wintersun, your post gives some misleading information.
"That is not true if you buy an annual pass or get the senior discount or stay at some of the day use areas. California has areas that are designated for day use but where you can stay overnight so long as you are gone by 9 AM the next day."
An annual CA state parks pass has nothing to do with *camping* fees; read the rules here:
http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=1049
And, a "senior discount" off a campsite in a CA state park is 2 bucks; big deal! (And, if the park charges for a dog or dogs, any "savings" is out the door!)
The "areas that are designated for day use" that you talk about are called "enroute campsites", and in most cases, this means overnighting in the parking lot of the day use area. If the park's day use area is not among the listings on this link, keep moving!
http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=21687
