The California State Parks Foundation invites park visitors and photographers of all ages and skill levels to snap shots of the natural beauty, recreational activities and diverse landscapes of California’s state parks through its photo contest. Submissions are open now and run through Sept. 30.
“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,” Rachel Norton, executive director of the California State Parks Foundation, said in a media release.
Participants can enter up to three photos in the photo contest in the following categories:
- Scenic landscapes — natural beauty across all seasons
- Wildlife and nature — flora, fauna and ecosystems
- Recreation and activities — hiking, surfing, camping and more
- People in parks — enjoying parks responsibly and sustainably
- California history — cultural and historic sites in parks
Contest entry is free for all participants. Category winners will win a California Explorer vehicle day-use annual pass, a $195 value with vehicle entrance to 134 state parks, and have their photos 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.
Fourteen of the 134 state parks are in Santa Cruz County, including Natural Bridges State Beach, New Brighton State Beach, Castle Rock State Park and Wilder Ranch State Park. Click here for the full list.
Submissions will be judged on creativity, originality, technical quality, relevance to the category, emotional impact, storytelling and aesthetic appeal. For more information and the official contest rules and photo guidelines, click here.
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