Washington State Parks & Recreation Commission

Washington State Parks & Recreation Commission No matter how you connect with nature, Parks is here to welcome you into the wild, wonderful outdoors to 5 p.m., Monday – Friday), and as resources allow.

Washington State Parks protects some of the most diverse — and most beautiful — lands in the country. From ocean beaches to mountain waterfalls, hiking trails to swimming areas, Washington’s state parks welcome you to explore a wide variety of outdoor recreation and experience the state’s most iconic and breathtaking natural wonders. Mission
The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission car

es for Washington's most treasured lands, waters, and historic places. State parks connect all Washingtonians to their diverse natural and cultural heritage and provide memorable recreational and educational experiences that enhance their lives. Vision
Washington's state parks will be cherished destinations with natural, cultural, recreational, artistic, and interpretive experiences that all Washingtonians enjoy, appreciate, and proudly support.

-Social Media Comment Policy-

We welcome comments from the public to encourage a productive community dialog about state parks news, events, programs, activities, conditions, alerts and other matters related to state parks and recreation in Washington. Our social media channels provide a limited forum for public engagement. Information on the our social media pages are not a substitute for legal or official notice by the agency. Comments posted by users are not considered legal or official notice. Our Communications staff monitor agency social media channels during business hours (8 a.m. We do not monitor the page 24 hours a day and will respond to public comments as quickly as possible. Comments from the public should be on topic. The views expressed in comments reflect those of the author. We reserve the right to hide or remove comments as well as block offenders at its discretion for comments that:

-Are unrelated to topics posted by Washington State Parks
-Use offensive, abusive, vulgar, obscene, racist, sexist, homophobic, threatening, or harassing language, photos or other content
-Use language that includes libel, slander or personal attacks against individuals, organizations, agencies or programs
-Include unsupported accusations or false information
-Are solicitations, commercial or political endorsements, advertisements, spam or comments promoting services or products
-Share private, personal or protected information
-Contain copyrighted or other proprietary materials
-Incite or suggest violent action against others
-Suggest or encourage illegal, dangerous or destructive activity

Removal of inappropriate content and comments posted by outside users on agency social media sites shall be retained with a record of that contributor’s name, date and time the content was edited or removed. The records should be retained in such a manner that they can be deleted after meeting the required retention periods. Comments violating our comment policy will not be edited to comply with agency guidelines. Learn more here: https://parks.wa.gov/about/news-announcements/social-media-comment-policy

08/27/2026

Dolly said it best. 👏🐝🍯

Summer won’t last forever. Go outside while you can! Soak up the long days, sunshine and all the good times that come with them. ☀️

You've heard of a gaggle of geese, a pod of orcas and a herd of elk, but have you heard of a platoon of poodles? 🐩 If th...
08/27/2026

You've heard of a gaggle of geese, a pod of orcas and a herd of elk, but have you heard of a platoon of poodles? 🐩

If this person can keep what looks to be nine poodles on their leashes, you can keep your one on a leash, too.

Help keep Washington's state parks safe and enjoyable for everyone by following the BARK Ranger principles:
B - Bag your pet's waste
A - Always leash your pet
R - Respect the wildlife
K - Know where you can go

Happy National Dog Day to those who celebrate! 🐾🐶

Hear from Interpretive Ranger Kelsey Lang about her background and experience in the Olympic View Area state parks, and ...
08/26/2026

Hear from Interpretive Ranger Kelsey Lang about her background and experience in the Olympic View Area state parks, and how she has helps create and organize engaging, creative programs for all ages at the Fort Townsend, Fort Worden and Fort Flagler.

Thanks Explore Washington State for having Kelsey on your podcast!

Interpretive specialist Kelsey Lang on the greasy fingerprints left on a Fort Flagler beam, the cave formations growing inside the gun batteries, and what most visitors miss at both Olympic Peninsula forts.

Join us Saturday from 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. at Saltwater State Park for the 17th annual Cambodian Cultural Celebration! Enjoy...
08/21/2026

Join us Saturday from 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. at Saltwater State Park for the 17th annual Cambodian Cultural Celebration! Enjoy traditional dance and martial arts, food vendors, traditional games, live music and more.

This event is free and open to everyone. A Discover Pass is required for parking and can be purchased online or at the park. Visit parks.wa.gov/find-activity/event-calendar/2026/aug/cambodian-cultural-celebration-2026 to learn more about this event.

Parts of Sequim Bay will reopen on Aug. 24! They include the day-use areas, upper loop of the campground and hookup loop...
08/20/2026

Parts of Sequim Bay will reopen on Aug. 24! They include the day-use areas, upper loop of the campground and hookup loop. The lower campground loop will stay closed until the restroom repair is complete. So, make your camping reservations starting Aug. 24 and enjoy the rest of August and beyond in sunny Sequim Bay: washington.goingtocamp.com.

