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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10/12/2022
Forest thinning will begin this fallOLYMPIA – Oct. 12, 2022 – Washington State Parks will hold a virtual open house on an upcoming forest health project at Squilchuck State Park. The purpose of this meeting is to share updates about the project and answer questions.The meeting will take place from 6 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 18 via Microsoft Teams. Attendees do not need to download Teams to join; they can use a web browser on a computer or mobile phone.Join the Microsoft Teams Meeting here. State Parks will conduct a forest health thinning project at Squilchuck. The work will occur between… Read more
10/11/2022
OLYMPIA – Oct. 11, 2022 – Washington State Parks will hold a public hearing to record testimony about the proposed land transfer of 2.9 acres of Sontag Park in Nine Mile Falls from State Parks to the Nine Mile Falls School District. The in-person only public hearing is scheduled from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 25. It will be held in the gymnasium at Nine Mile Falls Elementary School. The hearing will begin with a brief introduction and overview of the proposed transfer. This presentation will be followed by an opportunity for the public to provide recorded testimony that will be shared… Read more
10/05/2022
OLYMPIA – Oct. 5, 2022 – Washington State Parks will hold a public open house to hear from the community and answer questions about the Miller Peninsula State Park Property.The open house is scheduled for Oct. 18, 2022 from 6-7:30 p.m. and will be held at the Blynn-Bay meeting space located inside the 7 Cedars Hotel in Sequim. The in-person only open house will begin with a brief introduction and overview of the planning work to date, status of the project and anticipated next steps. This presentation will be followed by an informal and open opportunity for the public to speak with… Read more
09/19/2022
No Discover Pass is required to park on State Parks, WA State Department of Natural Resources or WA Department of Fish and Wildlife managed lands on September 24 OLYMPIA – September 19, 2022 – The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission (Parks) invites visitors to enjoy state parks or recreational areas on Saturday, September 24 in celebration of National Public Lands Day. Visitors are not required to display a Discover Pass for day-use visits to a Washington state park or on lands managed by the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) or Washington Department of Fish… Read more
09/13/2022
OLYMPIA – Sept. 13, 2022 – The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission will hold its regular hybrid commission meeting on Thursday, Sept. 22 at the Gladish Community Center in Pullman.Commission action items include approval of the submittal of the 2023 supplemental operating and capital budget requests to the Office of Financial Management (OFM) and approval of the 2023 regular commission meeting schedule.In addition, the commission will hear updates and reports from agency staff.Work Session and Commission Meeting agendas and presentations are available online. Virtual public… Read more
09/08/2022
Port of Lopez now operating seasonal mobile pumpout serviceOLYMPIA – September 8, 2022 – A new sewage pumpout boat is providing free service to recreational boaters in the San Juan Islands. The Port of Lopez received a grant in 2021 from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to build an electric powered pumpout vessel. A separate grant from the Washington State Parks Clean Vessel Act Grant Program is supporting the operations and maintenance of the vessel, along with financial backing from the Port. Named “Blackwater,” the vessel has already provided several pumpouts despite only being… Read more
09/07/2022
Several parks will host events during national Girl Scouts Love State Parks weekend.OLYMPIA – Sept. 7, 2022 – Washington State Parks will participate in the national Girl Scouts Love State Parks program this weekend. Girl Scouts Love State Parks is a partnership between Girl Scouts USA and the National Association of State Parks Directors. State parks in all 50 states participate.Several state parks will offer activities during Girl Scouts Love State Parks weekend. Interpretive rangers will host scavenger hunts, arts and crafts for kids of all ages and the opportunity for kids to get their… Read more
08/31/2022
OLYMPIA – Aug. 31, 2022 – Washington State Parks will close the lower parking lot and all restroom facilities at Tolmie State Park near Lacey on Tuesday, Sept. 6 to complete a fish passage project. The upper lot at Tolmie will remain open, with space for 30 cars, and portable toilets will be available during construction. The work is set to start in September and wrap up in February of 2023. Visitors will be able to reach the beach on a steep trail from the upper parking lot. Designed and engineered by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), this project will replace a five-… Read more
08/18/2022
Grant provides funding for marine patrol vessels across WashingtonOLYMPIA – August 18, 2022 – The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission Boating Program has announced funding recipients to receive just over $554,000 in federal grant dollars to improve patrol capacity on Washington waterways.The following entities will receive funding to replace their primary patrol vessel through the Marine Law Enforcement Patrol Vessel Replacement Grant Program:Clallam County - $125,326Franklin County - $36,552King County - $150,000Kittitas County - $92,169San Juan County - $150,000The Program… Read more
07/14/2022
OLYMPIA – July 14, 2022 – Washington State Governor Jay Inslee has issued a proclamation declaring the week of July 23-29 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. The relatively unstable nature of paddlecraft and… Read more