The Odessa Record -

Day-use visits are free on Veterans Day and the day after Thanksgiving.

OLYMPIA – Oct. 29, 2019 – Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission will offer its two final free days of 2019 in November. On these free days, day-use visitors will not need a Discover Pass for vehicle access.

The last two free days of 2019 are Monday, Nov. 11 and Friday, Nov. 29.

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 also set aside the day after Thanksgiving as a free day — to encourage people to get outside and visit a state park in autumn.

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.

Free days apply only to day-use access by vehicle, not overnight stays or rented facilities.

Note: The free days do not apply to Sno-Parks. During the winter season, December through March, visitors to Sno-Parks will need Sno-Parks permits. For more information about winter recreation permit requirements, visit: http://parks.state.wa.us/winter.