wildlife & Nature — Flora, fauna, and ecosystems
Recreation & Activities — Hiking, surfing, camping, and more
People in Parks — Enjoying parks responsibly and sustainably
California History — Cultural and historic sites in parks
Submissions will be judged on creativity and originality, technical quality, relevance to the category, emotional impact and storytelling, and aesthetic appeal. For more information and the official contest rules and photo guidelines, visit calparks.org/photocontest.
There is no entry fee to participate in the contest. Category winners will win a California Explorer Vehicle Day Use Annual Pass ($195 value, vehicle entrance to 134 state parks) and be featured in California State Parks Foundation’s 2026 calendar. Honorable mentions will be showcased in an online gallery and on social media. All winners will also receive a 2026 calendar.
California State Parks Foundation, an independent, member-supported nonprofit with over 50 years of history, is dedicated to protecting and preserving the California state park system for the benefit of all. Learn more at www.calparks.org, or find California State Parks Foundation @calparks on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter/X, and @californiaparks on Bluesky.
