State Parks offers ‘free day’ Nov. 11

The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission announces the final free day of 2014 is Nov. 11 in honor of Veterans Day. Visitors will not be required to display the Discover Pass to visit a state park.

The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission announces the final free day of 2014 is Nov. 11 in honor of Veterans Day. Visitors will not be required to display the Discover Pass to visit a state park. Saint Edward Park near the Kirkland boundary with Kenmore and Bridle Trails Park near the boundary with Bellevue are both State Parks.

The “free days” are in keeping with legislation that created the Discover Pass, a $30 annual or $10 one-day permit required on state-managed recreation lands managed by Washington State Parks, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Department of Natural Resources. The Discover Pass legislation provided that State Parks could designate up to 12 “free days” when the pass would not be required to visit state parks. The Discover Pass is still required to access WDFW and DNR lands on State Parks free days.

The Discover Pass provides daytime access to parks. Overnight visitors are charged fees for camping and other overnight accommodations, and their daytime access to the park where they are camping is included in the overnight fee. The Discover Pass does not replace the Sno-Park permit requirement for visitors using Sno-Park winter recreation sites.