FAQs • Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, WA • CivicEngage

Who has the authority to set the fees?: The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, a panel of private citizens from across the state appointed by the Governor, has the authority under law to set the fees.

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Camping fees

1. How much does it cost to camp at Washington state parks?: Campsite fees vary depending on the type of campsite and time of year. You can find a range of campsite fees online. The actual fee for your desired campsite is shown in the site description on the reservations website.

2. How are camping prices set at Washington state parks?: Rates are established after careful evaluation of the cost of operating state parks and then balancing revenue and public service objectives.

3. Who has the authority to set the fees?: The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, a panel of private citizens from across the state appointed by the Governor, has the authority under law to set the fees.

4. Why are there fees to create/change/cancel reservations?: The $8 online or $10 call center reservation fees cover services such as a secure online reservation system, software, in-park hardware and a call center. The fees are non-refundable.

5. What is your reservation cancellation policy?: Washington State Parks encourages campers to make cancellations as soon as possible so others may reserve and use any unoccupied sites. The policy was developed after many years of experience to make the reservation process work as smoothly as possible. There is a sliding charge for cancellation penalties; the penalty increases the closer the cancellation occurs to the arrival date. The complete cancellation policy is online.

6. Why don’t I get a full refund when I cancel?: The agreement made when a reservation is booked provides for a partial refund depending on the date of cancellation. A full refund is not offered because of the possibility that the site will not be used by others since it had been reserved. Campers are encouraged to be certain about their plans when selecting reservation dates and to make any changes or cancellations as soon as plans change.

7. Help! I don’t understand the breakdown of charges on my reservation confirmation message.: You may see a code on your confirmation form, such as “CampDepPartial-P-S-WD” or “CampDep-Weekend-NoServ-P.” Here is a quick key to understanding the codes:

CampDep means camping deposit

Following that is the site type:
Prim – Primitive
NoServ - Standard (tent) site
Partial – Partial hookup
Full – Full hookup

The first letter is the site designation:
P – Popular
B – Basic
E – Economy

The second letter is the season:
P – Peak
S – Shoulder
W – Winter

The third set of letters is the day of the week:
WD – stands for weekday
Weekend – stands for weekend

8. What if I have other questions about camping fees?: Please call the State Parks Information Center at (360) 902-8844 during regular business hours.