The U.S. state of Washington has over 140 state parks that are managed by the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission. These include 19 marine parks and 11 Historical Parks. The park system was established in 1913 by the creation of the Washington State Board of Park Commissioners.[2] The first two parks were formed from donated land in 1915, and by 1929 the state had seven parks. In 1947 the State Parks Committee was renamed to the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission and given authority to oversee the state park system. By 1960 the number of state parks had increased to 130.

Quick Facts Agency overview, Formed ...
Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission
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Agency overview
Formed1913; 111 years ago (1913)
Headquarters1111 Israel Road S.W.,
Olympia, Washington[1]
Annual budget$148.6 million (2011–13 biennium)[1]
Websitewww.parks.wa.gov
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In 2003, the Washington State Legislature introduced a $5-a-day parking fee, meant to fund park-related construction projects; more than a quarter of the fees collected went into the fee-collection system itself.[3] Park use decreased more than 15% under the fees. The fee was rescinded in early 2006, returning the state park system to its status of the only system in the West without day-use fees.[4] In 2011 the legislature enacted a $10 day-use permit and a $30 annual pass, called the Discover Pass, for vehicles to enter state parks, lands owned or managed by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, and designated lands of the Washington Department of Natural Resources.[5][6] Funds generated from the sale of the Discover Pass are deposited into the Recreation Access Pass Account. The new fees did not raise as much money as was hoped, though another effort to encourage donation when renewing certain state licenses (including driver's licenses) was more successful than officials expected.

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Washington State Parks (Hover mouse over pog to popup clickable link)

