OLYMPIA, Wash. – Starting October 1, the annual Discover Pass for Washington state lands will see a price increase from $30 to $45.
The Washington State Legislature approved this increase in April, and it was signed by the Governor in May. This is the first price hike since the pass was introduced in 2011.
The Discover Pass provides a year of unlimited access to all state lands managed by the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Washington Department of Natural Resources.
With the pass, visitors gain access to over 100 state parks, 350 recreation sites, 700 water access spots, more than 90 Natural Areas and Natural Resource Conservation Areas and 33 wildlife areas.
The pass is valid for one year from the date of purchase and can be used for two different vehicles.
State Parks relies heavily on Discover Pass sales, which contribute approximately 71% of its operating budget for maintaining recreation and conservation facilities, cleaning bathrooms, maintaining trails, caring for forests and protecting seashores.
Alongside the price increase, changes to the Lifetime Disabled Veterans Pass (LDV) will take effect. LDV holders will now enjoy access to 3.3 million acres of DNR-managed land, 80 campgrounds, several water access sites and over 1 million acres of WDFW-managed land.
State Parks will also begin collecting camping reservation transactions and change fees on the LDV starting October 1.
