Gaviota State Park had been closed since February 4 after massive flooding and a mudflow damaged the park.
"It was about a foot thick right here, and if you look out and see that pile of wood, this entire parking lot was full like that," said park volunteer Shirley Henderson.
Henderson and her assistant say the majority of the flooding came from the nearby creek and after weeks of cleanup, they are happy to see people coming back for day use of the park.
"People are here all the time, doesn’t matter what time of year it is, people just like to come and enjoy it," Henderson continued.
Gaviota State Park campground is first come, first served during the off-season. Despite some massive overgrowth, the campground will re-open on April 1, according to Katharine Wilson with California State Parks.
But at Refugio Beach, that isn’t the case. Refugio was hit hard by storms that caused severe damage to the beach and 10 historic date palms. Six other trees had moderate damage.
"We’ve been working with an emergency contractor to have those trees removed and welcome the public back," Wilson said.
There's also a sinkhole near the entrance to Refugio State Beach which is further delaying the reopening.
"That sinkhole spans three different jurisdictions," Wilson added.
Wilson says Refugio is expected to reopen on May 16 and that the closure of both campgrounds is estimated to cost the state more than $300,000 in refunds and lost revenue.
