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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OLYMPIA – Dec. 13, 2021 – The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission will hold a special commission meeting on Tues., Dec. 14. The purpose of this special meeting is for the Commission to establish the qualifications for the initial screening of applicants for the State Parks director position and to delegate authority or take other actions in the discretion of the Commission for the director recruitment and hiring process.
Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission is beginning a process to update the long-term boundary for Pearrygin Lake State Park to include properties on the north shore of the lake. This change would result in all of Pearrygin Lake’s shoreline being within the long-term park boundary, allowing for future connection of a loop trail around the lake.
Located off Hwy 97 between Winthrop and Wenatchee, Daroga State Park is a lush green oasis nestled among the dry, rolling hills of Central Washington. Enjoy dramatic views, a calm lagoon ideal for beginner swimmers and paddlers, scenic walking trails, and a relaxing beach area. The nearby Columbia River offers exciting opportunities for boaters and water sports enthusiasts.
Westport Golf, Inc. has developed a proposal to construct, operate, and manage a Scottish links-style “artisanal” golf course and a 30- to 40-room inn at Westport Light State Park near Westport. Given the potential impacts of the proposed project, an extensive environmental review process is needed before the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission will formally consider the proposal.
OLYMPIA – Ring in the new year with Washington State Parks during our annual First Day Hikes event on Jan. 1, 2024.
More than 40 state parks will host staff-led and self-guided hikes, snowshoe excursions, dog walks, bike and trail rides, paddle adventures and more on New Year’s Day.
Do you have gorgeous or interesting photos from your time in state parks? We want to see them! Help us show off our state's beauty by sharing photos taken in our parks, at our heritage sites and on our trails. Washington State Parks uses, with permission, user-generated content on our social media, website and in promotional and retail items.
OLYMPIA – Today at a special meeting, the Fort Worden Public Development Authority’s (PDA) Board of Directors voted to request a dissolution of the organization by the City of Port Townsend (City).
The vote by the PDA initiates the process of dissolving the PDA organization and ending its 50-year lease with the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission (Parks) to operate the Lifelong Learning Center at Fort Worden State Park.
Your next adventure could be a winding highway or ferry hop away, on Washington's fabled Olympic Peninsula. This far western region has it all – rainforest, coastline, mountains and charming waterfront towns. We love this area so much, we've crafted a sublime OlyPen itinerary just for you.
Overnight mooring space may be limited during maintenance work
OLYMPIA – June 9, 2023 – The Washington State Parks and recreation Commission (Parks) will complete routine inspection and maintenance of 180 public mooring buoys in parks this summer. Work will begin in north and central Puget Sound on Monday, June 12, and will continue across Puget Sound through June.
OLYMPIA – November 15, 2022 - Washington State Parks is inviting the public to ring in the new year during its annual First Day Hikes event on Jan. 1, 2023.
At least 40 state parks will host staff-led and self-guided hikes, snowshoe excursions, bike rides and more on New Year's Day.
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.
Planners will discuss facility improvements at Blake Island Marine State Park
OLYMPIA – April 20, 2022 – Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission invites the public to a hybrid in-person and virtual public meeting on Bainbridge Island to learn more about planned facility improvements at neighboring Blake Island Marine State Park.
Beach with a view
Scenic Beach State Park is rooted in the era of automobile tourist camps that sprung up around Washington’s inland waterways in the 1920s as car ownership became widespread. Its location on the eastern shore of Hood Canal, with views across the water to the soaring peaks of the Olympic Mountains is highlighted in the spring and early summer with blooming native rhododendrons.
The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission is committed to telling the full story of events that are significant to each park. Despite limitations in the historical record, we have tried to represent the best information available to us. Our efforts to interpret the past are an ongoing process and as such, these stories will be updated over time. Our ongoing relationship-building and collaboration with Tribes and others will inform this work.
SPOKANE – This spring, Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission will complete a 340-acre forest health treatment in the area immediately north of Seven Mile Road in Riverside State Park.
This project will help reduce wildfire risk within the park and promote a healthy and resilient forest by reducing the amount of wildfire fuels. It will also remove unhealthy trees from the ecosystem.
The Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail weaves together a diverse parade of landscapes filled with stories of land and people. The trail stretches much of the way across today’s Washington, from shrub-steppe and farmlands of the Palouse country on the eastern edge of the state, across the Columbia River, and up and through the Cascade Mountains to the lowlands surrounding Puget Sound.
Washington State Parks is conducting a public planning process to update the long-term boundary for Riverside State Park to include the property known as Glen Tana. This project adds over 1,000 acres just outside Spokane, expanding recreation opportunities and environmental protections in a high-demand, urban setting.
Washington State Parks has started a planning process for Steptoe Butte State Park and Steptoe Battlefield State Park Heritage Sites. CAMP is a multi-staged, public participation-based planning process for individual parks that culminates with adoption of park land classifications, a long-term park boundary, and a park management plan. The combination of these deliverables constitutes a land use plan.
The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission is developing a long-range plan for its property located on Miller Peninsula. This 2,800-acre undeveloped park is located in the north Olympic Peninsula, just east of Sequim and north of Highway 101 in Clallam County. The property includes a trail system for hikers, mountain bikers, and equestrians through a beautiful second-growth forest.
I can have my voice heard. I can truly make a difference. When I think of the reasons that my involvement with State Parks is important to me, these are what come to mind. As a member of the Washington State Parks Youth Leadership Program, I have enjoyed the opportunity to share my perspective with the agency and know that my concerns and suggestions will be accepted with an open mind.
Parks Inland Northwest and Blue Mountain Area Community Engagement Coordinator, Rex Schultz retired after a long, happy career in professional golf. Then he took a job as a park aide in eastern Washington. Now he has a new career and is having the time of his life. Read his story and consider becoming a park aide yourself!
Puget Sound is full of peninsulas, and most Washingtonians, or people who’ve planned a big trip to Washington, have heard of our famous Olympic Peninsula, the northwestern tip of the Lower 48. But have you heard of the Kitsap Peninsula? More accessible by car or public transport, and dotted with amenity-filled towns, Kitsap is a great destination, with several state parks for all your outdoor needs!
OLYMPIA – The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission is asking campers to weigh in on proposed changes to its camping stay limits.
The proposed update limits maximum stay lengths to no more than 10 nights in one park within a 30-day period. Total nights stayed cannot exceed 90 days per calendar year in all state parks.
OLYMPIA – March 7, 2023 – Lake Sammamish State Park is one of the most popular parks in the Seattle area for families and communities to come together and enjoy a dose of nature near the city. That's why, in just a few weeks, the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission plans to begin work on several improvements and upgrades that will revitalize the Sunset Beach area.
OLYMPIA – December 1, 2022 – The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission will hold a planning meeting in-person on Tuesday, Dec. 6 and Wednesday, Dec. 7 in Camano Island.
Agenda items include year-end review, division highlights and 2023 Commission priorities.
The public may attend the meeting, but no public comment will be taken. Attendance is limited to in-person only. No virtual access will be available.