The Parks headquarters Information Center is moving from its current location in Tumwater to the Department of Ecology building at 300 Desmond Drive SE in Lacey. Our customer service team is located at the front desk, just inside the main entrance.
Help shape the Future of Mount Spokane during the park’s open house on June 24
SPOKANE — The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission is asking the public to weigh in on two potential scenarios for the future of Mount Spokane State Park.
This feedback will help inform the development of the new 20-year master plan for the park. The planning effort has been underway since early 2024 and will result in a clear vision, timeline and prioritized list of maintenance and improvement projects.
The two scenarios reflect the range of potential projects and proposed features collected throughout the planning process. The goal of the open house is not to identify one…
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06/20/2025
SPOKANE — The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission is asking the public to weigh in on two potential scenarios for the future of Mount Spokane State Park.
This feedback will help inform the development of the new 20-year master plan for the park. The planning effort has been underway since early 2024 and will result in a clear vision, timeline and prioritized list of maintenance and improvement projects.
The two scenarios reflect the range of potential projects and proposed features collected throughout the planning process. The goal of the open house is not to identify one… Read more
06/18/2025
OLYMPIA — As thousands head to Washington’s state parks and beaches to celebrate the Fourth of July, the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission (State Parks) is asking everyone to recreate responsibly – for the safety of our communities, environment and wildlife.
State 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 picked up more than 129,000 pounds of trash from Washington beaches on July 5 – about the weight of nine… Read more
06/18/2025
COUPEVILLE – The beach access road at Fort Ebey State Park will close June 23-25 for repaving.
The road work will help restore sections of the park’s day-use road that have eroded. This work is the first phase in a larger project to repave the roads at Fort Ebey.
Recreation and beach access still available
The roads to the battery shelter and campground are still accessible. Surfers can access the beach from Libbey Beach Park.
The beach and beach facilities, including picnic shelter, bathrooms and picnic tables will still be accessible by foot via the park’s hiking trails. The… Read more
06/12/2025
MONTESANO – The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission will lower the water level of Lake Sylvia by approximately five feet on June 23 to relieve pressure on the aging Lake Sylvia dam. The lowering process could take up to a week to complete.
The Lake Sylvia dam, which was built around 1918, is showing signs of age and requires maintenance work. Lowering the level of the lake will alleviate stress on the dam, ensure visitor safety and allow State Parks and its partners to continuing monitoring the structure while preparing for next steps.
The lake will remain open for… Read more
06/11/2025
Visitors will see intermittent closures on three trails this summer
ISSAQUAH – Beginning this week, visitors will see construction activity on lower Issaquah Creek at Lake Sammamish State Park.
The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission (State Parks) and Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust (The Greenway Trust), in partnership with several government and community organizations, will start work on a restoration project to rehabilitate 4,600 feet of the creek. This project, the most ambitious restoration effort to date at Lake Sammamish, will enhance critical salmon habitat while… Read more
05/29/2025
OLYMPIA — Washington State Parks will perform its annual mooring buoy maintenance at marine state parks in Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands in June.
This ongoing maintenance creates safe conditions for boaters who tie up to buoys at marine state parks and recreate or sleep in their vessels.
The following parks will have limited mooring buoy availability during the following timeframes:
Monday, June 2:
Stretch Island
McMicken Island
Jarrell Cove
Tuesday, June 3:
Hope Island/Mason County
Joemma Beach
Tolmie
Eagle Island… Read more
05/28/2025
CASTLE ROCK – Set to reopen after receiving its first major renovation since it originally opened in 1986, the Mount St. Helens Visitor Center in Castle Rock will begin welcoming visitors on May 31.
The new and improved exhibits provide a more comprehensive look at Mount St. Helens, Lawilátɬa in the language of the Cowlitz Indian Tribe, from pre-eruption days to the present. Its displays show the powerful role the mountain has had in transforming the region over thousands of years.
The Cowlitz Indian Tribe was a close partner in this work. For millennia, the mountain has played a… Read more
05/27/2025
The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission is moving its headquarters out of Tumwater to collocate with the Department of Ecology at its building in Lacey.
Customers who prefer to visit the agency’s Information Center in person can visit the new location — 300 Desmond Dr. SE, Lacey, WA, 98503 — beginning June 2.
The Information Center is expected to remain operational at 1111 SW Israel Rd, Tumwater until May 30. Staff will also continue to be available during business hours by email at Information.Center@parks.wa.gov and by phone at 360-902-8844. Discover Passes can also… Read more
05/21/2025
OLYMPIA — The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission (Parks) has begun using a new electronic bidding system for public works projects.
The launch of the Municipal Research and Services Center (MRSC) Bonfire system marks the first phase in the agency’s larger plan to modernize and streamline procurement across all competitive applications.
This move steers State Parks away from outdated paper and email-based bid submissions to a secure, centralized and transparent online portal: State Parks Bonfire Procurement Opportunities, powered by the MRSC Electronic Bidding Bonfire… Read more
05/20/2025
OLYMPIA — Over half a million boaters in Washington have completed their boating safety education course, meeting state requirements and making our waterways safer.
So far in 2025, the Washington State Recreational Boating Safety Program has issued over 4,000 boater education cards to people who have completed the course, bringing the total number of cards issued by the program to 500,000.
For 20 years, the Washington State Recreational Boating Safety Program has administered the mandatory boater education card. The program aims to reduce statewide boating fatalities and educate folks on… Read more