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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Lake Sammamish State Park is getting a much-needed renovation at Sunset Beach. This heavily used day-use area will have improved ADA access trails, an upgraded event space, new picnic shelters, and small covered shelters near the playground for caregivers to observe the play area.
Park staff and volunteers from the Friends of Mt. Spokane will lead this 2.6-mile snowshoe hike to the Smith Gap warming hut. Along the way, participants will traverse through a beautiful old-growth cedar-hemlock forest and pass several stream crossings. Snacks will be provided at the trailhead.
Each year, Parks is the welcome recipient of over 190,000 volunteer hours and over 5,000 volunteers. Volunteers from all over the state participate in a variety of volunteer opportunities from trail work and interpretation to habitat restoration and hosting. We would like to thank all our volunteers for their dedication and support.
qatáy/PORT TOWNSEND – The traditional lands of the S'Klallam, known as qatáy, on the present-day beaches of Fort Worden Historical State Park, will welcome traditional canoe families on Fri., July 26. The landing is a stopover on the Power Paddle to Puyallup Youth Canoe Journey.
Construction will impact boat launch use during 2023 halibut, lingcod fishing season
OLYMPIA – March 16, 2023 – Construction is underway for the new Keystone Boat Launch on Whidbey Island. Located near the Keystone Ferry Terminal, the popular launch is part of Fort Casey Historical State Park.
If you enjoy Washington beaches, then you know how important it is to protect them. Protecting our beaches is a shore way of keeping them safe, clean and fun. There are several ways you can do your part and keep our parks a beautiful place.
OLYMPIA — Washington State Governor Jay Inslee has issued a proclamation declaring the week of July 22-28 to be statewide Paddle Safe Week. Supported by the Washington State Parks Boating Program, Paddle Safe Week will lead a statewide effort to create a culture of safety around paddle sports.
Our favorite fall road trip through the North and Central Cascades is doable clockwise or counterclockwise, starting from most points on the itinerary. You could bring your RV or camp out, or you could book cozy cabins at each state park on the loop.
We know campfires are a fundamental part of the camping experience for many people – providing warmth, light, a gathering place for stories and the distinctive aroma that many associate with the great outdoors. For us, the enjoyment of these outdoor spaces in Washington is made possible by the responsible individuals who adhere to annual burn bans when staying at our parks – so thank you!
When: Friday, August 8th: 8:30AM-12:30PM
Where: Carlson Trailhead, Riverside State Park
From the trailhead, we will make a short ¼ mile hike to our shop space to work on sanding/staining picnic table boards. In addition, there are some fruit trees in the area that could using pruning with use of pole and hand saws.
Where: Carlson Trailhead, Riverside State Park
From the trailhead, we will make a short ¼ mile hike to our shop space to work on sanding/staining picnic table boards. In addition, there are some fruit trees in the area that could using pruning with use of pole and hand saws.
Join the Interpretive Specialist, Meredith Peterson, and other park staff for a walk out to Cranberry Lake to get out and get moving on the first day of the year. This gentle trail leads you through the forest to a marsh ecosystem, where there is an active beaver lodge and signs of their activity along the way. Enjoy hot drinks and snacks at the drop off shelter before the hike begins.
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!
We can’t take you to Southeast Asia, but we’re excited to help three Asian-American communities share their cultural traditions at Lake Sammamish and Saltwater state parks in the next few weeks! The United Communities of Laos, Cambodian, and Iu Mien Cultural Festivals, co-hosted by our Folk & Traditional Arts Program, return this July - August!
Join the Interpretive Specialist, Meredith Peterson, and other park staff for a walk along the Howard Adams Trail to get out and get moving on the first day of the year. This gentle trail leads you through the forest, where we will set our intentions for the new year and enjoy time spent outside. Enjoy hot drinks and snacks at the drop off shelter before the hike begins.
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.
OLYMPIA – Jan. 24, 2023 – The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission is looking for two new volunteers to serve on the Boating Program Advisory Council (BPAC). The new members of the committee must have experience relevant to the program – one position requires a public health and injury prevention background and will serve as the injury prevention specialist. The other position requires a background in recreational boating education.
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.
Family in Nature is a fun and highly interactive, nature-based program designed for children ages 2 to 5 years old. Each session lasts approximately 90 minutes and focuses on various aspects of nature found in the park. The programs include story time, creative play, and parent-led activities and crafts. Our goal is to create a warm and welcoming space where you and your little ones can enjoy the wonders of Deception Pass together.
Proper spacing between trees reduces overcrowding and maintains health and vigor within a forest. This also helps reduce the intensity of wildfires, severe infestations of insects and disease, and competition between the trees for water & nutrients. These benefits extend beyond the State Park boundaries – private landowners who own properties adjacent to the thinned areas will also face a reduced fire risk and enjoy a more diverse forest ecosystem just past their backyards.
Guided by Park staff and volunteers from the Friends of Mt. Spokane, participants will snowshoe past the Bald Knob Picnic Shelter to the historic Vista House located at 5,833 feet – the highest point of Mt. Spokane. If weather permits, participants will have views of the Cabinet Mountains in Montana, Selkirk Crest in North Idaho, and nearby lakes. Snacks will be provided at the trailhead. Participants can also purchase hot drinks and snacks at the Vista House.
OLYMPIA – Nov. 3, 2021 – Pass Lake, a popular destination in Deception Pass State Park, has reopened for winter fishing and recreation.
The lake had closed in August, 2021 when high concentrations of toxic algae were discovered. Recent tests show the waters are back at levels deemed safe for recreation by Washington's Department of Health.
Toxic algae blooms typically start in late summer and are usually caused by excessive nutrients in warm, stagnant waters.
The Malden to Kenova project on the East Section of the Palouse to Cascades Trail includes the design and reconstruction of three bridges along the trail that burned in the 2020 Babb Road Fire. The project also includes resurfacing of approximately five miles of trail between the Malden Trailhead and Kenova intersection of the Palouse to Cascades Trail, construction of a small trailhead at Kenova with four to five parking stalls and construction of a kiosk with few interpretive panels along the five miles of trail.
Join us Friday, July 18th from 9:30AM-2:30PM for a variety of trail tasks to be completed around the newly acquired State Park property around the old Bear Creek Lodge on Mt. Spokane.
Trail Maintenance Tasks:
-Trail brushing along Winter Snow Mobile trails
-Remove old trail staircase
-Sand/Stain Staircase railing
-Drag trees to create burn/wood chipper piles
Trail Maintenance Tasks:
-Trail brushing along Winter Snow Mobile trails
-Remove old trail staircase
-Sand/Stain Staircase railing
-Drag trees to create burn/wood chipper piles
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:
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