Snapshot Cal Coast Photography Contest 2026!
Mendocino State Parks Photography Contest - June 2026
Celebrate the incredible biodiversity of Mendocino’s coastal State Parks by joining MendoParks’s Snapshot Cal Coast 2026 photography contest!
Where to Explore:
All photos must be taken at one of these MendoParks-supported California State Parks and Marine Protected Areas: Caspar Headlands SB, Greenwood SB, Jug Handle SNR, MacKerricher SP & MacKerricher SMCA, Manchester SB, Mendocino Headlands SP & Big River Estuary SMCA, Navarro River Redwoods SP, Russian Gulch & Russian Gulch SMCA, Van Damme SP & Van Damme SMCA, Westport Union-Landing SB
Contest Timeline: Observations must be made between June 1 and June 30, 2026. You must join this project to participate. Once you join the project, every observation you make that falls within the boundaries will automatically be entered into the contest. Please email Mackenzi.Lamb@parks.ca.gov with your iNaturalist username.
What Happens Next: A panel of judges will select winners for the top 3 photos overall. MendoParks will award MendoParks gift cards in the amount of $100 for 1st place, $75 for 2nd place, and $50 for 3rd place to be used at any MendoParks visitor center (MacKerricher, Ford House, Van Damme, or Greenwood). Winners will be contacted via iNaturalist messages and email. Please email Mackenzi.Lamb@parks.ca.gov with your iNaturalist username. Selected participants will be asked to complete a copyright license agreement with California State Parks so their photos can be featured on our social media and used for educational purposes (optional). MendoParks will display winning photos at the Ford House Visitor Center in Mendocino in July, 2026.
The best photographers leave no trace. Don’t move or disturb plants or animals for a photo. If an animal changes its behavior, you’re too close. Keep a safe distance from wildlife and cliff edges. Stay on designated trails and beaches. Follow all park regulations.
Every photo you upload contributes to a growing record of biodiversity along the California coast. Your observations help scientists, land managers, and the community better understand and protect these special places.
Questions? Email mackenzi.lamb@parks.ca.gov.