The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

OLYMPIA – The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission will offer a free park dayon Earth Day, April 22. Visitors will not need to display a Discover Pass for day use visits to state parks on that day.

Free days are in keeping with the legislation that created the Discover Pass, a $30 annual or $10 one-day permit required for use on lands managed by Washington State Parks, Washington Dept. of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) or the Dept. of Natural Resources (DNR).

The Discover Pass legislation provided that State Parks could designate up to 12 free days each year when passes would not be required to visit State Parks. The Discover Pass is still required for WDFW and DNR lands, even on State Park free days.

The remaining 2015 State Parks free days are: May 10 (Mother’s Day), June 6 (National Trails Day), June 13 (National Get Outdoors Day), August 25 (National Park Service’s 99th birthday), Sept. 26 (National Public Lands Day) and Nov. 11 (Veterans Day). Discover Passes may be purchased at http://www.discoverpass.wa.gov.