Saturday, November 11 and Friday, November 24
— from Jackie Daigle for Friends of Moran —
Recreation and outdoor enthusiasts have two more opportunities to visit Washington’s state parks for free in 2017. On these free days, day-use visitors will not need a Discover Pass for vehicle access on Saturday, November 11 and Friday, November 24.
Since the free days were first designated in 2011, the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission has set aside November 11, Veterans Day, as one of its free days to honor those who served in the armed forces. This year, the agency moved one of its two spring free days to November 24, as a way to encourage people to visit a state park in autumn.
State Parks free days are in keeping with legislation that created the Discover Pass, a $30 annual or $10 one-day permit required on lands managed by Washington State Parks and the Washington departments of Natural Resources (DNR) and Fish & Wildlife (WDFW). The Discover Pass legislation provided that State Parks could designate up to 12 free days each year when the pass would not be required to visit state parks. The Discover Pass is still required to access lands managed by WDFW and DNR on these days.
Free days apply only to day-use access by vehicle, not overnight stays or rented facilities.
So so so generous for the State to set the free days for Islanders in NOVEMBER!!!
The free days occur all year, for ALL state parks. Here is the schedule for 2018:
Jan. 1 — First Day Hikes; New Year’s Day
Jan. 15 — Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
March 19 — State Park’s 105th birthday
April 14 — Spring day
April 22 — Earth Day
June 2 — National Trails Day
June 9 — National Get Outdoors Day
June 10 — Fishing Day
Aug. 25 — National Park Service 102st Birthday
Sept. 29 — National Public Lands Day
Nov. 11 — Veterans Day
Nov. 23 — Autumn day