Santa Clara County Local News: Parks & Recreation


All Local Parks & Recreation News articles contributed by our local media allies and other local newsrooms.

Image caption: The Baldwin Hills area in South Los Angeles is one region where a state conservancy would keep open land accessible to the public.
California’s 10 State Conservancies: How They Protect Parks and Open Land

How California’s 10 state conservancies buy up open land and shield it from developers to preserve the natural environment for public use.

Image caption: There are more than 300 community service districts in California.
Community Services Districts, Explained

Community service districts can do most anything a city government can do. Here’s how they work and how to start one.

California Local Pin Marker From The Mercury News...

05/16/2025
The Bay Area Ridge Trail spanning nine counties and 40 years in the making grew by an additional 14 miles near San Jose.

California Local Pin Marker From Los Angeles Times...

05/15/2025
Because of a lack of availability of potable water and toilets, Yosemite National Park's High Sierra Camps won't be opened this year.

California Local Pin Marker From The Mercury News...

05/09/2025
An update on the reopening of Yosemite Park facilities and roads as the snow is cleared and spring takes hold.

California Local Pin Marker From Los Altos Town Crier...

05/06/2025
On April 23, rangers and staff from the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space participated in firefighter training in preparation of the upcoming wildfire season.

California Local Pin Marker From The Mercury News...

05/05/2025
A look at the addition of over 2,000 acres to Coyote Lake – Harvey Bear Ranch County Park.

California Local Pin Marker From The Mercury News...

04/30/2025
On April 29, the administration released rules for Yosemite Park Reservations in the coming months.

California Local Pin Marker From Palo Alto Online...

04/29/2025
The renovation and expansion of Boulware Park in Palo Alto's Ventura neighborhood has been completed.

San Jose Spotlight logo From San Jose Spotlight...

04/22/2025
Image for display with article titled West Valley Street Festivals Need City Support to Stay Afloat

The West Valley is known for its flagship festivals that bring multicultural food, live music and dancing to the streets. Those festivals come with a lofty price tag, and organizers are asking their cities for help keeping these beloved events afloat.

San Jose Spotlight logo From San Jose Spotlight...

04/16/2025
Image for display with article titled San Jose Officials Weigh Ballot Measure for Maintaining Parks

San Jose’s most passionate parks advocates say city leaders need to create a new stream of funding to address the multimillion-dollar maintenance backlog and ongoing disparity in park quality for residents who live in areas like East San Jose.

California Local Pin Marker From Palo Alto Online...

04/16/2025
Officials with the City of Palo Alto are planning to poll residents about the future of the Cubberley Community Center as they seek to plan for its redevelopment.

California Local Pin Marker From The Mercury News...

04/15/2025
The City of San Jose is moving forward with plans to clear the city's largest homeless camp from Columbus Park and redevelop it with athletic fields and pickleball courts.

San Jose Spotlight logo From San Jose Spotlight...

04/12/2025
Image for display with article titled San Jose Park Revitalization Will Displace Homeless Residents

San Jose wants to transform a dilapidated park — home to one of the largest camps of unhoused residents in the city — into a family-friendly area for sports activities.

California Local Pin Marker From National Park Service...

04/12/2025
Entrance is free to all National Parks on April 19 to kick off the annual National Parks Week this year from April 19-27. Get ready to get outdoors to celebrate America's Best Idea.

San Jose Spotlight logo From San Jose Spotlight...

04/10/2025
Image for display with article titled Santa Clara to Spend Millions Fixing Community Swim Center

Santa Clara is scrapping plans to temporarily reopen its swim center this spring, and instead is pushing forward with a broader renovation.

Los Gatan logo From Los Gatan...

04/09/2025
Image for display with article titled Owners of Nestldown—a Hidden World in the Redwoods That Hosts Weddings and Other Events—looking Forward to the Next Chapter

The engulfing redwoods that surround Los Gatos are a bit of an enigma. You can’t help but wonder what lies beyond the greenery.

Los Gatan logo From Los Gatan...

04/02/2025
Image for display with article titled La Rinconada Country Club Embarks on Landscaping Reinvention

Over the century La Rinconada Country Club has been a part of the community, it’s continued to evolve. Now, club officials say it's time to bring it back to its original look while making improvements golfers can enjoy for years to come.

California Local Pin Marker From CalMatters...

04/02/2025
Rural counties are some of the most reliant on federal funding and federal workers. But some still welcome Trump’s upcoming cuts to forestry and other departments

California Local Pin Marker From The Mercury News...

03/28/2025
You'll be able to enjoy garlic flavored ice cream to your heart's content at the Gilroy Garlic Festival, returning in July after an absence of six years.

California Local Pin Marker From The Mercury News...

03/20/2025
A major rockslide has closed the Highway 140 entrance to Yosemite National Park. Read on for details.

California Local Pin Marker From CalMatters...

03/18/2025
Billions of state and federal dollars are spent on Lake Tahoe. But is all this attention actually protecting this unique treasure? Pollutants pour in, while development continues. Funding has shifted in focus to tourism and traffic projects, while money spent directly on fixing the lake has declined.