Current state parks

More information Name, Image ...
Name Image County Size[7] Details
acres ha
Alta Lake Thumb Okanogan 18173 Camping at the north end of 2-mile-long (3.2 km) Alta Lake
Anderson Lake Thumb Jefferson 476193 Trails, non-motorized boating, and lake fishing on Quimper Peninsula
Battle Ground Lake Thumb Clark 280110 Fishing, swimming, camping, and trails in and around an ancient volcano crater
Bay View Thumb Skagit 2510 Camping, swimming, and boating on Padilla Bay
Beacon Rock Thumb Skamania 5,1002,100 Volcanic monolith and forested uplands on the Columbia River
Belfair Thumb Mason 6526 Tidal flats, wetlands, and beaches on Hood Canal
Birch Bay Thumb Whatcom 19479 Camping, shellfish harvesting on Birch Bay
Blake Island Thumb Kitsap 475192 Island park in Puget Sound; home of Tillicum Village
Blind Island Thumb San Juan 31.2 Part of the Cascadia Marine Trail
Bogachiel Thumb Clallam 12350 Camping on the Bogachiel River
Bottle Beach Thumb Grays Harbor 7530 Tidal flats on the southern shore of Grays Harbor
Bridgeport Thumb Okanogan 748303 Camping, boating on Rufus Woods Lake
Bridle Trails Thumb King 482195 Suburban equestrian park with 28 miles (45 km) of trails
Brooks Memorial Thumb Klickitat 700280 Trails and camping in the southern Cascade Mountains
Cama Beach Thumb Island 433175 Preserved 1930s seaside tourist camp
Camano Island Thumb Island 13454 Camping and water activities on Puget Sound
Cape Disappointment Thumb Pacific 1,882762 Formerly called Fort Canby: World War I-era naval gun emplacements and bunkers; camping and water activities near the southern tip of Long Beach Peninsula
Centennial Trail   Spokane 525212 37-mile (60 km) paved trail following the Spokane River from Nine Mile Falls to the Idaho border
Clark Island Thumb San Juan 5522 Marine camping on the Strait of Georgia in the San Juan Islands
Columbia Hills Thumb Klickitat 3,3381,351 Formed from the merger of Horsethief Lake and Dalles Mountain Ranch state parks with hiking trails and Columbia River water activities
Columbia Plateau Trail Thumb Adams 3,8801,570 130-mile (210 km) abandoned railroad right-of-way running between Cheney and Pasco
Conconully Thumb Okanogan 8133 Camping and water activities on Conconully Reservoir
Crawford Thumb Pend Oreille 4920 Seasonal tours of the limestone formations in Gardner Cave
Curlew Lake   Ferry 12350 Camping and water activities on Curlew Lake
Cutts Island Thumb Pierce 20.81 Island park in Carr Inlet at the southern end of Puget Sound
Daroga Thumb Douglas 9036 Camping and water activities on the Columbia River
Dash Point Thumb King 398161 Camping, trails, and water activities on Puget Sound
Deception Pass Thumb Island 4,1341,673 Camping, water activities, and old-growth forest at the northern end of Whidbey Island
Doe Island   San Juan 72.8 Island park southeast of Orcas Island
Dosewallips Thumb Jefferson 425172 Camping and water activities on Hood Canal
Doug's Beach   Klickitat 400160 Windsurfing in the Columbia Gorge
Eagle Island State Park   Pierce 104.0 Island park in southern Puget Sound
Federation Forest Thumb King 619251 Hiking amid old-growth Douglas firs on the White River
Fields Spring Thumb Asotin 792321 Trails in the Blue Mountains region
Flaming Geyser Thumb King 480190 Flaming methane geysers (seeps); rafting on the Green River
Forks of the Sky King 1,300530
Fort Casey Thumb Island 467189 World War I-era naval gun emplacements and bunkers
Fort Columbia Thumb Pacific 593240 Early 20th-century coastal artillery and historic wood-frame fort buildings
Fort Ebey Thumb Island 645261 Camping, paragliding, and trails on the Strait of Juan de Fuca
Fort Flagler Thumb Jefferson 784317 World War I-era naval gun emplacements and bunkers at the mouth of Puget Sound
Fort Simcoe Thumb Yakima 20081 1850s-era military installation on the Yakama Indian Reservation with army and Native American interpretive displays
Fort Townsend Thumb Jefferson 367149 Boating, camping, and trails at the northeastern extreme of the Olympic Peninsula
Fort Worden Thumb Jefferson 434176 Camping, water activities, and the Coast Artillery Museum
Ginkgo Petrified Forest Thumb Kittitas 7,4703,020 A petrified forest with more than 50 species of wood; camping and water activities on the Columbia River's Wanapum Reservoir
Goldendale Observatory Thumb Klickitat 52.0 An astronomical observatory
Grayland Beach Thumb Pacific 412167 Saltwater beach activities on the Pacific Ocean
Griffiths-Priday Thumb Grays Harbor 364147 Saltwater beach activities on the Pacific Ocean
Harstine Island Thumb Mason 471191 Beach access
Hope Island (Mason County)   Mason 10643 Old-growth forest, salt marsh, beach on Puget Sound
Hope Island (Skagit County)   Skagit 20081 Island camping on Skagit Bay
Ike Kinswa Thumb Lewis 454184 Water activities on Lake Mayfield
Illahee Thumb Kitsap 7530 Saltwater beach activities on Puget Sound
Iron Horse Thumb Kittitas,
King
1,612652 Rail trail over Snoqualmie Pass
Jackson House Thumb Lewis County 1.40.57 Restored 1850 cabin and homestead site of early Euro-American settlers John R. and Matilda Jackson
James Island  Thumb San Juan 11747 Island camping in the San Juan Islands
Jarrell Cove Thumb Mason 4317 Saltwater activities on south Puget Sound
Joemma Beach Thumb Pierce 12249 Saltwater activities on south Puget Sound
Jones Island   San Juan 19077 Island camping in the San Juan Islands
Joseph Whidbey Thumb Island 11245 Saltwater beach activities on the Strait of Juan de Fuca
Kanaskat-Palmer Thumb King 320130 Whitewater rafting in the Green River Gorge
Kinney Point   Jefferson 7631 Saltwater beach activities on south Puget Sound
Kitsap Memorial Thumb Kitsap 5823 Saltwater beach activities on south Hood Canal
Kopachuck Thumb Pierce 10944 Saltwater beach activities on south Puget Sound
Lake Chelan Thumb Chelan 12751 Camping, water activities on Lake Chelan
Lake Easton Thumb Kittitas 516209 Camping, water activities on Lake Easton
Lake Isabella   Mason 18876  
Lake Sammamish Thumb King 512207  
Lake Sylvia Thumb Grays Harbor 252102  
Lake Wenatchee Thumb Chelan 489198  
Larrabee Thumb Whatcom 2,6831,086  
Leadbetter Point Thumb Pacific 1,698687  
Lewis and Clark Thumb Lewis 621251  
Lewis and Clark Trail   Columbia 3715  
Lime Kiln Point Thumb San Juan 3615 A facility for orca whale research
Lincoln Rock Thumb Douglas 8032  
Lyons Ferry Franklin 1,000400 Returned to Washington State Parks operation in 2015
Loomis Lake   Pacific 385156  
Manchester Thumb Kitsap 11145  
Maryhill Thumb Klickitat 9940  
Matia Island  Thumb San Juan 14559  
Matilda N. Jackson  Thumb Lewis 52.0 Heritage site of early pioneer homesteader; picnic amenities and small loop trail
McMicken Island   Mason 11.54.7  
Millersylvania Thumb Thurston 842341  
Moran Thumb San Juan 5,0002,000  
Mount Pilchuck Thumb Snohomish 1,893766  
Mount Spokane Thumb Spokane 13,9195,633  
Mystery Bay   Jefferson 104.0  
Nolte Thumb King 11747  
Obstruction Pass Thumb San Juan 7631  
Ocean City Thumb Grays Harbor 17069  
Olallie Thumb King 2,338946  
Olmstead Place Thumb Kittitas 21788  
Packwood State Park (Skate Creek Nature Park) Lewis 17571 Part of a land swap in the 1990s, the parcel has remained undeveloped. Attempts have been made to transfer the land to the county.[8][9]
Pacific Beach Thumb Grays Harbor 104.0  
Pacific Pines Thumb Pacific 104.0  
Palouse Falls Thumb Franklin, Whitman 10542  
Paradise Point Thumb Clark 8836  
Patos Island Thumb San Juan 20784  
Peace Arch Thumb Whatcom 208.1 A peace memorial on the United States-Canada border
Pearrygin Lake Thumb Okanogan 696282  
Penrose Point Thumb Pierce 15262  
Peshastin Pinnacles Thumb Chelan 3414  
Pleasant Harbor   Jefferson 425172  
Posey Island Thumb San Juan 10.40  
Potholes Thumb Grant 640260  
Potlatch  Thumb Mason 12551  
Rainbow Falls Thumb Lewis 13956  
Rasar Thumb Skagit 16968  
Reed Island   Clark 510210  
Riverside Thumb Spokane 10,8854,405  
Rockport Thumb Skagit 670270  
Sacajawea Thumb Franklin 284115  
Saddlebag Island   San Juan 249.7  
Saint Edward Thumb King 316128  
Saltwater Thumb King 87.435.4  
Scenic Beach Thumb Kitsap 8836  
Schafer Thumb Mason 11948  
Seaquest Thumb Cowlitz 475192  
Sequim Bay Thumb Clallam 9237  
Shine Tidelands Thumb Jefferson 135.3  
Skagit Island   Skagit 249.7  
Skull Island   San Juan 3.21.3  
South Whidbey Thumb Island 347140  
Spencer Spit Thumb San Juan 13856  
Spring Creek Hatchery Thumb Skamania 9.63.9  
Squak Mountain Thumb King 1,545625  
Squilchuck Thumb Chelan 22892  
Steamboat Rock Thumb Grant 3,5221,425  
Steptoe Battlefield Thumb Whitman 41.6  
Steptoe Butte Thumb Whitman 15061  
Stretch Point   Mason 83.2  
Stuart Island Thumb San Juan 8534  
Sucia Island Thumb San Juan 814329  
Sun Lakes-Dry Falls Thumb Grant 4,0271,630  
Tilton River State Park Lewis 11045 The land was donated by a retired logger in the 1990s. The parcel has remained undeveloped as the state found the park inconsistent with the overall plans within the parks system. The grounds are open only for hiking and day use activities.[8][10]
Tolmie Thumb Thurston 10542  
Triton Cove Thumb Jefferson 2912  
Turn Island   San Juan 3514 Part of San Juan Islands National Wildlife Refuge
Twanoh Thumb Mason 18274  
Twenty-Five Mile Creek Thumb Chelan 23595  
Twin Harbors Thumb Grays Harbor 17270  
Wallace Falls Thumb Snohomish 4,7351,916  
Wenatchee Confluence Thumb Chelan 19780  
Westhaven   Grays Harbor 7932  
Westport Light Thumb Grays 21286  
Willapa Hills Thumb Lewis County and Pacific County 757306 Park consists of a 56-mile (90 km) rail trail that is partially paved with stretches of compact gravel
Willie Keil's Grave Thumb Pacific County 0.340.14 Site is accessible to users of the Willapa Hills Trail
Yakima Sportsman Thumb Yakima 247100  
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Former state parks

