The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission announces nine more 2012 State Parks “free days,” when the Discover Pass will not be required of visitors venturing out to enjoy their state parks. Most of State Parks free days are in alignment with 2012 free days offered by the National Park Service.
The “free days” are in keeping with legislation that created the Discover Pass, a $30 annual or $10 one-day permit required on state-managed recreation lands managed by Washington State Parks, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Department of Natural Resources. The Discover Pass legislation provided that State Parks could designate up to 12 “free days” when the pass would not be required to visit state parks. The free days only apply at state parks. A Discover Pass will still be required to access DFW and DNR lands.
Following are the 2012 State Parks “free days:”
•    March 18 and 19 – In honor of Washington State Parks’ 99th birthday on March 19
•    June 9 – National Get Outdoors Day
•    Sept. 29 – National Public Lands Day
•    Nov. 10 through 12 – Veterans Day weekend

The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission manages a diverse system of more than 100 state parks and recreation programs statewide. Visitors can enjoy a variety of recreation opportunities on a diverse array of park landscapes, from Pacific Ocean beaches to forest and mountain trails and the sweeping river gorge vistas of Eastern Washington. State Parks also offers historic areas and interpretive facilities. For more information, visit the State Parks web site at www.parks.wa.gov. For information about the Discover Pass, visit online at www.DiscoverPass.wa.gov.

Washington State Parks is on Twitter at WaStatePks_NEWS and YouTube at WashingtonStateParks.

Some areas require a Sno-park permit; others will need a Discover Pass. Washington State Parks and the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announce changes in requirements to visiting winter recreation areas in Washington state. The changes affect whether a Sno-Park permit or a Discover Pass will be required to access state-managed winter recreation areas and Sno-Parks.
Visitors who have a current seasonal Sno-Park permit will not need to purchase a Discover Pass to visit a designated Sno-Park area between November 1 and March 31 for winter recreation activities. The seasonal Sno-Park permit is $40. A one-day Sno-Park permit is $20. Some non-motorized Sno-Parks require a Special Groomed Trail sticker for an additional $40. For more information, visit www.parks.wa.gov/winter/nonmotorparks/ or download the handy chart developed by DNR and State Parks to find out what kind of pass or permit you’ll need this winter.



 

For Washingtonians, the start of the new year is prime time to hunt for ducks and geese, fish for hatchery-reared steelhead and enjoy the annual spectacle of bald eagles, snow geese, elk, big-horn sheep and other wintering wildlife.
Shellfish managers at the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) are also planning to announce another round of razor clam digs in January.
But winter weather is an important consideration wherever you go. Ice fishing is a dicey proposition in most parts of the state and heavy rains can render a river “unfishable” – even dangerous – virtually overnight.

“Preparation is essential for any outdoor activity, especially in winter,” said Mike Cenci, deputy enforcement chief for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). “Check the weather conditions, river conditions and road conditions – and let people know where you’re going before you head out.”