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Ali RaadOLYMPIA – Jan. 11, 2023 – This month, Gov. Jay Inslee appointed Ali Raad of Thurston County as the newest member of the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission.

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 – The Washington State Parks Folk and Traditional Arts Program (FTAP) and Kirkland-based non-profit Ubuntu Nerudo will partner to hold the second-annual Ubuntu Nerudo African Heritage Festival at Lake Sammamish State Park next month.

Goldendale Observatory State Park Heritage Site offers visitors an opportunity to peer through a telescope to glimpse other worlds far beyond planet Earth, thanks to the dedication of people who generously gave their time and skill to build a 24.5-inch telescope for the sole purpose of providing the public an extraordinary experience.

An Observatory for the Public

In 1960, four men in Vancouver, WA came together to pursue their dream of building a telescope.

The first Washington state iNaturalist verified observation of the species, Hylaeus basalis, (Cinquefoil Masked Bee), was photographed on Marrowstone Island in Jefferson County on May 8, 2024.  This small, nearly all black bee was observed in coastal strand habitat inside Fort Flagler State Park.

Parks planners will discuss possible modifications to conserve critical habitats

OLYMPIA – March 14, 2022 – Washington State Parks invites the public to attend a virtual meeting to learn about plans for expansion of the Klickitat Trail State Park in Klickitat County.

Members of the public can participate in the meeting by using the link or call-in information below.

WHEN:
1:30 p.m.– 2:30 p.m.
Tuesday, March 29

OLYMPIA – As a proud member of the Washington Clean Coast Alliance, the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission will co-host the annual Washington Coast Cleanup on Saturday, April 20.

This year’s event will take place at ten state parks: Cape Disappointment, Fort Flagler, Fort Townsend, Fort Worden, Grayland Beach, Mystery Bay, Ocean City, Pacific Beach, Shine Tidelands and Twin Harbors. 

The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission is moving its headquarters out of Tumwater to collocate with the Department of Ecology at its building in Lacey.

Customers who prefer to visit the agency’s Information Center in person can visit the new location — 300 Desmond Dr. SE, Lacey, WA, 98503 — beginning June 2.

Whenever we have a question about the non-human life in our parks, we ping our Natural Resources Manager, Dr. Andrea Thorpe. She recently sat down to answer questions about herself, her job and advice for women and girls seeking STEM careers.

Formed by Glacial Meltwaters

Pearrygin Lake owes its existence to a quirk in the timing of melting glaciers. At the close of the Pleistocene ice age around 13,000 years ago, the huge Methow Valley glacier responsible for deepening the U-shaped Methow Valley persisted later than the tongues of ice that had flowed into the Chewack River Valley from a giant ice cap centered in today’s British Columbia.

Steptoe Butte, or Eomoshtoss, rises high above the rolling hills of the Palouse country, an impressive landmark with many stories to tell.

Coulee Corridor First Day Hike
A short, guided hike led by Interpretive Specialists David McWalter and Sarah Overby. This walk near the waters of Banks Lake will focus on highlighting the complex natural history and beauty of the land, the perfect walk to reflect on how the land has changed and the year gone by.

Meet at Cabin #1 in the Bay loop of Steamboat Rock State Park. Cabin #1 will be open and available to sit inside and warm up with a delicious drink and snack.
Warden to the Idaho border, 126 miles
The East section of the PTCT is the most variable and remote section requiring pre-registration before you visit. This section includes several areas that are closed to public access, requiring detours and more involved trip planning and support.

“…it still looks the same as it did when I came here to visit 70 years ago…” --Dorette Rothschild Lemon, 2010

An angler casts her line into a glassy lake, and a sweater-clad camper sips a steaming mug of coffee. They gaze out, admiring the last tendrils of mist on the water as the rising sun plays on the amber hills above. Welcome to mornings at Pearrygin Lake.
North Bend area to Snoqualmie Pass Tunnel, 18 miles 
The West section of the PTCT is also the most improved for recreational use. This section starts in King County at the Cedar Falls Trailhead (milepost 2136) and continues east to the 2.3-mile-long Snoqualmie Tunnel (milepost 2117).

A visitor to Old Ruby State Park Heritage Site is likely to find themselves alone among tall ponderosa pines gently swaying in the breeze. But if one could travel back in time to the late 1800s, there would have been a bustling town with a population of more than 1,000 on the site. Ruby City was one of the most consequential silver mining locations in the history of Washington, and its development generated intense excitement just as Washington became the 42nd state in the United States.

SPOKANE — The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission is asking the public to weigh in on two potential scenarios for the future of Mount Spokane State Park.

This feedback will help inform the development of the new 20-year master plan for the park. The planning effort has been underway since early 2024 and will result in a clear vision, timeline and prioritized list of maintenance and improvement projects.

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.  

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. 05, 2021 – The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission will hold special commission meeting on Wed., Oct. 6. The purpose of this October 6 special meeting is for the commission to receive and evaluate complaints brought against a public officer or employee, to determine if the commission needs to prescribe additional measures and for the executive committee to seek additional directions or delegations from the commission as needed.

The Klickitat Trail runs 31 miles through stunning Columbia River Gorge country between Lyle and the Goldendale plateau. As it leaves the Columbia to follow the Klickitat River, the gentle trail leads cyclists, hikers, birders and, in some places, equestrians through dramatic Swale Canyon.

OLYMPIA — As a member of the Washington Clean Coast Alliance, the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission is proud to co-host the annual Washington Coast Cleanup on Saturday, April 19. This vital event brings together volunteers to help protect and preserve Washington’s coastline. 

This year’s cleanup will take place at 10 state parks, including Cape Disappointment, Fort Flagler, Fort Townsend, Fort Worden, Grayland Beach, Mystery Bay, Ocean City, Pacific Beach, Shine Tidelands and Twin Harbors.