Brannan Island State Recreation Area in the Sacramento San Joaquin Delta isn't well-known statewide.  But the finger of land surrounded by a web of waterways is a popular fishing, swimming and camping spot for people who live nearby:

Billie Oliver: "We've raised our kids out here practically and our oldest one's 60, so we haven't been coming out here that long, but at least 50 years."

80-year old Billie Oliver spent Labor Day weekend RV camping with a group of friends, a Chihuahua and a Dachshund.  She says it's tradition to spend the big summer holidays at Brannan Island - and that's not always easy to do:

Billie Oliver: "It's hard to get in because you gotta call like on the minute - to get in here - what is it - 7, 7 months ahead to get in and if you don't call right then you don't get in because this is a busy place and I can't understand why they're closing it down."

A few hundred yards from Oliver's RV, Lydia and Victor Alvadaro are setting up a blue and green Coleman tent for the night.  Lydia's 84-year-old mother Guadalupe looks on from a picnic table. 

The Alvarados live about 20 minutes away in Oakley and didn't know the park was closing.  Lydia says the nearness of the park to home is what makes it possible for her mother to camp with the family:

Lydia Alvarado "Otherwise, If we had to go somewhere else farther than here, she wouldn't be able to go."

Just one campsite away, Lydia's brother, Gonzalo Esqueda has already set up his tent.  He lives in nearby Antioch and has been coming here for 15 years:

Gonzalo Esqueda:  "Every year at least twice a year…so now I gotta go look for another place and I probably won't end up going nowhere."

Brannan Island State Recreation Area - like most of the 70 parks on the state's closure list - won't close officially until next July.  But some parks that are always shuttered for the winter season will start locking their gates this fall - and simply won't re-open.  And there are already service reductions at every state park. For example, Brannan Island has been closed three days a week since May and some camping loops and restrooms aren't open:

Ruth Coleman: "CA has never closed its parks in its history, through two world wars and the great depression."

State Parks Director Ruth Coleman says it's the only way to absorb an 11 million dollar budget cut this year - and a 22 million dollar hit next year: 

Ruth Coleman: "We consider that this 22 million dollar cut is permanent and we are operating, that that's what we're looking at for the next few years, I would say a horizon of 4-5 years."

Coleman says there are efforts to save parks by partnering with local governments, nonprofit organizations and concessionaries.  So far she's hopeful about possible collaborations in Sonoma and Marin counties.  And Coleman says some "closed" parks may still have open gates, with the hope that hikers will keep an eye out for vandalism and other problems:

Ruth Coleman: "That's our initial strategy is to allow the public to continue to use parts of it, but to recognize that we have withdrawn all of our services, so there won't be flush toilets, there won't be a ranger on duty, there won't be a maintenance person taking out the trash, so you ned to pack out everything you bring in." but we are hoping that people will continue to go and watch the parks and let us know if they see something that's bad."

H.D. Palmer with the State's Department of Finance says the park closures are regrettable, but says the multi-billion dollar budget gap required cuts to many areas.  He notes that even with the closures, 92 percent of current attendance will be maintained. 

Last week the California Senate passed a bill that will allow the state to partner with non-profit organizations to help keep parks open.  That legislation heads back to the Assembly for final approval this week.  It has something that's rare for a bill in the legislature:  broad support from both Democrats and Republicans.

Complete List of Park Closures, Effective July 1, 2012:

*Information From the State Department of Parks and Recreation