A midsummer night's (or afternoon's) dream!

We’re batty for bats, nuts about squirrels, excited for elk and all in on alliterations!

State parks will be hopping with activity day and night in late August and early September! Catch Junior Ranger walk and talks, night photography and telescope viewings and music and dancing at:

• Battle Ground Lake
• Cama Beach and Camano Island
• Cape Disappointment
• Deception Pass
• Dry Falls
• Jarrell Cove
• Lake Chelan
• Lake Sammamish
• Lake Wenatchee
• Lincoln Rock
• Nisqually
• Rasar
• Check out our full lineup of events, and plan your visit today!

It’s almost Labor Day. (Boy, that went fast!)

The upcoming holiday weekend is bound to be busy. As you get in that last hurrah before school starts, please remember to keep it safe with fire and water!

Fire:

• Please heed all burn bans!
• Do not park vehicles on dry grass.
• Fully extinguish all campfires/grills (if it’s too hot to touch, it’s too hot to leave).
• Use an ashtray, put out cigarettes in water and properly dispose of butts.
• Follow DNR’s wildfire blog for more information.

Water:

• Always wear a life jacket and carry a whistle.
• Boat and paddle sober and drug-free.
• Boat or paddle at your skill level.
• Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.
• Use a leash with paddleboards and know how to roll your kayak.
• Know the dangers of cold-water shock, hypothermia andheat exhaustion.
• Use sun protection (sunscreen, sunglasses, hat).
• Bring communication devices (cell phone, In-Reach).
• Visit the State Parks Boating Program website for more information.

Keep it clean out there!

Litter Free = TLC for parks and people:

Want to know how to give your parks and beaches some tender loving care and keep them pretty for future generations?

Check out our new blog post to learn about leave no trace principles.

Plan your 2023 vaycay!

Reserve now for spring!

Already know where you want to spend next Memorial Day weekend?

You'll be able to book your state park campsite for that week starting next week, or 9 months from the date you wish to arrive. Except for first come/first served sites and retreat centers, most sites are reservable 9 months in advance at: goingtocamp.com

Not able to plan that far ahead? No problem! You can create an alert that will notify you when sites at your chosen park open up!

Still have questions? Please email [email protected] or call 360-902-8500 or 360-902-8844 for help.

Parks in the news:

This just in! Over the past few weeks, our state parks have made the headlines for summer travel stories and inspiration. Find your next getaway from these writers:

• King 5: Stay in cabins, platform tents or a castle at Washington state parks
• Seattle Times: As Deception Pass turns 100, WA’s favorite state park cultivates next generation of ‘dreams and memories’
• The Chronicle: Hidden oases of I-5: Explore 6 state parks we usually speed right past

A great deal for seniors!

As you mark your 62^nd birthday, give yourself the gift of our senior off-season pass! The pass goes on sale Sept. 1 and is valid Oct. 1 – April 30. (Sun-Thurs in April).

The annual pass costs $75 for any WA State resident aged 62 and up.

The pass gives access to standard sites without fees and to electric hookup sites for discounted fees. 

Learn more about how to apply for this and other discount pass programs!

Girl Scouts Love State Parks – and we love them right back!

In honor of Girl Scouts Love State Parks weekend, several will host in-person and virtual events that are free and open to the public.

Sat., Sept. 10 Lake Sammamish, Saltwater, Dash Point, Bridle Trails will host scavenger hunts and activities.

Riverside State Park will host ranger chats at Bowl & Pitcher Sat. - Sun., Sept. 10 - 11, noon and 2 p.m.

Attend virtual events: 10 a.m. Facebook Live program Fri., Sept. 9 with State Parks Steward Julie Morse... and the weekend finale – Interpreter Troy Carpenter’s YouTube program livestreamed Sun., Sept. 11, 6 p.m. from Goldendale Observatory, a presentation that makes you feel like you’re in a planetarium in your own living room.

More information and your downloadable Girl Scouts Love State Parks passport here.

I spy... Blitz, the Seahawk!

Three of our long-distance trails will host a famous rider this month!

Blitz, the Seahawks' mascot, will ride an electric Phat Scoot Scooter from the Washington/Idaho border to Lumen Field between Aug. 27 and Sept. 2.

Blitz and the crew will use the Spokane River Centennial Trail, Columbia Plateau Trail and Palouse to Cascades Trail. The ride is a fundraiser to purchase 5,000 pairs of shoes for kids heading back to school.

For more information and itinerary updates, check out: seahawks.com/mascots