We're updating our camping and moorage fees to continue providing great experiences for visitors amid inflation and rising costs. You will see a rate increase for camping stays booked for May 15 and beyond. Moorage fees will increase Jan. 1. Learn more here.
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Olympia – May 14, 2024 – The Washington State Parks (Parks) Folk and Traditional Arts Program (FTAP) has announced their summer lineup of concerts and festivals, including a new concert series in Central Washington and a new cultural festival at Lake Sammamish.
In 2014, the Bridle Trails Park Foundation began conversations with Washington State Parks about funding the design and construction of an environmental education building in the park. 2022 brought the formal presentation of a dedicated indoor educational program space for members of the community to experience the park regardless of weather or physical abilities, as well as an indoor park office where the Park Ranger can connect with visitors.
OLYMPIA – May 3, 2022 – On May 1, Washington State Parks began managing more than 15 recreation sites owned by Avista Utilities. The properties sit around the Spokane River, Nine Mile Dam, Lake Spokane and Long Lake Dam.
According to a new five-year agreement, State Parks will operate the Avista sites as part of Riverside State Park. The land parcels, which total 2,000 acres, include six trailheads, two water access sites, two overlooks,10 boat-in campsites and one picnic area on Lake Spokane.
The trailheads are:
One of the foremost cultural and business ambassadors between the Northwest United States and Japan in the mid-1800s, MacDonald helped shaped the policies that opened relations between the two countries.
A dizzying mile-long switchback trail takes you up 848-foot Beacon Rock, but that’s not the only way to a tip-top experience. Rock climbing and hiking to waterfalls are the rage at this park, where there are plenty of vantage points for eagle-eye views. Cyclists and horseback riders also will find trails to the vistas from Hamilton Mountain saddle, and boaters can delight in the majesty of Beacon Rock from the Columbia River.
This entire gorge is famous for its wind and water sports, and Doug's Beach is a coveted spot. The winds can be fierce, whipping the river into a white-capped frenzy. Kite boarding and windsurfing success at this site comes with bragging rights and respect; it is rated as expert and is only recommended for those who are properly trained, skilled and equipped.
Boaters should check project schedule before planning overnight trips
OLYMPIA – April 29, 2022 – Washington State Parks will begin contracted mooring buoy repair work in the San Juan Islands beginning Monday, May 2 and on the eastern Olympic Peninsula beginning Wednesday, June 1. The agency will repair 82 buoys that are currently unsatisfactory and unusable. The months-long maintenance project will service salvageable state-owned, public mooring buoys to ensure they are in top condition for boaters.
OLYMPIA — On July 1, the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission will transition to the statewide small works roster hosted by the Municipal Research and Services Center (MRSC).
Ring in the New year with a hike around Lincoln Rock State Park and the Rocky Reach Trail with park staff as we look for and discuss the wildlife of our park and area, followed up with a campfire, food, refreshments, and Junior Ranger activities for the kids.
As you enter Sun Lakes-Dry Falls, you may feel like you’re on another planet. The park is surrounded by one of Washington’s most striking and historically significant landscapes.
Forest thinning will begin this fall
OLYMPIA – 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 Friends of Lake Sammamish State Park as we learn how to find art while walking…even if you don’t think you’re an artist!
Ring in the holidays at the Admiralty Head Lighthouse for our annual Light Up Your Holiday event. Enjoy kid's activities and get your picture with Santa.
OLYMPIA – Celebrate the new year with Washington State Parks during our annual First Day Hikes events on Jan. 1, 2025.
More than 30 state parks will host staff-led and self-guided hikes, snowshoe excursions, trail rides, polar plunges, scavenger hunts and more on New Year’s Day.
Hey kids! Take your parents or guardians out for some fun this Jan. 1, and learn how to hike at South Whidbey State Park.
BLAINE – The Nooksack Indian Tribe will welcome canoe families today at Birch Bay State Park. The landing is a stopover on the Power Paddle to Puyallup Youth Canoe Journey.
Cold weather scuba diving is popular in the Northwest, and our western Washington waters are among the premier places to dive in the country, says Mike Racine, a western Washington diving enthusiast. Undersea life in our region is vibrant and beautiful — a rarely seen scape of infinite wonder and mystery.
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.
Step through the kitchen door of the Rothschild House and step back to the 1800’s. Located at the corner of Jefferson and Taylor Streets in uptown Port Townsend, the Rothschild House is virtually unchanged from a hundred years ago.
SPOKANE — The community is invited to attend an open house to learn more about an upcoming forest thinning project in the 7-Mile area of Riverside State Park.
Learn about contracting opportunities and instructions for bidders.
Embarking on a recreational journey for the first time can be exhilarating and scary. Whether you are joining the land of outdoor lovers to start a new hobby or improve your mental or physical health – the exploration process can be a bit challenging if you don’t know where to start. That is where Washington State Parks comes in!
You'll need a Discover Pass or other State parks pass to visit Washington State parks.
State Parks Clean Vessel Act Grant Program funds $700,000 in new pumpout and floating restroom projects
Recreational boat pumpout facilities expand across the state
OLYMPIA – April 5, 2022 – Recreational boaters in Washington waters will have an easier time disposing of vessel sewage, thanks to more than $700,000 in new federal pass-through grants for recreational boat pumpout and floating restroom projects.