Campfires, camp foods, Kopachuck reopening and more!





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*July 2025*





A vibrant sunset over a dock and bay

A vibrant sun sets over Jarrell Cove State Park.

Contain your fire, you'll still have fun (we promise)

As summer heats up, your schedule may be sizzling like a steak on a grill! We’ve entered the prime season for outdoor cooking and campfire magic.

Summer is also wildfire season, and we have tips to help you stay safe, have fun and not burn down the state:


* Burn bans are not there to dampen your vibe, rather they keep you, our parks and our wildlife safe. Please respect them and make sure you check to see which bans are in place before you head to a park.
* If your park is not under burn ban and you make a campfire or burn charcoal in a firepit or grill, make sure your fire is fully out before going to bed or leaving your site. If the fire is too hot to touch, it is too hot to leave.
* The best way to put out a campfire is to douse it with water, stir it with a stick and then dump more water on it.
* Park cars and RVs on asphalt, not on grass where a warm engine could start a fire.
* Put out all cigarettes, cigars and pipes in water.
* Where beach bonfires are allowed, keep them 100 feet away from dune grasses and make sure they are fully out before leaving.
* Follow all DNR guidelines [ [link removed] ] and enjoy this cute video [ [link removed] ] about fire safety.

Want to know how to have fun without a flame? Learn about some alternatives here [ [link removed] ].






*Statewide programs, partnerships bring people to parks!*






Find the Check Out WA program at libraries statewide. Photo: Moments and Mountains.

Check out the Check Out WA Program

Did you know you can borrow a Discover Pass, binoculars, field guides for free at your local library?

Your local library could be your ticket to outdoor adventure, thanks to continuation of the Check Out Washington program!

The program allows library card holders at all Washington libraries to check out a Discover Pass for a week at a time.

All participating Check Out Washington libraries have Discover Passes available for check out, and some locations have Adventure Packs, which include binoculars, field guides, brochures and maps of local state parks.

The program increases access to public lands for folks who might not have resources to buy a Discover Pass, or who might not yet realize the value of the investment. It’s a chance for people new to the outdoors to get acquainted with state parks and recreation lands.

Check Out Washington [ [link removed] ] is a partnership between State Parks, the Washington State Parks Foundation [ [link removed] ], Washington State libraries and WSECU [ [link removed] ].



A woman in a ranger uniform shows kids a 3-D relief map.

The NLCI Program will open the outdoors for many young people from historically marginalized communities.

No Child Left Inside grants awarded

This summer, thousands of Washington youth will get outdoors, thanks to the No Child Left Inside [ [link removed] ] (NCLI) program.

State Parks, in a longstanding partnership with the state Recreation and Conservation Office [ [link removed] ], awarded over $1 million in grants to 15 organizations. Grants fund programs that take kids from marginalized communities into nature to learn, play and grow.

Community organizations across the state received grants to host camps and activities for youth with life-altering medical conditions, disabilities and economic hardships.

Several of the grants will help kids learn gardening, equestrian skills, swimming and navigation on open water. Some offer campouts with career and educational guidance for urban Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) youth.

Many programs use state parks around Washington, while others utilize other state and federal recreation lands, urban parks and private camps.






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A rustic picnic shelter in a green forest.

Kopachuck State Park will reopen early next month!

Kopachuck State Park near Gig Harbor reopens Aug. 2!

Get ready for mid-summer days at Kopachuck State Park [ [link removed] ]!

The beloved forested beach park in Gig Harbor reopens on Saturday, Aug. 2, after a 14-month renovation [ [link removed] ]. Come enjoy its new:


* Outdoor amphitheater
* Playground
* Improved tails
* Rentable facility
* Park office and welcome center

 Join us on opening day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for a free, family-friendly event. We’re excited to welcome you back to the park with live music, food trucks, local vendors, Junior Ranger activities, beach walks and talks, park tours and more.

The new parking lot holds 98 vehicles. Overflow parking for the event is available at neighboring Voyager Elementary School. We can’t wait to see you!

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A closeup of S'more - toasted marshmallow, graham cracker and two chocolate malt balls with a fire and wood in the background.

S'mores can be made a number of ways, including with chocolate malt balls, courtesy of Eastside Ranger Colleen Foster.

Park staff share trail snacks and camp foods that fuel their work and play

This month we asked our staff to share favorite trail snacks and camp foods. Some may not be your cup of tea, but each treat promises flavorful fuel for exploring our parks:

*Corbin Willmorth (Riverside)*

Depends on what I find at whatever store I visit on my way to the trailhead. Almost always, it will be 1 to 1.5 L of water and teriyaki jerky or protein bars.

