The Blog

Peter Goldmark, Commissioner of Public Lands, Department of Natural Resources

06/29/11

This Friday, July 1, you will need a Discover Pass to visit the 7 million acres of state lands DNR, Washington State Parks and Recreation and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife manage. Due to the worst recession in decades, steep cuts were made to the agencies that manage state lands. Without revenue from the Discover Pass, the state would have had no option but to close down many of the lands that visitors value, like Mount Si, Capitol State Forest, and Lake Spokane and Cypress Head campgrounds.

The Discover Pass will help fund recreation on DNR-managed state trust lands. In the past few years, DNR has relied more and more on competitive grants to pay for critical functions such as maintenance and public safety. Revenue from the pass will enable DNR to address a growing backlog of deferred maintenance and provide more of a staffing presence on the landscapes to help improve public safety and better protect resources.

We know how important recreation is to Washingtonians and the millions of visitors who come to our state to enjoy its natural beauty and magnificent outdoor opportunities. The Discover Pass will help keep the land accessible for generations to come.

The Discover Pass is now available for sale through a number of options: by phone, online, and in person at one of nearly 600 retail sporting goods and outdoor recreation businesses or through state parks offices and from some state parks rangers. Beginning this fall, you will be able to purchase the Discover Pass from the Department of Licensing when you renew your vehicle license.

To buy a Discover Pass, visit www.discoverpass.wa.gov.