OLYMPIA — State parks plans fee-free days on Wednesday, March 19, and April 22.
Wednesday’s free day is in honor of Billy Frank Jr.’s birthday. March 19 will be in recognition of Washington State Parks’ birthday, and April 22 will celebrate Earth Day.
On fee-free days, visitors are not required to display a Discover Pass for day-use visits to a state park or on lands managed by the state Department of Natural Resources or state Department of Fish and Wildlife.
State parks on the North Olympic Peninsula are Bogachiel near Forks, Dosewallips near Brinnon, Fort Flagler on Marrowstone Island, Fort Townsend and Fort Worden in Port Townsend, Anderson Lake near Chimacum and Sequim Bay near Sequim.
Frank’s birthday replaced the previously recognized springtime day — first Saturday in April, the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission said.
Frank was an environmental activist and former chair of the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission. His lifelong dedication to protecting endangered salmon and restoring justice for the Nisqually Tribe helped shape Washington’s environmental laws and expanded treaty rights for Native Americans nationwide. He was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2015.
The free days align with legislation that created the Discover Pass.
Discover Passes cost $30 for an annual pass or $10 for a one-day permit. The pass is required for vehicle access to state recreation lands managed by State Parks, Fish and Wildlife and DNR.
The Discover Pass legislation indicated that State Parks could designate up to 12 free days when the pass would not be required to visit state recreation lands.
Remaining 2022 State Parks free days are Saturday, June 11 — National Get Outdoors Day; Sunday, June 12 — Free Fishing Weekend; Sunday, June 19 — Juneteenth; Saturday, Sept. 24 — National Public Lands Day; Monday, Oct. 10 — World Mental Health Day; Friday, Nov. 11 — Veterans Day, and Friday, Nov. 25 — Native American Heritage Day.
For information about the Discover Pass, visit DiscoverPass.wa.gov.
