Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks

Do you want to help support our local state parks and beaches, meet new people, experience something new and have a ton of fun in the process? Then we need you!
Volunteering for Friends events and activities is fun and rewarding. For just a few hours per month, you will help protect and preserve our beautiful Santa Cruz County and coastal San Mateo County state parks and beaches for now and future generations to enjoy and cherish. There are various events and activities that we need your help with.

Special Events: In many parks, annual and special events take place to celebrate our natural resources while teaching visitors about the wonders of nature and history. These Friends sponsored events take place at Natural Bridges State Beach, Wilder Ranch State Park, Castro Adobe State Historic Park and the Santa Cruz Mission State Historic Park. Come support the park with setup, staff kids crafts during the event, or take down afterwards!

State Park Docents: Becoming a Docent is a terrific opportunity to spend time in the beautiful natural and cultural surrounding of the State Park, while contributing to the park and community.
Through training and enrichment sessions, docents increase their knowledge and appreciation of our cultural and natural environment, and learn interpretive skills. In turn docents experience the pleasure of sharing their knowledge and talents with others, and meeting people with similar interests. Docents play a key role in special events, field trips for school aged children, and visitor center operations. Social gatherings and meetings provide further opportunities to learn more and spend time with fellow docents. Docents who volunteer 50 or more hours in a year receive a one year day-use pass for the Santa Cruz District State Parks. Also, it looks great on a resume and could help prepare you for a career with California State Parks!

Community Outreach: Do you have an outgoing personality along with a passion to share CA State Parks with others? Join our Community Outreach team as a CA State Park Ambassador. As an ambassador you will work side by side with an event team member while staffing the outreach table at a state park or community event. With an emphasis on connecting non-traditional park users to our spectacular natural environment and rich cultural history, you will play a vital role in sustaining the legacy of the CA State Parks in your district.

Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks (Friends) is an entrepreneurial nonprofit sustaining the legacy of our state parks and beaches. Through an innovative partnership with California State Parks, and by leveraging local community support, Friends funds educational programs, visitor services and capital projects. Founded in 1976, Friends is passionately dedicated to the preservation of our spectacular natural environment and rich cultural history. Friends also operates six ParkStores, offering nature- and history-themed merchandise for sale to benefit local parks and beaches.