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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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.
Saturday, May 10th: 10AM-3PM - Columbia Plateau Trail - Cheney Trailhead - Wood Chipping & Brushing
Join us along the Columbia Plateau State Park Trail to trim back encroaching vegetation and utilize the woodchipper to clean it up! We will meet at the Cheney Trailhead and head South on the Columbia Plateau Trail.
Join us along the Columbia Plateau State Park Trail to trim back encroaching vegetation and utilize the woodchipper to clean it up! We will meet at the Cheney Trailhead and head South on the Columbia Plateau Trail.
Boating is a great activity to enjoy the many lakes, rivers, and coastal waters in our beautiful State! Motorized boats, sailboats, and personal water crafts (PWC’s) are just some of the vessels used in our State. Boating offers recreators the opportunity to fish or swim from beyond the shore!
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.
From elephant seals to porpoises, orcas, and whales, Deception Pass State Park is a marvel for marine mammal viewing. Join staff for a guided hike at Rosario on Saturday afternoons in March to discover the wonders of marine mammals at Deception Pass. This hike is roughly 0.5 miles with a 100ft elevation gain. The hike is expected to take 1 hour. This hike is not stroller accessible or ADA.
Friday, May 9th: 10AM-3PM - Columbia Plateau Trail - Amber Lake Trailhead - Wood Chipping & Brushing
Join us along the Columbia Plateau State Park Trail to trim back encroaching vegetation and utilize the woodchipper to clean it up! We will meet at the Amber Lake Trailhead and head North on the Columbia Plateau Trail towards Cheney.
Join us along the Columbia Plateau State Park Trail to trim back encroaching vegetation and utilize the woodchipper to clean it up! We will meet at the Amber Lake Trailhead and head North on the Columbia Plateau Trail towards Cheney.
The Recreational Boating Safety Program maintains a record of boating-related accidents and fatalities in the state.
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!
Offered to veterans who are Washington state residents with a 30% or greater service-connected disability.
Offered annually to Washington state residents who are 62 years of age or older.
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.
Saint Patrick may have driven the snakes out of Ireland, but here in Washington State, snakes are an important part of our natural ecosystem.
Come join Park staff as we explore the beautiful old-growth forest that Lewis and Clark State Park has to offer. Participants will learn about the area's rich history as well as the abundant flora/fauna. This scenic hike takes visitors under towering cedar and fir trees strung with lichen and moss, and through a lush understory teeming with ferns. The hike will begin in the CCC kitchen shelter where a warm fire and drinks/snacks will be provided. Enjoy a short show-and-tell session on the local wildlife as hikers are arriving. This year we're implementing an educational scavenger hunt, adding to the fun along the trail! All ages are welcome.
We asked campers to weigh in on proposed changes to the camping stay limits WAC. Stay limits are outlined in Section 7 of WAC 352-32-030.
The proposed update limits maximum stay lengths to no more than 10 nights in one park within a 30-day period. Total nights stayed cannot exceed 90 days per calendar year in all state parks. The goal of the update is to make camping stay limits clear and consistent for our visitors. It also aims to improve equity by shortening the number of days campers can stay annually to accommodate more recreational use of these facilities.
First day hikers are welcome to the Cornet Bay Retreat Center at Deception Pass State Park for a fun morning of hikes. Starting at 9:00 AM, hikers are invited to enjoy warm drinks and snacks. At 9:30 AM hikers will then have the option select their preferred activity based on difficulty level. Hikes range in difficulty from easy to hard. All hikes are on and around Goose Rock and include some of the most popular trails in the park. Hikers can expect to see a variety of wildlife, experience old growth forest, and enjoy amazing views of the Salish Sea and rocky cliffs of Deception Pass.
Offered to Washington State residents who are 62 years or older with an annual income of $40,000 or less.
Your purchase of a Discover Pass helps keep our state recreational lands open and beautiful. It's also an incredible deal!
Many recreational boaters in Washington are required by law to complete a boating safety course and carry a Washington State Boater Education Card.
Offered to Washington State residents who provide out-of-home care to children as foster parents, caregivers or kinship families.
Offered to Washington state residents who are legally blind, profoundly deaf, or who meet the disability definition used by the Social Security Administration.
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.
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:
Wohelo Lodge is nestled in the folds of the Blue Mountains, this southeast Washington frontier has some of our state's most spectacular scenery.
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