This free day is for everyone, and encourages people who otherwise may be limited or or unable to visit and enjoy recreation on these public lands. No day-use fee is required for walking or biking into a state park or state-managed natural or wildlife area.

In addition to more than 100 developed state parks throughout Washington State, according to the Discover Pass website, visitors can access:

• More than 350 primitive recreation sites, including campgrounds and picnic areas
• Nearly 700 water-access points 
• Nearly 2,000 miles of designated water and land recreation trails
• More than 80 natural areas
• More than 30 wildlife areas

To learn about other Washington State Parks Free Days, visit discoverpass.wa.gov/136/State-Parks-Free-Days.

For an interactive map of all state parks in Washington, visit the Washington State Parks Foundation, waparks.org.

For regional recreation ideas at state parks, water access sites, and other public lands, visit the OTO archives: Washington’s two largest state parks, Riverside State Park and Mount Spokane State Park, are both located in Spokane County. Other state parks in Eastern Washington and close to Spokane include Steptoe Butte State Park, Palouse Falls State Park, and Spokane Centennial Trail.

[Feature photo by Shallan Knowles.]

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October 26th Agenda:

• Introduction (11:00 – 11:30 AM)
• Group Rides & Bike Safety Check (11:30 – 12:30 PM)
• MTB Skill Games(12:30 – 1:00 PM)
• Chili Pot Luck (1:00 – 1:45 PM)
• Clean-up/Q&A (1:45 – 2:00 PM)

Contact: spokanevalleymoose@gmail.com, or youthmtbspokane@gmail.com

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Support the environment and Washington’s state parks by entering this 365-day challenge

OLYMPIA – Nov. 21, 2012 – The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission and Evergreen State Volkssport Association (ESVA) invite the public to participate in the ESVA Centennial 2013 State Parks Challenge.

The Centennial 2013 State Parks Challenge registration will begin at the ESVA Edmonds Turkey Trot event from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, at the Edmonds United Methodist Church, 828 Caspers Street in Edmonds. The Centennial 2013 State Parks Challenge events will be held throughout 2013 all across Washington in celebration of State Parks’ 100th birthday. The year-long program challenges participants to walk through Washington state parks in the seven Evergreen Volkssport Association regions. The State Parks Challenge is open to everyone, but limited to the first 100 participants who register. Registration is $10 per person and includes a challenge stamp booklet, a logo hatpin and a pencil. Those who complete the challenge will receive a State Parks Centennial 2013 flag patch.

“Participants in the ESVA and in the Pacific Northwest are strong supporters of our environment,” said Diane Hildebrand, ESVA spokesperson. “We want to encourage walkers to visit all corners of the state and enjoy the beauty of our state parks. The 100-year celebration of State Parks seemed a perfect way to recognize the longevity of the State Parks system and support its continuation.”

For more information about the ESVA Centennial 2013 State Parks Challenge or to find a list of qualifying challenge walks, visit www.esva.org.

Volkssporting is a family-oriented sports and recreation program that promotes physical fitness and good health. Volkssport events are non-competitive walks, hikes, bike rides or swims and may include seasonal cross-country skiing or snowshoeing events. In Washington, walking or volksmarching is the most popular volkssport activity. Events occur year round and participants are not required to join a club to participate.

The ESVA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, registered as a non-profit corporation with the State of Washington and charted by the American Volkssport Association. The club promotes physical fitness through participation in volkssport events and the exchange of ideas, good will, friendship and cooperation among volkssport clubs and individuals. They coordination hundreds of events throughout the year. For more information, visit www.esva.org.

State Parks will be 100 years old on March 19, 2013. The fourth oldest state parks system in the nation, State Parks is celebrating their centennial milestone with events throughout 2013. For a full list of events, visit www.parks.wa.gov/events. Follow State Parks social media for the latest centennial celebration news at www.facebook.com/WashingtonStateParksand www.twitter.com/WaStatePks_NEWS.

