Published 11/04/2020 at 4:55 AM PDT
By OREGON TRAVEL DAILY STAFF
(Portland, Oregon) – With the pandemic straining the state parks system of Washington and disrupting business as usual for attendance, Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission has finally announced the last two free days for 2020, happening this month. (Above: Palouse to Cascades State Park, courtesy Washington State Parks).
On these free days, day-use visitors will not need a Discover Pass for vehicle access.
The last two free days of 2020 are Wednesday, November 11, and Friday, November 27.
Since the free days were first designated in 2011, the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission established Nov. 11, Veterans Day, as one of its free days to honor those who served in the armed forces. In 2017, the agency set aside the Friday after Thanksgiving as a free day - to encourage people to get outside and visit a state park in autumn.
Free days apply only to day-use access by vehicle, not overnight stays or rented facilities.
State Parks free days are in keeping with 2011 legislation that created the Discover Pass, which costs $30 annually or $10 for a one-day visit. The pass is required for vehicle access to state recreation lands managed by Washington State Parks, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The Discover Pass legislation directed State Parks to designate up to 12 free days when the pass would not be required to visit state parks. The free days apply only at state parks; the Discover Pass is still required on WDFW and DNR lands.
In September, Washington State Parks announced its free days for 2021. Those are:
Friday, Jan. 1 — First Day Hikes; New Year’s Day
Monday, Jan. 18 — Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Friday, March 19 — State Parks’ 108th Birthday
Saturday, April 3 — Springtime free day
Thursday, April 22 — Earth Day
Saturday, June 5 — National Trails Day
Saturday, June 12 — National Get Outdoors Day
Sunday, June 13 — Free Fishing Day
Wednesday, Aug. 25 — National Park Service Birthday
Saturday, Sept. 25 — National Public Lands Day
Thursday, Nov. 11 — Veterans Day
Friday, Nov. 26 — Autumn free day
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