General Plans and Management Plans
Past Planning Documents
Prior to 1972, planning documents called Development Plans, Master Plans or (later) General Development Plans (GDPs) were prepared for select Park units. These State Park and Recreation Commission approved plans were brief with some consisting of only a map with minimal text focused almost entirely on land use and facility development.
In 1972, legislation explicitly defined the new required contents of the State Parks’ General Plan document and replaced earlier unit planning documents such as GDPs as the source of unit-level planning guidance (see Public Resources Code 5002.2, et seq). Any GDP, Development Plan or Master Plan documents found here are included as historical reference on this website as they were State Park and Recreation Commission approved documents. However, these documents do not meet the existing PRC requirements to serve as current General Plan documents.
If such a pre-1972 GDP level document is the only approved planning document for a specific Park unit, it should be understood that there is currently no approved General Plan for that unit.
General Plans
A general plan directs the long-range development and management of the park by providing broad policy and program guidance. This guidance is essential to the department's managers and staff, and is of value to those organizations and individuals who have an interest in California State Parks. A state park must have an approved general plan before any major park facilities can be developed.
The purpose and requirements for these general plan documents and the process for their preparation are outlined in the department’s Planning Handbook.
General Plans, Management Plans, and Classification Actions - In Progress
The General Plans, Management Plans, and Classification Actions In Progress page provides information on general plans, general plan amendments, and management plans currently being prepared, including resource inventory information, classification actions, the planning process, and public participation opportunities.
General Plans – Approved
Most approved general plans and general plan amendments are available for viewing or downloading as PDFs on the links below, in alphabetical order by park name. Note: Some approved general plans are not yet available on this website. If you don't find a plan for the park you are interested in, please contact the Strategic Planning and Recreation Services Division for assistance.
• A to Az
• B to Cal
• Can to Colum
• Colus to Fort H
• Fort O to He
• Ho to Lake P
• Lake V to Mari
• Mars to Mount S
• Mount T to Pig
• Pío to Re
• Ri to San P
• Sant to Sun
• Sut to Wea
• Wes to Z