State Parks offers ‘free days’ to park visitors in 2014
No Discover Pass needed to visit parks on designated days
OLYMPIA – Jan. 15, 2014 – Washington State Parks announces Sunday, Jan. 19 and Monday, Jan. 20 are the first of 12 “free days” in 2014 when visitors are not required to display the Discover Pass to visit a state park.
The “free days” are in keeping with legislation that created the Discover Pass, a $30 annual or $10 one-day permit required on state-managed recreation lands managed by Washington State Parks, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Department of Natural Resources. The Discover Pass legislation provided that State Parks could designate up to 12 “free days” when the pass would not be required to visit state parks. The free days apply only at state parks; the Discover Pass is still required to access DFW and DNR lands. The 2014 State Parks free days are as follows:
• January 19 and 20 – in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day
• March 19 – Washington State Parks birthday
• April 19 – A spring Saturday “free day”
• April 22 – Earth Day
• May 11 – A spring Sunday “free day”
• June 7 and 8 – National Trails Day and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Free Fishing Weekend
• June 14 – National Get Outdoors Day
• August 25 – National Park Service birthday
• September 27 – National Public Lands Day
• November 11 – Veterans Day:
The Discover Pass provides daytime access to parks. Overnight visitors are charged fees for camping and other overnight accommodations, and their daytime access to the park where they are camping is included in the overnight fee. The Discover Pass does not replace the Sno-park permit requirement for visitors using Sno-Park winter recreation sites.
Stay connected to your state parks by following Washington State Parks at www.facebook.com/WashingtonStateParks, www.twitter.com/WaStatePks and www.youtube.com/WashingtonStateParks. Share your favorite state park adventure on the State Parks blog site at www.AdventureAwaits.com.
The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission manages a diverse system of more than 100 state parks and recreation programs, including long-distance trails, boating safety and winter recreation. Washington State Parks turned 100 years old on March 19 and invites the public to join the celebration at events in parks all over the state, all year long. For more information, visit www.parks.wa.gov/events/.
Support state parks by purchasing your annual Discover Pass today, and enjoy a whole year of outdoor fun on Washington’s beautiful state-managed recreation lands. For more information, visit www.discoverpass.wa.gov.
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