Washington Parks to Celebrate Public Lands With Free Day

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Visitors to Washington state parks will not need a Discover Pass on Sept. 30. On that day, fees for day use will be waived as a way of celebrating the 24th annual National Public Lands Day. 

A press release from Washington State Parks noted that “public lands offer a great opportunity to get outside and get active. Research shows that getting young people and families to spend more time outdoors is a critical step toward preventing childhood obesity, diabetes and depression.”

The free day is part of the State Parks’ commitment to the public following the creation of the Discover Pass system in 2011. The pass costs $30 annually or $10 for a single-day permit and provides daytime access to lands managed by Washington State Parks, the Washington Department of Natural Resources and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. 

The original Discover Pass legislation stipulated that up to 12 free days per year could be established for State Parks. However, a Discover Pass is still required at WDFW and DNR managed lands on free days.



Free days apply to day-use access by vehicle but do not cover overnight stays or use of rented facilities. Visitors are free to visit State Parks, DNR and WDFW lands without a pass any day of the year so long as they do not bring a vehicle onto the grounds.

After Sept. 30, there will still be two more free days in 2017. The first will be on Nov. 11 in honor of Veterans Day and the last free day will happen on Nov. 24 in recognition of autumn. Additionally, Sept. 30 has been designated as “Bike Your Park Day,” with four state parks offering ranger-led bike tours. The participating parks are Cape Disappointment State Park, Conconully State Park, Fort Worden State Park and Pearrygin State Park. 

Additional information on “Bike Your Park Day” can be found online at http://parks.state.wa.us/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=335.