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.
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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.
Functioning as the gateway to the US Forest Service National Volcanic Monument, Mount St. Helens Visitor Center will entice you with scientific displays, a movie theatre and educational opportunities.
Seaquest State Park hugs the shore of Silver Lake in the foothills of Mount St. Helens, famous for its major eruption on May 18, 1980. A major attraction at the park is the Mount St. Helens Visitor Center, where the story of the mountain’s volcanic history is interpreted with exhibits, ranger programs and audio-visual media.
Seaquest yurts are located in a thick forest with hiking trails and is within walking distance to the Mount St. Helens Visitor Center.
Seaquest is a 475-acre, year-round camping park set among lush pines in the shadow of the storied Mount. St. Helen's volcano. Seaquest Park boasts forested campgrounds, great hiking trails and stunning mountain panoramas. Next door to the campground is Silver Lake. The park is connected to the popular Mount St. Helen's Interpretive Center, another worthwhile destination, and Silver Lake by a pedestrian tunnel which leads you to a boardwalk trail over the wetland where ducks and other wildlife thrive.
With so many lakes, rivers, bays, inlets and ocean shores, it’s no wonder boating, paddling, angling and beach camping are popular in Washington, especially when the weather gets warm.
Washington State Parks manages public boat ramps, docks, launches and mooring buoys, and each has its own pass or permit requirements.
Here is your handy guide to help you determine which passes you may need for your favorite water activity:
Looking for new day-trip experiences or traveling across the state? In the heart of Washington (Kittitas County specifically), you will find three of our parks – perfect for those wanting to check off a few on their must-visit list or newbie hikers looking to hit an easy-rated trail.
Sacajawea Historical State Park welcomes all to join the 21st Heritage Days event this later month!
In celebration of our 111th birthday (just as Bilbo celebrated in The Fellowship of the Ring), we are here to show you Middle Earth and Washington are not so different. Sure, The Lord of the Rings wasn't filmed here, but that doesn't mean you can't walk through the ecological diversity of Middle Earth right here in Washington.
State Parks has completed the development for the new statewide Scenic Bikeways pilot program. Our management of the program includes overseeing the route nomination, evaluation, and designation process, as well as coordinating the implementation of Scenic Bikeway routes with partners and stakeholders. The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission is the decision-making group with authority to designate a proposed route as a Scenic Bikeway.
This program involves participation from the public who have the opportunity to nominate routes they think should become Scenic Bikeways.
This program involves participation from the public who have the opportunity to nominate routes they think should become Scenic Bikeways.
Does the first part of your outdoor adventure involve going online to figure out if you have the right recreation pass? Do you still hit the trail not completely sure you’ve got the right pass displayed the right way?
Whether you’re new to the Northwest’s nature scene, or you’re a PNW pro, you’re not alone if you still scratch your head about permits.
Washington’s outdoor pass system can be confusing, but we’re here to help.
The state is home to 21 lighthouses, nearly half of them in and around state parks. So, pick your park or parks, plan a trip and find the lighthouses of your dreams.
You can find three distinct Washington ecosystems within 20 miles on the North Cascades Highway: Glacially-fed river valley at Rasar State Park, rare old-growth forest at Rockport State Park and alpine meadows at Sauk Mountain right next door!
The Recreational Boating Safety Program provides leadership in boating safety education and water competency.
From park rangers to camp hosts, here’s who can help you enjoy your state park visit
Our in-park staff are excited to welcome you to Washington’s state parks. Whether you’re picnicking for the day, camping for a week or just passing through, there are staff available to help you.
Before you head out, here’s a little bit about the who’s who of staff in our parks.
OLYMPIA – April 5, 2022 – As a member of the Washington Clean Coast Alliance, the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission will participate in this year's Washington Coast Cleanup.
The event will take place from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 23.
The Boring Volcanic Field
Battle Ground Lake is a part of a geologic formation called the Boring Volcanic Field (named for the town of Boring, OR), but the stories revealed in its bedrock are actually quite interesting!
In the Pacific Northwest, the slow-moving subduction of the oceanic crust of the Juan de Fuca tectonic plate underneath North American continent produces molten magma that rises toward the surface. Sometimes, the magma reaches the surface and produces a volcanic explosion (like the eruption of Mount St. Helens in 1980).
OLYMPIA – Help protect Washington’s beaches and marine life on Sept. 20 by volunteering at a state park during the annual International Coastal Cleanup.
As a member of the Washington Clean Coast Alliance, the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission is proud to co-host this opportunity to bring people together who cherish Washington’s coastline to help protect and preserve it.
Grant provides funding for marine patrol vessels across Washington
OLYMPIA – 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 - $125,326
OLYMPIA — As a member of the Washington Clean Coast Alliance, the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission is proud to co-host the annual Washington Coast Cleanup on Saturday, April 19. This vital event brings together volunteers to help protect and preserve Washington’s coastline.
This year’s cleanup will take place at 10 state parks, including Cape Disappointment, Fort Flagler, Fort Townsend, Fort Worden, Grayland Beach, Mystery Bay, Ocean City, Pacific Beach, Shine Tidelands and Twin Harbors.
The Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail (also known as the "PTCT") gives hikers, cyclists and equestrians an unconventional way to explore a variety of environments, flora and wildlife while getting a taste of Washington’s scenic diversity. Explore the forested Cascade Mountains to the arid shrub-steppe of eastern Washington. Sitting on the historic Chicago-Milwaukee-St. Paul-Pacific Railroad corridor, nicknamed the "Milwaukee Road," this 251-mile trail runs in sections from Cedar Falls near North Bend east to the Idaho border.
OLYMPIA – As a proud member of the Washington Clean Coast Alliance, the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission will co-host the annual Washington Coast Cleanup on Saturday, April 20.
This year’s event will take place at ten state parks: Cape Disappointment, Fort Flagler, Fort Townsend, Fort Worden, Grayland Beach, Mystery Bay, Ocean City, Pacific Beach, Shine Tidelands and Twin Harbors.
OLYMPIA — The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission invites the public to nominate winter sports enthusiasts for the agency’s snowmobile advisory committee. Three positions are available statewide to snowmobilers, and one is available statewide to individuals involved in non-motorized winter sports.
OLYMPIA – June 29, 2023 – Washington's state parks are some of the most iconic in the country. Now, more families will be able to experience the beauty in their backyard thanks to the expanded Check Out Washington program.