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Camano Island State Park feels a world away with its forested trails, rocky shoreline and sweeping views of Puget Sound, the Olympic Mountains and Mount Rainier. Come for a fun and laid back camping weekend filled with boating, hiking, fishing and beach exploration.

We asked the people who make our parks run – our Washington State Parks staff – what parks, recreation and time spent in nature mean to them.

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.

Come explore the history of Bottle Beach with Ranger Lisa. In the early 1900s the land was a boom town. The factors that made the town go bust are exactly what make it an important stop over for migrating shorebirds. Learn about the interconnectivity of nature and human history as you ring in the New Year.
Come explore the history of Bottle Beach with Ranger Lisa. In the early 1900s the land was a boom town. The factors that made the town go bust are exactly what make it an important stop over for migrating shorebirds. Learn about the interconnectivity of nature and human history as you ring in the New Year.

Seasonal positions will serve parks across Washington.

OLYMPIA – Jan. 17, 2023 – Washington State Parks is recruiting seasonal park aides to work in its beautiful outdoor places this spring, summer and fall!

Parks is looking for 305 park aides and senior park aides to work from April through September in diverse environments like old-growth forests, channeled scabland and shrub steppe, as well as on Pacific Ocean beaches and the high desert and around Puget Sound and its islands.

Set along the picturesque Touchet River, Lewis & Clark Trail State Park is an oasis-like forested park surrounded by an arid grassland. With unusual vegetation and geology, the park also offers rich history. 

OLYMPIA – April 6, 2022 – The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission will hold its regular in-person commission meeting Thursday, April 14 at the Columbia Pacific Heritage Museum in Ilwaco.

Commission action items include 2023-25 capital budget target request level and proposed modifications to the Klickitat State Park Trail long-term park boundary.

In addition, the commission will hear updates and reports from agency staff and the Washington State Parks Foundation.

Palouse Falls State Park Heritage Site is a 94-acre day use park with dramatic views of the official state waterfall.

A Mountain on an Island

The pinnacle of Moran State Park, Mount Constitution, rises 2,407 feet directly from sea level to the second highest point on an oceanic island in the contiguous 48 US states. The rocks that make up the heights of Mount Constitution began as lava erupting on the ocean floor or slowly accumulating sediments formed by skeletons of marine microorganisms, windblown dust and volcanic ash settling to the ocean floor. The pillow basalts, chert and shale seen at rocky exposures in the park are evidence of these events.

The International Peace Arch is a 67-foot dramatic white arch that rises from the green lawns and flowering gardens on the U.S.-Canada border at Blaine. It is the iconic feature of this Washington Historical State Park, which is devoted to peace and serenity. Peace Arch is unique among parks because it consists of two parks in two countries. The southern half of the park is owned by Washington State Parks and the northern half is owned by British Columbia Parks.

Maryhill State Park is a waterfront camping park right on the Columbia River. Visit for a relaxing camping weekend and experience this area's natural beauty, wonder and cultural history.

The arching bridges that link Fidalgo Island to Whidbey Island are only an introduction to the beauty and fascination of Deception Pass State Park.

OLYMPIA – Nov. 9, 2021 – The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission will hold its regular in-person commission meeting Thursday, Nov. 18, in Vancouver.

Commission action items include authorizing the transfer of the Lake Newport property in Pend Oreille County for local park purposes and authorizing the sale of the Auburn State Park Property in King County.

A Rain-fed River Runs Through It

Bogachiel State Park hugs the bank of the Bogachiel River (locally known as the “Bogie”) on the northwestern reaches of the Olympic Peninsula, providing recreational opportunities on the windward slope of the Olympic Mountains. Storms and moisture rise as they are forced up over the Olympic Mountains from the Pacific Ocean. When the moist air rises, it expands and cools. The colder air is less able to hold moisture, so clouds and precipitation form. Bogachiel State Park averages over 120 inches of annual precipitation!

OLYMPIA – May 1, 2024 – Schafer State Park is ready to welcome visitors to its expanded campground, just in time for its centennial anniversary as a state park.

In the foothills of the Cascade Mountains, Battle Ground Lake State Park offers hiking, biking and equestrian campsites. The spring-fed lake draws swimmers, paddlers and anglers.

Lake Easton State Park is a popular recreation site that lies at the nexus of historic travel and transportation routes that have been used for millennia.

Twin Harbors State Park gets its name from its location between the “twin harbors” of Grays Harbor and Willapa Bay.

Turn Island is a kayaker's dream. With its pebble beaches and shoreside campsites, this marine state park is a social destination for the paddling crowd, or a quiet retreat in the off-season.

South Whidbey State Park owes its preservation in no small part to a group of citizens who put their bodies on the line for its protection.

Cutts Island State Park is proof that good things come in small packages. Only reachable by boat, this intriguing little island offers the perfect day at the beach.
A National Natural Landmark, Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park offers hiking and interpretive activities. Camping and water access is down the road at Wanapum Recreation Area.

Dash Point State Park provides access to the shores and undersea gardens of Puget Sound in one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United States. The woodsy ravine behind the park’s beach can be explored on miles of trails, and visitors enjoy camp life just minutes from the homes of millions of people.  

The 130-mile Columbia Plateau State Park Trail starts southwest of Spokane. Built on an abandoned railbed, the trail follows the Snake River south, ending near Pasco.