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 Parks will hire 300 park aides this season!
Gear up for the coolest job of your career! We’re hiring more than 300 park aides for the 2024 high season. Many former park aides say their summer with us was their all-time favorite job. Several park aides have gone on to careers as rangers, operations managers, interpreters, environmental planners and more!
If you enjoy the outdoors and want a mix of physical work and customer service support, this may be the spot for you. Whether you’re a high school senior, a college student, a military veteran transitioning to civilian employment or an active retiree who’s not ready to hang it up yet, we’d love to hear from you!
We’ve got positions all over Washington – choose a park close to home or explore a new part of the state. Learn more and apply today!
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Walking in a PNWonderland: First Day Hikes and new events |
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Nearly 2,000 visitors started 2024 with a First Day Hike
The numbers are in on Washington’s First Day Hikes, and boy are they impressive!
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More than 40 WA state parks hosted First Day Hikes this year.
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A few parks held more than one FDH; there were 50 hikes total.
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The term “hike” was defined loosely. More than 1,700 visitors hiked, biked, rode horseback, snowshoed or coaxed dogs through an obstacle course.
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Together, they covered 2,871.2 miles of trail!
Thanks to our incredible staff for making Day One of 2024 so creative and to our participants for spending New Year’s day with us. Mark your calendars for Jan. 1, 2025, when parks will find new ways to get folks out on the first day of the year.
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Parks host guided winter walks, snowshoe hikes
Didn’t make it to First Day Hikes? You haven’t missed your chance for staff-led winter activities!
Easton Reload Sno-Park will host guided snowshoe hikes, Saturdays, 9 a.m. and Mondays, 10:30 a.m. through February. Sno-Park permits required.
Palouse to Cascades Trail, Cle Elum South Depot will hold guided winter walks, Saturdays at 1 p.m. to mid-March.
Deception Pass will once again hold Families in Nature programs every other Friday and Saturday, 9:30 – 11 a.m. through mid-March, and a Bird Walk, Saturday, Jan. 27 at 10 a.m.
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Our Field Guide Blog has tips on winter preparedness,
dog doo etiquette, animal encounters
As more people discover the outdoors, we want to help folks learn the skills, gear and etiquette needed for safety, comfort and stewardship of our treasured lands and waters. Whether you’re just falling in love with nature, or you want a fun refresher, check out our blogs on the basics:
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We know it’s only January, but fall is prime time for a PNW road trip with camping at Washington state parks!
Most of our camping, cabin and yurt reservations open nine months in advance, and popular parks fill up, so we suggest making reservations and planning your mid-September getaway now.
Need inspiration? We’ve got a few road trip ideas:
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 A Discover Pass is not needed to park on lands managed by us, the Washington State Department of Natural Resources and the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife on 12 days in 2024. Sno-Parks still require permits to park.
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Mark your calendars for the remaining 2024 Discover Pass free days
March 9 - Billy Frank Jr.’s Birthday
March 19 - State Parks’ 111th Birthday
April 22 - Earth Day
June 8 - National Get Outdoors Day
June 9 - Free Fishing Day
June 19 - Juneteenth
Sept. 28 - National Public Lands Day
Oct. 10 - World Mental Health Day
Nov. 11 - Veterans Day
Nov. 29 - Autumn Day
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