SSPF's History

When the initial group of interested citizens began SSPF in 1973, they were focused on the Pine Lodge (aka Ehrman Mansion) at Sugar Pine Point State Park. Several of the founding board members were private pilots and enjoyed Sierra District parks not just on land or water, but from the air as well!

Soon after forming, they took the step of incorporating as a nonprofit corporation and becoming an official cooperating association with the California Department of Parks and Recreation, thus formalizing their role in supporting the Sierra District Parks.

In the mid 1980s, at one of our parks, Bodie State Historic Park (California’s Official Gold Rush Ghost Town), we formed the Friends of Bodie, which functions as SSPF in Bodie. Donations received by the Friend of Bodie are restricted for use in Bodie only. Likewise, donations received at any specific park—Mono Lake Tufa, Grover Hot Springs, Sugar Pine Point, Donner Memorial and others—are restricted for use in that park because we know that most donors want their funds spent in support of their favorite park.