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.
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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.
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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
“May These Gates Never Be Closed”
The inscription inside the east wall of the Peace Arch monument has a simple message: the highest goal between great nations should be perfect peace. This 67-foot-tall structure of concrete on a steel frame was financed and constructed under the direction of lawyer, financier, road builder and humanitarian Sam Hill.
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.
Join Interpretive Specialist, Sarah Overby, for a short hike in Northrup Canyon.
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).
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.
Thursday, May 29th: 9AM-2PM - Riverside State Park - Deep Creek Interpretive Trail - Trail Brushing & Tread Maintenance
Join us to improve the Deep Creek Interpretive Trail near Nine Mile Falls, WA. We will meet at Carlson Trailhead and hike down the Centennial Trail to where the Deep Ck. Interpretive Trail crosses the Centennial (about 1/2 mile from Carlson TH). From here, we will leapfrog one another and hike the entire interpretive loop (about 1.5 mi.) with handsaws, loppers, and brushcutters to remove encroaching vegetation from the trail. The trail is steep in sections with loose rock.
Join us to improve the Deep Creek Interpretive Trail near Nine Mile Falls, WA. We will meet at Carlson Trailhead and hike down the Centennial Trail to where the Deep Ck. Interpretive Trail crosses the Centennial (about 1/2 mile from Carlson TH). From here, we will leapfrog one another and hike the entire interpretive loop (about 1.5 mi.) with handsaws, loppers, and brushcutters to remove encroaching vegetation from the trail. The trail is steep in sections with loose rock.
Olympia — The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission welcomes the community to attend an open house on Feb. 27 to discuss ongoing planning for Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park.
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.
Saturday, May 31st: 9AM-2PM - Riverside State Park - Deep Creek Interpretive Trail - Trail Brushing & Tread Maintenance
Join us to improve the Deep Creek Interpretive Trail near Nine Mile Falls, WA. We will meet at Carlson Trailhead and hike down the Centennial Trail to where the Deep Ck. Interpretive Trail crosses the Centennial (about 1/2 mile from Carlson TH). From here, we will leapfrog one another and hike the entire interpretive loop (about 1.5 mi.) with tread tools to smooth uneven tread and install drainage. We will also carry loppers and handsaws to brush any encroaching vegetation. The trail is steep in sections with loose rock.
Join us to improve the Deep Creek Interpretive Trail near Nine Mile Falls, WA. We will meet at Carlson Trailhead and hike down the Centennial Trail to where the Deep Ck. Interpretive Trail crosses the Centennial (about 1/2 mile from Carlson TH). From here, we will leapfrog one another and hike the entire interpretive loop (about 1.5 mi.) with tread tools to smooth uneven tread and install drainage. We will also carry loppers and handsaws to brush any encroaching vegetation. The trail is steep in sections with loose rock.
Join us as we celebrate the completion of the capital project to improve the Swale Canyon section of the Klickitat Trail.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!