Park Aide recruitment, PNWonderland walks, Outdoors 101 and more!





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*January 2024*





A smiling male park aide stands next to a tractor lawn mower with golden fall trees behind him.
Parks will hire 300 park aides this season!

Gear up for the coolest job of your career! We’re hiring more than 300 park aides for the 2024 high season. Many former park aides say their summer with us was their all-time favorite job. Several park aides have gone on to careers as rangers, operations managers, interpreters, environmental planners and more!  

If you enjoy the outdoors and want a mix of physical work and customer service support, this may be the spot for you. Whether you’re a high school senior, a college student, a military veteran transitioning to civilian employment or an active retiree who’s not ready to hang it up yet, we’d love to hear from you!  

We’ve got positions all over Washington – choose a park close to home or explore a new part of the state. Learn more [ [link removed] ] and apply today [ [link removed] ]!  






*Walking in a PNWonderland: First Day Hikes and new events*






A plate of decorated cookies includes a welcome to First Day Hikes 2024
Nearly 2,000 visitors started 2024 with a First Day Hike 
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The numbers are in on Washington’s First Day Hikes, and boy are they impressive! 


* *More than 40 WA state parks* hosted First Day Hikes this year.  
* A few parks held more than one FDH; there were* 50 hikes total. * 
* The term “hike” was defined loosely. More than *1,700 visitors* hiked, biked, rode horseback, snowshoed or coaxed dogs through an obstacle course.  
* Together, they covered *2,871.2 miles* of trail!  

A few highlights, ICMY:  


* Bald eagles made impromptu appearances at Ike Kinswa [ [link removed] ], Lake Sammamish [ [link removed] ] and Cama Beach [ [link removed] ].  
* Lime Kiln Point [ [link removed] ] hikers climbed to the top of the lighthouse.  
* Sacajawea [ [link removed] ]’s canine obstacle course allowed several dogs to earn Bark Ranger [ [link removed] ] badges.  
* At Lake Sylvia [ [link removed] ], an 85-year-old hiked 1.5 miles; according to staff, she crushed it. (And the cookies pictured above were made by Friends of Schafer and Lake Sylvia.)

Thanks to our incredible staff for making Day One of 2024 so creative and to our participants for spending New Year’s day with us. Mark your calendars for Jan. 1, 2025, when parks will find new ways to get folks out on the first day of the year.  



A group of snowshoers walk in the forest
Parks host guided winter walks, snowshoe hikes 
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Didn’t make it to First Day Hikes? You haven’t missed your chance for staff-led winter activities!  

*Easton Reload Sno-Park* will host guided snowshoe hikes, Saturdays, 9 a.m. and Mondays, 10:30 a.m. through February. Sno-Park permits required. [ [link removed] ]

*Lake Wenatchee* has guided snowshoe hikes, Sundays through February, 11 a.m., North park office. Sno-Park permits required. [ [link removed] ]

*Palouse to Cascades Trail, Cle Elum South Depot* will hold guided winter walks, Saturdays at 1 p.m. to mid-March. 

*Deception Pass* will once again hold "Families in Nature" programs every other Friday and Saturday, 9:30 – 11 a.m. through mid-March, and a Bird Walk, Saturday, Jan. 27 at 10 a.m. 

Please check our Calendar of Events [ [link removed] ] for details and new events being added! 

A group of snowshoers listen to a ranger who stands in front of a lake, talking.




Our Field Guide Blog has tips on winter preparedness,
dog doo etiquette, animal encounters 

An adult female moose stands beneath a berry tree on a lawn with a calves on both sides of her.

As more people discover the outdoors, we want to help folks learn the skills, gear and etiquette needed for safety, comfort and stewardship of our treasured lands and waters. Whether you’re just falling in love with nature, or you want a fun refresher, check out our blogs on the basics:  


* Get yourself and car ready for winter, [ [link removed] ]  
* Tips on handling wildlife encounters [ [link removed] ], 
* How and why to scoop your dog’s poop [ [link removed] ],  
* The 10 Essentials for all outdoor adventures [ [link removed] ],  
* What is Leave No Trace and why we should all do it, [ [link removed] ] 
* And more! Check out the Field Guide Blog here [ [link removed] ]. 






September reservations open this month

A double rainbow above a lake in front of a dark cloud; sun reflects off the trees and water.

We know it’s only January, but fall is prime time for a PNW road trip with camping at Washington state parks!  

Most of our camping, cabin and yurt reservations open nine months in advance, and popular parks fill up, so we suggest making reservations [ [link removed] ] and planning your mid-September getaway now. 

Need inspiration? We’ve got a few road trip ideas:  


* Where to larch march in fall [ [link removed] ] 
* Olympic Peninsula [ [link removed] ] 
* Look for lighthouses [ [link removed] ]  
* Palouse Falls and Southeastern Washington [ [link removed] ]  






Walkers with dog on paved path with river on one side and basalt cliffs on the other.

A Discover Pass is not needed to park on lands managed by us, the Washington State Department of Natural Resources and the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife on 12 days in 2024. Sno-Parks still require permits to park.




Mark your calendars for the remaining 2024 Discover Pass free days

March 9 - Billy Frank Jr.’s Birthday
March 19 - State Parks’ 111th Birthday
April 22 - Earth Day
June 8 - National Get Outdoors Day
June 9 - Free Fishing Day
June 19 - Juneteenth
Sept. 28 - National Public Lands Day
Oct. 10 - World Mental Health Day
Nov. 11 - Veterans Day
Nov. 29 - Autumn Day

*LEARN MORE & BUY A DISCOVER PASS* [ [link removed] ]








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