More information Name, County ...
Name County Area Image Remarks
acres ha
Central Ferry Park Whitman 18575   Administered by USACE;[11] formerly Central Ferry State Park (?–2002)
Chief Timothy Park Asotin 19880   Administered by USACE;[12] formerly Chief Timothy State Park (?–2002)
Crow Butte Park Benton 275111   Administered by Port of Benton;[13] formerly Crow Butte State Park (?–2002)
Damon Point Grays Harbor 6125 Thumb Administered by Washington Recreation and Conservation Office
Fay Bainbridge Park Kitsap 176.9 Thumb Administered by Bainbridge Island Metro Park & Recreation District
Fort Okanogan Okanogan 4518 Thumb Administered by Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation
Fort Ward Park Kitsap 13755   Administered by Bainbridge Island Metro Park & Recreation District
Griffin Bay San Juan 156.1    
Hanging Gardens King 434176   Now Hanging Gardens Site within the Green River Gorge Conservation Area
Mukilteo Lighthouse Park Snohomish 124.9 Thumb Formerly Mukilteo State Park, deeded to City of Mukilteo in 2004
Osoyoos Lake Okanogan 4719   Now Osoyoos Lake Veteran's Memorial Park, operated by city of Oroville
Upright Channel San Juan 208.1    
Wenberg County Park Snohomish 4619   Formerly Wenberg State Park; transferred to Snohomish County in 2009
West Hylebos Wetlands Park King 12049    
Westhaven Grays Harbor 7932   Subsumed into the expanded Westport Light State Park in 2016.[14][15]
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See also

References

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