Wildfire season is here and impacting several parks, so make sure you’re in the know before you go. Before you head to a park, please check its page or head to our alerts page for closures, alerts and other important information to make sure you have a fun, safe and informed trip.
State Parks Commission to meet virtually
OLYMPIA — The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission will hold its regularly scheduled commission meeting virtually on Aug. 27
Commission meeting agenda items include an approval of the 2026 regular commission meeting schedule, approval of the Commission’s priorities for the 2025-27 biennium, approval of the agency’s request legislation for the 2026 Legislative Session, a presentation about the upcoming launch of the Scenic Bikeways Program and a financial update.
View the full agenda and presentation materials here.
This is an online meeting, and all…
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01/22/2025
OLYMPIA — Nisqually State Park will temporarily close beginning Jan. 27 for phased maintenance and construction work as park development continues. The park is expected to reopen to visitors in the fall.
The first phase of this work is a forest thinning project to improve forest health throughout multiple areas of the park, including trails and future campground locations. Then, this spring, crews will start construction on a roundabout at the intersection of SR 7 and Mashel Prairie Road.
State Parks is also continuing its construction of an interpretive plaza, several new… Read more
01/22/2025
OLYMPIA — The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission will hold its regular commission meeting on Jan. 30, 2025 at the Department of Ecology building in Olympia.
The public is welcome to attend in-person or online.
Agenda items include:
Review of the agency director’s performance agreement and 2024 performance evaluation
Financial and legislative updates
Program updates from the Washington State Boating Program, which includes the federally funded Recreational Boating Safety and the Clean Vessel Act Grant programs
An update on the Winter Recreation… Read more
12/24/2024
OLYMPIA – Celebrate the new year with Washington State Parks during our annual First Day Hikes events on Jan. 1, 2025.
More than 30 state parks will host staff-led and self-guided hikes, snowshoe excursions, trail rides, polar plunges, scavenger hunts and more on New Year’s Day.
First Day Hikes events vary in difficulty, ranging from smooth, flat ADA-accessible trails to moderate hill climbs. A few parks will offer multiple hikes catering to different interests and abilities. Additionally, several hikes will include talks with rangers, which allow attendees to learn… Read more
12/19/2024
OLYMPIA — Lake Sylvia State Park in Montesano has reopened for camping and day-use after undergoing construction and improvements.
Over the summer and fall, crews replaced a culvert beneath the main entrance road with a bridge. The new bridge will provide safer and more sustainable infrastructure, particularly in heavy rain events. Additionally, park staff used the closure to complete maintenance and improvements, including construction of pedestrian access to the park on the new bridge, a new road and a new sidewalk.
Visitors are invited to come check out the improved park. Lake… Read more
12/06/2024
SEATTLE – Several Washington state parks near Seattle sustained significant damage during the “Bomb Cyclone” storm of Nov. 19, forcing the closure of two popular parks.
Wallace Falls
More than 170 trees fell along the main trail at Wallace Falls State Park near Goldbar, uprooting trail tread throughout the system. The popular Middle Falls Viewpoint was also impacted by a rockslide.
The full extent of the damage is still under assessment by Parks arborists and trail crews. Staff and volunteers are working to clear the trails as they are able to access them. Updates will be provided… Read more
12/05/2024
OLYMPIA – The Washington State Discover Pass Program has designated 12 Discover Pass free days for 2025.
On these days, visitors will not need a Discover Pass to park a vehicle at a Washington state park or on lands managed by the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW).
The 2025 Discover Pass free days are:
Wed., Jan. 1 - New Year’s Day and First Day Hikes
Mon., Jan. 20 - Martin Luther King Junior Day
Sun., March 9 - Billy Frank Junior’s Birthday
Wed., March 19… Read more
12/03/2024
OLYMPIA — The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission will hold in-person-only planning meetings on Dec. 10 and 11 at its headquarters in Tumwater.
Commission planning meeting agenda items for Dec. 10 include a 2024 review presented by Commission Chair Sophia Danenberg, highlights from each Parks division presented by the agency’s Executive Leadership team and budget and priorities planning.
The public may attend the meeting, but no public comment will be taken. The Commission will not make any decisions at the planning meeting. Attendance is limited to in-… Read more
12/03/2024
OLYMPIA — The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission is seeking applications from winter sports enthusiasts for the agency’s snowmobile and non-motorized advisory committees. Five positions are available statewide to snowmobilers, and two are available statewide to individuals involved in non-motorized winter sports.
Both committees are made up of individuals representing snowmobilers and non-motorized winter sports participants. The Washington Department of Natural Resources, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and Washington Association of Counties each have one… Read more
11/06/2024
OLYMPIA – The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission will hold its regularly scheduled commission meeting and work session virtually on Nov. 13.
The Commission meeting agenda has one item, a request to transfer a .68 parcel of land to the Washington Department of Transportation for a weigh station project
Work session agenda items include:
An update on the Mount Spokane State Park planning process
An update on master planning efforts at Blake Island State Park
A presentation on camping data and campaigns to fill empty campsites
An update… Read more
10/10/2024
OLYMPIA – Following a public process, the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission voted on Thursday to keep the cabins at Cama Beach Historical State Park permanently closed where they currently sit.
Significant septic and infrastructure failures led to the closure of the cabins and other buildings in the beach area of park in February 2024. In addition to this issue, impacts of rising sea levels have damaged buildings in the area. Data shows these impacts will only increase in the coming years. There are also known cultural and historical complexities that impact the… Read more