California's Golden Parks

Huell boats to Catalina Island and visits the The Wrigley Memorial & Botanical Gardens.

The Hearst Ranch began with the first purchase of land by George Hearst in 1865 and is the largest privately owned working cattle ranch on the California coast. Now, through a historic conservation plan, at least 18 miles of coastline including close to 1,500 acres will be available for use by all Californians. Huell hears about the future of the ranch, and how all Californians will be able to enjoy its scenic vistas and learn about this critical wildlife habitat.

Carpinteria State Beach is just twelve miles south of Santa Barbara and is a great family destination that offers a mile of beach for swimming, surfing, fishing, tidepool exploring and camping. Huell learns about all of this, plus how Carpinteria got its name and the role that naturally-occurring tar played in its history.

Huell learns about another success story in conservation when he tours the Audubon Center at Debs Park, an urban oasis in Los Angeles. A cutting-edge environmental education center and ecological monitoring program is housed within nearly 300 acres of city park, which contains walnut-oak woodland, grassland and coastal sage scrub, a remnant of the native habitats that once rimmed the Los Angeles Basin.

"Where the waters come together...." is a translation of the word Ahjumawi, which is also the self describing word used by the band of Pit River Native Americans who inhabit the area. Join Huell as he visits this amazing State Park.

Huell attends the grand reopening of the Kelso Depot and not only tours the beautifully renovated and restored 1928 building, but talks with locals about its rich history. It’s a true celebration as the Kelso Depot begins its new life as a museum and information center for the Mojave National Preserve.

Sacramento has a unique feature that many residents are unaware of: a city underneath a city. Huell Howser goes below the city of Sacramento to explore the remaining historic sidewalks, doorways and building relics that were all part of the original downtown area before flooding moved the entire city upstairs one level. Huell gets a special tour of this restricted and mysterious area.

Huell visits the Cayuga Playground in downtown San Francisco. This amazing playground was once a beaten down, overgrown, weed-choked space and has been transformed by Demi Braceros into a beautiful park with flowers and paths decorated with twisted twig fences, wood carvings and inspirational messages.

Located in beautiful Old Sacramento and regarded as one of North America’s finest and most visited railroad museums, The California State Railroad Museum is also part of the California State Park System. Huell explores the exhibits and rides beautifully restored railroad cars and locomotives that illustrate a railroad history unique to California and the West.

Join Huell as he visits the magnificently restored Camarillo Ranch, which was named for “the last Spanish Don”, Adolfo Camarillo, who assumed ownership of the gigantic 10,000 acre ranch in 1880 at the age of 16. The city of Camarillo is named after the charismatic and successful Adolfo, who is known for having bred white horses. Huell takes a special tour of the ranch and “La Casa Grande,” the 6,000 sq. foot Queen Anne Victorian Camarillo built for his wife, Isabella. Once the original Rancho Calleguas, the ranch was one of the last of the Mexican land grants. Mexican Governor Alvarado gave Jose Pedro Ruitz the land in 1847. Juan Camarillo obtained the Rancho from the Ruiz family in 1875. At Juan’s death, his eldest son, Adolfo Camarillo assumed operation of the ranch at the age of 16. Sucessfully operating the ranch for 68 years, Adolfo was fondly referred to as the “Last Spanish Don”, and the City of Camarillo is named after him.

Huell visits the south fork of the Yuba River. The area includes the longest single-span covered bridge in the world, four miles of the steep rugged canyon of the South Yuba River, and the Independence Trail — a wheelchair accessible trail. See water pouring over massive granite ledges, and historic toll crossings and bridges that tell a story of day-to-day life during the Gold Rush era.

Huell visits Whiskeytown National Recreation Area and hears all about this new and improved state park and the exciting disovery of an enormous 400 foot waterfall, which was hidden on private property until 2006. Then, Huell explores the freshly cut trail that has been made for everyone to enjoy this gorgeous “new” waterfall.