California State Parks Foundation invites 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 September 21, 2026.
“We’re excited to receive submissions to the California State Parks Foundation Photo Contest,” said Rachel Norton, Executive Director of California State Parks Foundation. “This is a wonderful way for Californians to highlight and raise awareness for their favorite parks. With hundreds of state parks around the state, we expect to see a wide range 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, more than 3,000 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 second annual “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.
Photo submissions must be taken in a California state park. Each participant can enter up to three photos per category 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
There is no entry fee to participate in the contest. Category winners will win a complimentary California State Parks Foundation membership that includes a California Explorer Vehicle Day Use Annual Pass ($195 value, vehicle entrance to 134 state parks). Category winners will also be featured in and receive California State Parks Foundation’s 2028 calendar. Honorable mentions will be showcased in an online gallery and on social media.
Submissions will be judged on creativity and originality, technical quality, relevance to the category, emotional impact and storytelling, and aesthetic appeal. Images of national parks and other locations outside of California’s state parks are not eligible for this contest. For more information and the official contest rules and photo guidelines, visit calparks.org/photocontest.
