Buried within the Fullerton Public Library’s website homepage, I noticed a digital flyer that read, “It’s not just for Summer! When you check out a State Parks Pass, you’ll get two weeks (per checkout) to explore State Parks!” This intrigued me, especially since after recent rainstorms, the plant life on both the city’s hiking trails, parks, and surrounding hills has been looking greener compared to this time last year. So, I visited the Fullerton Public Library (FPL). With my library card in hand, I walked up to the front desk, asked a librarian if I could borrow a California State Parks Pass, and after they scanned my card, I received a green and gold-colored rectangular pass that enabled me to enter any participating state park for free.

Along with the pass, I also received a receipt, much like you would when checking out a library book, notifying me that this pass was due back to the public library in two weeks. What’s worth noting is that the Parks Pass is only available to adults with a valid, physical-use library card (excluding children’s cards, temporary, or limited-use library card types). According to FPL librarians, patrons like me are allowed to renew the pass only once, and if the Parks Pass is not returned, a $10 lost fee would be applied to my library account. As long as the fee remained on the account, I would not be allowed to check out additional physical materials from the library; however, this fee would be automatically waived once the pass is returned.

The librarians at the FPL also supplied me with a helpful printout of participating CA State Parks in both Orange and Los Angeles Counties. Interestingly, the three state parks closest to Fullerton are Bolsa Chica State Park, Chino Hills State Park and Huntington State Beach. I decided to check out Chino Hills State Park, as it has been a couple of years since I last visited.

Reaching out to the City of Fullerton, I asked when the FPL first started collaborating with the California State Library Parks Pass Program and received a response via email from Kim Chaudhry, Senior Administrative Analyst for the City of Fullerton.

Chaudhry wrote, “The California State Parks Pass Program began at the Fullerton Public Library in May 2022. Prior to the official launch, our library was closely involved as part of a working group of library professionals throughout California who collaboratively developed the pass program and helped bring it to libraries statewide.” She said, “The passes have been a wonderful resource for our community. Patrons have shared that they’re visiting the outdoors and the library more often because of the passes. When the program first launched, we only had two passes available. Today, we offer more than 270 passes, creating a more sustainable and accessible experience for patrons and ensuring there is rarely, if ever, a wait to check one out. We’ve also recently enabled auto-renewal for one additional checkout period each time a pass is borrowed, making access even easier for our community.”

According to the City of Fullerton, since the program began, the library has checked out passes more than 4,000 times. This month, my family was one of many who had borrowed a pass to visit nearby Chino Hills State Park, which has an entrance off Carbon Canyon Road less than a mile away from the Carbon Canyon Regional Park entry booth. My parents and I pulled into the parking lot by the sign for Chino Hills State Park Discovery Center, displaying the FPL’s Parks Pass from our front dashboard mirror as we drove in. It’s worth noting that the colorful side of the pass must be visible from the outside of the vehicle when parked, so that you don’t get ticketed.

​It’s rather impressive that there’s so much preserved, natural green space in this park between our area of North Orange County and Chino Hills. Stepping inside the Chino Hills State Park Discovery Center, I could look out through wide windows and see a panoramic view of the area surrounded by hills with spring wildflowers starting to bloom. I also observed a line of people in green t-shirts hiking out to a closed-off area along the trail to complete plant restoration work. The Discovery Center is an awesome spot to begin any hike because you can get advice from a park ranger, look at a miniature museum of taxidermied predatory animals that you might encounter out on the trail, view a 3D map of the entire state park land or read about the many types of bird species that frequent the park. There are many displays explaining the science behind the plants one might encounter while out on the trails, which are definitely worth reading. Restrooms and drinking fountains can also be found here.

​From a large-scale map of Chino Hills State Park, I learned that there are three entrances: the Brea entry point through Carbon Canyon Rd, a second one located at the end of Rimcrest Drive in Yorba Linda, and a third off Soquel Canyon Parkway in Chino Hills.

On this visit, I started hiking on the Discovery Trail found beneath the park’s visitor center, where I saw many plants grown from seeds and cuttings collected throughout the park. Reading signage posted at the start of the path, I learned that two important woodlands exist in Chino Hills State Park: the coast live oak woodland and the southern California black walnut woodland. Walnut woodlands, which are a rare and endangered habitat, take up hundreds of the 1,500 acres of permanently protected land, while broad branches in the oak woodlands provide much-needed shade for both plants and animals alike.

After making a loop on the Discovery trail, I hiked along a gravel lot on the side of the Discovery Center to connect to the dirt pathway of the North Ridge Trail, which led my family and me to Soquel Canyon. We walked by the eight-mile marker and heard a lot of different types of bird calls while hiking on this trail. Since we left early in the morning, we didn’t encounter too many other hikers or bicyclists along the trail. Interestingly, a portion of this path appeared as if it were once an old California highway since a small section of it was paved with crumbling asphalt and had a white concrete bridge. The hills were all green and thriving, and some even had flowers blooming on them. By the end of our hike, my family encountered more bicyclists and other people taking advantage of the warm late February weather to walk through nature.

​At the end of the day, every adult with a Fullerton Public Library card can check out a California State Library Parks Pass Program and see what the different CA State Parks in our area have to offer. Chaudhry said, “We love this program, as do our patrons…We would especially like the public to know that any time of year is an ideal time to take advantage of a pass. They’re not just for summer and can be enjoyed year-round. A favorite state beach feels completely different in January than it does in July, so using the park passes throughout the year is a great way to experience California’s diverse landscapes in every season.”

​For more information about the library’s CA State Parks Pass program, please visit: www.fullertonlibrary.org/parkspass. See videos on YouTube @emersonlittle1901.