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This in from Washington State Parks:

Earth Day opportunities: Volunteers needed
for huge coastal cleanup and April state park cleanup days

OLYMPIA – March 22, 2010 – The Washington State Parks and Recreation
> Commission is putting out a call to volunteers to hit the beaches
> for a huge beach cleanup effort on April 18, the day Gov. Christine
> Gregoire has proclaimed “Washington Coast Cleanup Day.” In addition,
> state park rangers at more than a dozen parks need volunteers to
> help with Community Partnership Month park cleanup events throughout
> April, to get ready for the spring and summer camping season.
>
> Both the coastal cleanup and community partnership month efforts are
> in conjunction with Earth Day.
>
> Coastal cleanup
> The Commission is one of eight founding members in the sponsoring
> organization, the Washington Clean Coast Alliance. The CoastSavers
> program of the Alliance organizes a huge coastal cleanup each year
> around Earth Day. Last year, more than 1,100 volunteers removed 22
> tons of marine debris from Washington’s Pacific beaches. Other
> members of the Alliance are the Grass Roots Garbage Gang, the
> Northwest Four-Wheel Drive Association, Discover Your Northwest,
> Lions Club International, Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary,
> Olympic National Park and the Surfrider Foundation.
>
> “Marine debris is a serious threat to our ecosystems and our
> enjoyment of the coast,” said Rex Derr, State Parks director.
> “Garbage and debris harms coastal vegetation, wildlife and marine
> organisms and mars the beauty of our coastline. It is sincerely
> heartening to see the hundreds of people who come out for the
> cleanup and phenomenal to see the amount of debris they take off the
> beaches.”
>
> Volunteers of all abilities are needed. If you can hold a bag, you
> can help. While some people carry garbage bags to roadside
> dumpsters, others simply fill the bags so that four-wheel drive
> vehicles can pick them up along the beach. Volunteers can learn more
> and sign up on the CoastSavers Web site, www.coastsavers.org/washington
> . Rangers at oceanside state and national parks also are signing up
> volunteers for the cleanup day.
>
> Park Cleanup Days: Community Partnership Month
> In addition to the coastal cleanup day, the Washington State Parks
> and Recreation Commission is celebrating Earth Day with volunteer
> projects in state parks to prepare for the upcoming camping season.
> Volunteers who want to help out in a park are asked to call the park
> staff listed on the event list below:
>
> Community Partnership Events – 2010
> Park
> Date of Event
> Ranger
> Phone
> 1.Pearrygin Lake
> April 17
> David McWalter
> (509) 996-2370
> 2. Fort Worden
> Every Sat./Sun. in April
> Steve Shively
> (360) 344-4439
> 3. Fort Casey
> April 3
> Dana Luvera
> (360) 678-4519
> 4. Fort Flagler
> April 22 & 24
> Mike Zimmerman
> (360) 385-1259 or
> (360) 385-3701
> 5. Belfair
> April 3
> Joel Pillars
> (360) 275-0668
> 6. Penrose Point
> April 17
> Janet Shonk
> (253) 884-2514
> 7. Lake Wenatchee
> April 24
> Michelle Tiegel
> (509) 763-3101
> 8. Alta Lake
> April 10
> Morris Shook
> (509) 923-2473
> 9. Twanoh
> April 10
> Stacy Czebotar
> (360) 275-2222
> 10. Saint Edward
> April 17
> Dennis Hill
> (206) 853-4104
> 11. Fort Ebey
> April 3 and 17
> Aaron Terada
> (360) 678-4636
> 12. Moran
> April 3
> Kinnan Murray
> (360) 376-2326
> 13. Blake Island
> April 3 and 10
> Paul Ruppert
> (360) 731-8330
> 14. Lewis & Clark
> April 17
> John Lipparelli
> (360) 864-2643
> 15. Ocean City
> April 17
> Darrel Hopkins
> (360) 289-3553
> 16. Twin Harbors
> April 17
> Brad Staab
> (360) 268-9717
> 17. Cape Disappointment
> April 17
> Joe Moses
> (360) 642-3078
> 18. Seaquest
> April 27
> Tom Fisher
> (360) 274-8633
> 19. Bridle Trail
> April 17
> Jim Erckmann
> (425) 827-6595
> 20. Millersylvania
> April 17 and 18
> Don Hall
> (360) 753-1519
> 21. Kanaskat-Palmer
> April 17
> Davida Hendrickson
> (253) 735-8839 or (360) 886-0148
> 22. Deception Pass
> Dates vary
> Jason Stapert
> (360) 675-3767
> 23. Kopachuck
> April 24
> Matt Smith
> (253) 265-3606
>
>
> The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission thanks the
> public for supporting state parks. Donations made to State Parks
> through the vehicle license tab renewal program will keep state
> parks open in the 2009-2011 budget cycle, provided adequate revenues
> are collected. The Commission manages a diverse system of more than
> 100 state parks and recreation programs, including long-distance
> trails, boating safety and winter recreation. The 97-year-old park
> system will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2013.

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