Tag: Washington State Parks

The perfect event backdrop

A State Park can provide the perfect stunning backdrop for your next event. Whether you’re planning a wedding, an anniversary party, a retirement celebration or other event, a State Park may be just the perfect environment. However, there are some special considerations to keep in mind if you’re planning on celebrating on State Park land. Read on to learn more.

State Park Event Considerations

1. What will be provided? When you host events at more traditional venues the venue will often offer inclusive or for rent furniture, linens, decorations, and other event accessories. The offerings at a State Park may be limited. This means that you may have to rent things like tables and chairs from somewhere else. When planning your event, you need to budget for [...]

Spend the best months outdoors

There is nothing better than getting to work where you love to recreate. Washington State Parks are now hiring seasonal park aides for the spring and summer months. This is a great job opportunity for recent grads, people transitioning from one job to another, and seniors who love being active. From April to September you can get paid to hang out in the parks, either locally here in the Wenatchee Valley or at many of the other State Parks throughout the state.

Park aides enjoy a wide variety of duties. These duties include registering campers, maintaining trails, cleaning campgrounds and maintaining facilities. They also may staff park offices, assist visitors and help with interpretive and educational programs. If you like variety, it’s the perfect job for [...]

Snowy Adventure Awaits

If waking up to the dazzling, sparkling vista of fresh fallen snow sounds enticing, then winter camping is for you. There are many opportunities at Washington State Parks to camp in the wintertime – and warm up. State Parks can offer a gentle introduction to winter camping with amenities like heated bathrooms, kitchen shelters, roofed cabins and miles of groomed ski and snowshoe trails.

Tent Camping at Lake Wenatchee

For the bargain price of $20 a night, you can rent a campsite at beautiful Lake Wenatchee. Come prepared to set up your site, though. You’ll want shovels to clear an area for your tent, as well as stakes and/or snow anchors or stuff sacks to fill with snow. Scared of the cold? There are heated indoor restrooms offering hot showers and a kitchen [...]

Do you like playing in the snow?

We’re fortunate to live in an area of the country that is just as fun outdoors in the winter as it is in the summer. Many State Parks are open during the winter season for various winter sports. However, these parks often require special permits for use. Read on to learn about the 2022 Washington Sno-Park Permits.

Sno-Park Permits available as of November 1st

The State Parks Winter Recreation Program manages over 120 recreation sites, or Sno-Parks, across the state for recreators to enjoy during the winter season. Parking at these sites requires special permits. 

Seasonal or one-day Sno-Park permits can be purchased online or through a licensed vendor. 

Snowmobilers also must register their snowmobiles through the Washington Department of Licensing.

In addition to the seasonal permit, [...]

Get kids excited to be outdoors

It’s not an uncommon scene. Mention a trip to a state park and your young kids start to roll their eyes. They would much rather sit in the AC watching their favorite characters on screen. However, this summer there’s a fun way to get your young ones excited about that State park visit. At participating Washington State Park locations, you can pick up a brochure that will allow your kids to explore the park with Gabby’s Dollhouse.

Gabby’s Dollhouse Brochure

This colorful brochure is packed with educational activities to keep your kids engaged with both the park and one of their favorite characters. You can either pick up the brochure at a participating location or you can download and print it yourself. Break away from screens this summer and head [...]

Engage your kids in the Parks

Are you looking for ways to engage your kids in the great outdoors (instead of their screens) this summer? The Junior Park Ranger program at both the Washington State Parks and the National Parks is a great way to do just that. Junior Rangers take an oath of their own to protect parks, continue to learn about parks, and share their own ranger story with friends and family. The Junior Ranger booklet and badge program is a fun way for youth and families to explore national and state parks. Designed for youth 4 and up, this self-guided program encourages families to discover the natural and cultural wonders of the park system through fun exploration, games, and creative activities.

Washington State Junior Rangers

To become a Junior [...]

Work where you love to play

Are you someone who can’t spend enough time in the many beautiful State Parks in Washington? Consider being paid to help take care of your favorite places this summer! The state parks are now in the process of hiring park aides and senior park aides for summer 2022.

The many benefits of being a park aide

Each summer, State Parks employs 350 park aides and up to 40 senior park aides to work the busy season, which runs from April through September. Park aides register campers, maintain trails, clean campgrounds and comfort stations and perform a variety of custodial maintenance chores. They also may work in park offices, interact with visitors and help with interpretive and educational programs.

Senior park aides are designated as lead workers and lead other park [...]

Start the year active

If you’re looking to get your New Year off to the right start, choose to be active to start the year. Each year, many of the State Parks offer first day adventures for the public to take part in. Take a look at the options – how will you be active to start the year this year?

Hikes, bike rides, snowshoeing and more!

At least 42 state parks have scheduled staff-led hikes, self-guided hikes, dog strolls, cross-country ski trips and more for New Year’s Day. 

State parks in every part of Washington will host free, family-friendly activities for you to join in. Jan. 1 marks the first free park day of 2022. Even better – visitors won’t need a Discover Pass to park on state recreation lands.

First Day Hikes will range [...]

Popularity of Park Vacations

The pandemic has led to a rise in outdoor recreation, particularly camping and RV travel. Consequently, it can be harder than ever to reserve some of your favorite State Park campsites. With a little planning ahead, though, you can now be sure to get first in line for the most popular sites.

Campsite Availability Notifications

On the Washington State Park’s reservation website, you can now sign up for campsite availability notifications. This service was frequently requested by users and the Washington State Parks listened.

You can set up notifications on your account to be notified when a reservable site is available for specific dates. You can set up to five notifications, modify them and cancel them on your account. Notifications are available for campsites, cabins, marinas and day-use.

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The 2021 Sno-Park Permits are now available for purchase. For the first time since 2009, there has been an increases in prices for this year’s permits.

Washington state Sno-Park users enjoy a high-level of service, including cleared parking lots, groomed ski, skate-ski and snowmobile trails, regularly sanitized bathrooms and avalanche beacon check stations in some backcountry areas. The new prices reflect the rising cost of these operations, as well as replacement of aging equipment, including grooming machines. 

During the last 12 years, this self-funded program, has opened several new permanent Sno-Parks around the state and created temporary Sno-Parks to meet customer demand. 

Sno-Park Permit Fees for 2021-2022

• Seasonal permit:                                  $50 (up from $40)
• Annual snowmobile permit:       [...]