San Diego County Supervisor Joel Anderson holds up his senior parking pass at Mt. Woodson Gateway County Preserve in Ramona. (Photo courtesy Joel Anderson Facebook page)
East County News Service
April 10, 2026 (San Diego County) — While parking prices across the region seem to be climbing faster than a fit hiker scaling Iron Mountain, local seniors can count on San Diego County to give them a break on vehicle parking fees.
San Diego County Supervisor Joel Anderson sent a notice this past week on his social media account reminding those 62 and older that they are able to get free day-use parking at local parks.
The San Diego County Department of Parks and Recreation offer seniors free parking every day, from Agua Caliente to William Heise, with proof of residency.
For those under 62, a standard All Parks Annual Parking Pass currently costs $50, while daily parking at most fee-charging county facilities is $5 per day.
Unlike many modern services, however, the County notes that you can’t simply download a pass to your phone.
To ensure that only residents and eligible seniors use the service, the County requires a government-issued photo ID (driver’s license or passport) that shows your age and address in the county to pick up a physical pass at any of the following 15 parks (or at the Parks and Recreation headquarters at 5500 Overland Ave. in Kearny Mesa):
- Agua Caliente County Park: 39555 Great Southern Overland Stage Route of 1849, Julian;
- Dos Picos County Park: 17953 Dos Picos Park Road, Ramona;
- El Monte County Park: 15805 El Monte Road, Lakeside;
- Felicita County Park: 742 Clarence Lane, Escondido;
- Flinn Springs County Park: 14787 Olde Hwy 80, El Cajon;
- Guajome Regional Park: 3000 Guajome Lake Road, Oceanside;
- Lake Morena County Park: 2550 Lake Morena Drive, Campo;
- Live Oak County Park: 2746 Reche Road, Fallbrook;
- Los Peñasquitos Canyon County Preserve: 12020 Black Mountain Road, San Diego;
- Louis A. Stelzer County Park: 11470 Wildcat Canyon Road, Lakeside;
- Otay Lakes County Park: 2270 Wueste Road, Chula Vista;
- San Dieguito County Park: 1628 Lomas Santa Fe Drive, Del Mar;
- Sweetwater Summit Regional Park: 3218 Summit Meadow Road, Bonita;
- Wilderness Gardens County Preserve: 14209 Hwy 76, Pala;
- William Heise County Park: 4945 Heise Park Road, Julian.
For more information, visit sdparks.org/Parking or call (877) 565-3600.