State Parks urges people to recreate responsibly this Fourth of July
The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission (Parks) asks everyone who is planning a Fourth of July celebration at a park or on the beach to be safe and protect their friends, neighbors, public lands and wildlife.
Parks sees a dramatic increase in visitation during Independence Day celebrations, particularly on its beaches. The increase in traffic also increases the amount of trash left behind. Last year, volunteers collected more than 111,000 pounds of garbage from ocean beaches during Parks’ annual July 5 beach cleanup. That’s equivalent to the combined weight of about seven…
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10/10/2023
The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission will hold its regular hybrid commission meeting on Thursday, Oct. 19, 2023, at the Sun Mountain Lodge in Winthrop.
The public is welcome to attend in-person or online.
Agenda items include:
Request for approval to enter into a management agreement for Scooteney Park in Franklin County,
Request for approval to update the long-term boundary of Pearrygin Lake State Park,
Development of recreation and Conservation Office grants for the 2025-2027 biennium,
Financial update, including the 2021-23 biennium final financial report, the… Read more
10/09/2023
The Goldendale Observatory, perched on the Columbia Plateau in the town of Goldendale, will celebrate its 50th year of operations this weekend.
Washington State Parks, which acquired the observatory in 1980, will host an event at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 14 to mark the occasion. The family-friendly event, which is free and open to community members and astronomy fans, will feature light refreshments, speakers, educational programming, live views of the sun streamed from the solar telescope to big screens and replays of that morning’s annular eclipse.
A Discover Pass is required to park at… Read more
09/22/2023
The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission (Parks) believes the outdoors is for everyone and continues to make strides to remove barriers for visitors and staff alike. In recognition of these efforts, Parks has earned the Rainbow Alliance and Inclusion Network’s (RAIN) 2023 Outstanding Agency Award for creating and improving a safe, welcoming and inclusive environment for LGBTQ+ state employees.
Each year, RAIN, a statewide business resource group (BRG), asks state employees to nominate state agencies that are leading the way in this work. Parks was one of three recipients this… Read more
09/13/2023
The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission (Parks) invites the public to participate in conversations about a potential expansion of Riverside State Park.
In partnership with Inland Northwest Land Conservancy (Conservancy) and the Spokane Tribe of Indians, Parks is pursuing an opportunity to acquire part of a 1,000-acre parcel known as “Glen Tana” for the environmental stewardship of riparian and upland habitat, expanded recreational access in a high-demand and near urban location and support of salmon reintroduction efforts.
The Glen Tana property was purchased by the… Read more
08/31/2023
The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission (Parks) has implemented changes to its Foster Family Program to provide more families with the opportunity to camp and enjoy parks.
The changes include a new streamlined application process, an official discount pass card for families to carry and an expansion of the program to include more qualifying families.
The Foster Family Pass gives Washington residents who provide out-of-home care – including foster parents, caregivers and kinship families – to a minor child access to free nightly camping (reservation processing fees still apply)… Read more
08/28/2023
Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission (Parks) is excited to expand its pilot program for same-day reservations at select parks.
Beginning Sept. 5, Park visitors can make same-day camping reservations at Millersylvania and Cape Disappointment as well as Deception Pass, which has offered same-day reservations for more than five years. With the expansion of the program, Deception Pass will also begin accepting same-day reservations during the off season.
Same-day reservations will allow visitors to secure campsites before heading to a park instead of loading up and arriving in… Read more
08/14/2023
The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission will hold its regularly scheduled commission work session virtually on Aug. 23.
Commission work session items include an update from the Planning Program, an overview of a potential lease of the Federal Bureau of Reclamation’s Scooteney Park, an overview of a potential expansion of the long-term park boundary at Pearrygin Lake State Park and a financial update.
This is an online meeting, and all Parks staff and commissioners will be attending virtually. However, the Commission will provide a meeting space for the public to watch at the… Read more
07/20/2023
The outdoors is one our most powerful teachers and now more children will have access to its lessons.
The No Child Left Inside (NCLI) grant program, awarded by the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission (Parks), will provide more than $6.7 million for 92 projects dedicated to expanding outdoor recreation and education opportunities for underserved youth in Washington. NCLI also will leverage more than $6.8 million in matching resources from grant recipients, increasing the investment in youth education and wellbeing.
“The world comes to Washington to experience our natural… Read more
07/18/2023
Washington State Governor Jay Inslee has issued a proclamation declaring the week of July 21-27 to be statewide Paddle Safe Week. In partnership with the Washington State Parks Boating Program, Paddle Safe Week will lead a statewide effort to create a culture of safety around paddle sports. The campaign recognizes that Washington's diverse waterways require different skills, preparation, and safety equipment.In the last five years, paddlers have come to represent 55% of the statewide recreational boating fatalities. Growing popularity and lack of safety education have contributed to this… Read more
07/05/2023
The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission will hold its regular hybrid commission meeting on Thurs., July 13, 2023, at the Ocean Shores Convention Center. The public is welcome to attend in-person or online.
Agenda items include:
Requested approval of policy options and delegation of authority to finalize and submit agency-requested legislation proposals to the Governor's Office for consideration.
Requested approval of the 2024 supplemental operating budget request.
Requested approval of the 2024 supplemental capital budget request.
Revision of Washington Administrative Code… Read more