Free Admission, Fishing for Vets at Lake Cahuilla

Free Admission and Fishing at Lake Cahuilla for Veterans and Service Members This Veterans Day Weekend

LA QUINTA – Riverside County thanks and honors all who have served our country with free admission and fishing at Lake Cahuilla Veterans Regional Park for Veterans Day. This promotion will cover Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Free admission is open to active-duty military personnel, veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces, National Guard and federal and state reservists, and all other guests in the vehicle. Free entry also covers all day use activities such as fishing. To qualify, veterans need to present valid proof of military service.

Those fishing need a state fishing license, required for anyone 16 and older. The state fishing license is not sold at Lake Cahuilla Veterans Regional Park but can be purchased at retailers. Anglers must use unopened and unused baits only.

Lake Cahuilla Veterans Regional Park, the first in the county park system named in honor of veterans, is located at 58075 Jefferson Street, La Quinta, CA 92253. The phone number for more information is 760-564-4712.

“Veterans Day is a day of honor, pride and thankfulness for all veterans, past present and future, who risk their lives for our country,” Supervisor V. Manuel Perez said in a statement. “Lake Cahuilla Veterans Regional Park is a beautiful place to spend a day, to walk, hike, go fishing, or horseback riding, and just relax and enjoy nature. We welcome veterans, their families and the community to enjoy this weekend at Lake Cahuilla Veterans Regional Park.”

In August 2017, Lake Cahuilla Regional Park was renamed to Lake Cahuilla Veterans Regional Park in honor of veterans. The renaming measure included free entry to the park for veterans and service members every Memorial Day weekend (Saturday-Monday) and Veterans Day (every November 11). This year, the promotion will extend to not only Veterans Day (Saturday), but to the weekend, Friday-Sunday, covering November 10-12, 2023.

In addition, the county park district has a program called the W.A.I.V.E. pass for veterans. Disabled veterans can get unlimited day-use admission to all parks in the county park system year-round with the pass. In addition, the pass waives one-time boat launching privileges at county owned or operated boat launch ramps for veterans on Veterans Day and/or Memorial Day annually.

To apply for a W.A.I.V.E. pass, print and mail the application available at
https://tinyurl.com/waivepass.

Lake Cahuilla Veterans Regional Park is operated by the Riverside County Regional Park and Open-Space District via a lease with the Coachella Valley Water District and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.

The park features flags of each military branch, dedication plaques, lighting and landscaping pathways.