Through agreements signed this week by the two agencies, Tomales Bay and Samuel P. Taylor state parks will be kept open.
Tomales Bay State Park is located within the Point Reyes National Seashore and the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, while Samuel P. Taylor State Park is located within the Point Reyes National Seashore.
Point Reyes National Seashore will assume visitor and resource protection and routine maintenance operations of Tomales Bay State Park on July 1, 2012.
The National Park Service will collect the regular state park visitor fee on behalf of the state, which in turn will provide those funds back to the National Park Service to offset the operating costs of Tomales Bay State Park on a reduced schedule.
The agreement between Golden Gate National Recreational Area and California State Parks calls for the extended cooperative management in the operation of Mt. Tamalpais State Park and Samuel P. Taylor State Park. The National Park Service will collect the $2 state park day use fee at Muir Woods starting Jan. 1, 2012.
The money will go into a special account, the Redwood Creek Watershed Collaboration Fund, that will support the operation of Mt. Tamalpais State Park and Samuel P. Taylor State Park at least five days a week.
The agreement will maintain operations at Tomales Bay and Samuel P. Taylor state parks during the proposed state parks closures in the 2012-2013 fiscal year.
California State Parks and National Park Service officials will evaluate the effectiveness of the operating agreement and may extend it beyond 2013, parks officials said.
Olompali State Historic Park and China Camp State Park remain on the state parks closure list.