*Jarrod Loeffler (Belfair)*

My go-to for working in or visiting parks is my version of "trail mix" that I call Mish-Mash. Ingredients are: Beef, Pork or Venison jerky cut into small cubes; M&Ms (I like the peanut butter filled ones); cashews; almonds; macadamia nuts; dried seaweed (ripped into small shreds); fresh tangerine wedges; fresh cherries (Rainier, of course); apple slices (Cosmic Crisp - ALWAYS); cucumber slices; colby or pepperjack cheese cubes and Tajin.

*Kahla Magbenga (Flaming Geyser)*

Camp fire roasted hot dogs turned into chili dogs!

*Clare Delong Tuminez (Headquarters)*

Canned lunch meat musubi rolls! Take a whole nori sheet, slather in sushi rice, place strips of fried canned meat a couple inches from the bottom of the nori and roll away. They are compact, salty, carby and delicious. We throw them in a lightweight container with packets of soy sauce that seem to accumulate in the kitchen drawer.

*Raven Pacheco (Riverside)*

Camp scramble: Throw whatever veggies and meat you want into a pan over the fire and scramble with eggs and a lot of butter. Perfect meal to start the day.

*Santos Solis (Twanoh)*

S’MORES! Classic. I've recently perfected the S’mores algorithm. The trick is to let the marshmallow sit atop the chocolate a few minutes, and don't smush it.

*Sarah Fronk (Headquarters)*

Mock Thanksgiving dinner is a crowd pleaser, for sure. Just a bag of stuffing , a packet of turkey gravy and a can of chicken. Add water and BAM, a delicious, filling meal after a long day paddling or hiking. 

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A band plays on a stage with people dancing on the grass and others seated in an amphitheater with the ocean in the background.

Programs like the Waikiki Concerts at Cape Disappointment are funded by the State Parks specialty license plate.

Support programming, concerts and festivals with a WA State Parks license plate!

Did you know we receive a portion of the funds from every purchase of a State Parks license plate [ [link removed] ]? These sales directly support State Parks’ interpretive programming and some of your favorite events like our summer concert series, festivals and workshops.  

So the next time you visit the Department of Licensing, you can get two amazing things done: show your support for State Park events AND spruce up your ride (or fir, or larch or Douglas it up ... whatever suites Pacific yew).

Join us at an upcoming concerts or festivals to enjoy what you're supporting [ [link removed] ]!






Park alerts





*Always check for park alerts and closures before heading out on an adventure!*

When you’re putting together your pre-trip checklist, make sure it includes checking the conditions at your intended destination. Here are a few parks with active alerts:

Lake Sylvia has been drawn down by five feet [ [link removed] ] to monitor cracks in the Lake Sylvia State Park dam, built around 1918.

Mystery Bay will be closed [ [link removed] ] from July 14 to Aug. 20 for major repairs to its pier.

The Paradise Point day-use area [ [link removed] ], including Lewis River access and disc golf, will be closed July 14-27 for WSDOT pre-construction on the I-5 bridges over the park. The campground will remain open.

Parts of Lake Sammamish State Park [ [link removed] ] will have intermittent closures and delays, including the boat launch and three trails along Issaquah Creek for underwater construction and a restoration project.

Much of Cape Disappointment State Park [ [link removed] ] is scheduled to close from mid-September to late May 2026 for major construction.

Check the full list of alerts here [ [link removed] ].






Trip resources





*How to plan a last-minute camping trip* [ [link removed] ]




*How to camp with fire restrictions* [ [link removed] ]




*Your guide to building a safe campfire* [ [link removed] ]






Book your same-day and flexible camping reservations now!
A family sits around a campfire with a tent and a lake in the background.




Looking for an impromptu camping trip? Keeping things flex? We've got two new features to help make your trip a success:

Same-day reservations let you book a campsite before you leave for a park, instead of just hoping an empty site will be available by the time you arrive. You can make these reservations until 4 p.m. online, [ [link removed] ] or by calling (888) CAMPOUT or (888) 226-7688. After 4 p.m. available sites become first come, first served.

For* flexible dates*, visit our reservations website, [ [link removed] ] choose your dates and click on "flexible dates” above the calendar. Then choose a park and a time period up to four months in advance. Add group size and equipment and hit "search" to see dates and sites available at your park of choice.

Now all you need to do is pack and load up!








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