08/20/2026

Only six concerts left this summer! 🎶🎤🕺

Catch live music at these Washington state parks:
🌊 Rhythm on the River Concert Series | Lincoln Rock - Aug. 21
Darnell Scott brings Blues, R&B and Soul.

🏔️ Mountain Melodies Concert Series | Lake Wenatchee - Aug. 22
Enjoy vibrant Mariachi & Folklórico from Mount Vernon.

🏔️ Mountain Melodies Concert Series | Lake Wenatchee - Sept. 5
Eclectic Cloggers pair Appalachian clog dancing with live old-time music.

🏖️ Waikiki Beach Concert Series | Cape Disappointment - Aug. 22
The Horsenecks bring Appalachian, bluegrass & folk sounds.

🌉 American Roots Concert Series | Deception Pass - Aug. 22
Dream Goats blend old-time, Celtic, country and folk.

🌉 American Roots Concert Series | Deception Pass - Aug. 29
Duende Libre blends Afro-Cuban jazz, Brazilian samba, funk and West African music.

Thank you to the Washington State Parks Specialty License Plate Fund, and to everyone who purchases a State Parks license plate! 💙 A portion of every plate purchase directly supports interpretive programs, including our Folk & Traditional Arts Concert Series. You can also show your support with a donation when renewing your tabs.

➡️ For more info about these concerts, visit parks.wa.gov/get-involved/folk-traditional-arts-events/concert-series.

Hey paddlers — got 10 minutes? Take this survey from the Recreational Boating Safety Program and help make Washington sa...
08/18/2026

Hey paddlers — got 10 minutes? Take this survey from the Recreational Boating Safety Program and help make Washington safer for boating ➡ https://bit.ly/4wzWsGU.

The survey is conducted by our research partner, Halcyon Northwest to keep your information anonymous.

Tired of lugging the cooler to camp? Done getting stuck flipping burgers while your family enjoys the beach? Not sure ho...
08/14/2026

Tired of lugging the cooler to camp? Done getting stuck flipping burgers while your family enjoys the beach? Not sure how that potato salad will hold up on the drive to the park?

You can camp the hard way, or you can camp at Fort Worden the easy way with four classic concessions that can feed and entertain your whole crew.

Cable House Canteen and Olympic Tours offer snacks, drinks, sundries and everything you need for a day at the beach. Work up an appetite for beachside burgers on a rented paddleboard or kayak, or take a guided kayak tour with Olympic Tours. Open daily, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Planted at Reveille has coffee, breakfast treats, and grab-and-go salads, including gluten-free options, at the Commons. Open daily from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Java Gypsy Coffee Truck (a restored vintage milk van) is set up for informal coffee on the lawn next to the Commons. Get caffeinated and fueled for the day. Onsite Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Taps at the Guardhouse Bar and Kitchen may be in a historic jail, and you may even want to eat in a jail cell (or on the outdoor patio for those who need more space), but you'll feel a delicious freedom with food and drinks, and live music on select evenings. Open daily for lunch and dinner.

Visit Fort Worden 👉 parks.wa.gov/find-parks/state-parks/fort-worden-historical-state-park.

Some of our parks in the fire-affected areas are being used as fire camps to support our firefighters and crews and may ...
08/13/2026

Some of our parks in the fire-affected areas are being used as fire camps to support our firefighters and crews and may have closures even if they are not directly impacted by the fire.

Currently, a fire camp is operating in portions of Lincoln Rock State Park. The west parking lot is open for day-use parking, and the sport courts, playground and swim beach are open, and designated walking paths are marked with flags. The boat launch is open for boat drop-offs, but there is no public parking in the day-use/boat launch parking lot. Please contact the park office at 509-884-8702 with any questions or concerns, and visit our website for more info on current closures: parks.wa.gov/about/news-announcements/alerts.

Earlier this month, the documentary “Taming the Mouth” started streaming on Prime TV and Apple TV. This film tells the s...
08/13/2026

Earlier this month, the documentary “Taming the Mouth” started streaming on Prime TV and Apple TV. This film tells the story of the Columbia River Jetties and features some cool footage from Cape Disappointment, along with an interview with one of our Interpretive Rangers, Aaron Webster.

Check out the trailer here 👇

Explore the mouth of the Columbia River through our documentary, revealing its history, challenges, and significance to regional commerce.

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300 Desmond Drive SE
Lacey, WA
98503

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+13609028844

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