You could shape the future of Modesto’s state park. Here’s how
California State Parks wants community input to shape Dos Rios State Park. It’s part of a multi-stage effort that will incorporate public comment on how the park, located near Grayson, is used long-term.
State parks staff hosted an online workshop Wednesday evening to get participants talking about what they love about the park, what needs fixing and what the future might look like.
This was the second workshop on Dos Rios; the first was an in-person meet-up at the park on Oct. 4.
The majority of Wednesday’s participants had visited the park at least once and had used it for activities including hiking, walking and observing nature.
Rhonda Allen, a representative of the California Native Plant Society, said she helped plant native vegetation at the park 10 years ago with River Partners.
“We don’t understand our river systems very well and how important they are to the valley,” Allen said, “so this will be an opportunity for people to really understand why they’re so valuable.”
The park recently opened for swimming and fishing in the rivers and added five more hiking trails.
Gus Link of the Stanislaus Fly Fishers said though he hasn’t been to the park yet, he loves the fact that it has a confluence, the place where the Tuolumne and San Joaquin rivers meet.
“Confluences for me are kind of magical places — I like to fish them,” Link said.
As it stands, the park has an almond orchard that runs alongside a hiking path and is leased for another season. What will happen to that area once the lease is up remains for discussion.
There also is a barn in the park that staff hope to restore and use as a way to represent the community’s agricultural history, or for other community use.
Lee Eal, a cultural resources manager and tribal liaison for California State Parks, is responsible for coordinating with local tribes including the Northern Valley Yokut Ohlone.
“They’ve established a three-acre native use garden, which is very unique to state parks and something a lot of parks strive to have,” Eal said.
The park’s native use garden is used for traditional basket weaving and harvesting.
The park is located on the Pacific Flyway, a major thoroughfare for migrating birds, and has attracted avid bird watchers to see Aleutian cackling geese, song sparrows, yellow warblers and many others.
One participant suggested having informational signs along the pond section of the park to teach visitors about local wildlife and vegetation.
The park also acts as a natural floodplain, recharging much-needed groundwater, decreasing flood risk and acting as a form of carbon sequestration, helping to stave off climate change. The habitat has been a part of bringing back the riparian brush rabbit and riparian wood rat to the area.
Participants advocated for more educational opportunities for kids and families, like a living lab or classroom, more accessibility for wheelchairs, and the addition of restrooms.
Multiple participants expressed caution about adding areas for electric motorbikes, extensive campgrounds or motorized boats.
Recreational amenities like bike paths, campgrounds and places for boating were all part of the conversation, but a major theme was an emphasis on keeping the park natural.
One question on a survey form is about whether the park should keep the name “Dos Rios,” which refers to the convergence of the San Joaquin and Tuolumne rivers on the property. At least in this event, community members seemed comfortable maintaining the name.
The one name that was introduced for change was the pond on the property. “I’m certainly open to it,” said park manager Paige Haller. “We don’t have a name for it other than ‘the pond,’ so if you’ve got ideas and feedback, please submit them to us.”
Public workshops will continue throughout the stages of the project, but this initial engagement runs only through the fall. People interested in being part of the ongoing conversation should sign up for updates by joining the Dos Rios Park mailing list at Plandosrios.org/faq.
The online survey seeking public comment on next steps for Dos Rios is open until Nov. 1
This story was originally published October 17, 2025 at 11:18 AM.
