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 Check out this cool animated video of the Ice Age Floods!
The Missoula Ice Age Floods ... animated!
Our very own Sun Lakes-Dry Falls State Park was created by these floods. Though it has long dried out, it once held a waterfall that was five times the width and over two times the height of Niagara Falls. Today, you can visit the park and see the dry 400-foot-high, 3.5-mile-wide remnants of this ice age waterfall, which make up one of the largest cataracts on the planet.
In 2023, the International Union of Geological Sciences, one of the world's largest scientific organizations, selected Dry Falls to be part of The First 100 IUGS Geological Heritage Sites, which includes areas designated by the geoscience community for their significant impact in understanding the Earth and its history.
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Ready to embark on the coolest job of your career? We’re hiring more than 300 park aides to work in Washington state parks for the 2026 season.
If you love the outdoors, enjoy working independently and as part of a team and prefer work where no two days are the same, this may be the job for you!
We’ve got positions all over Washington, so choose a park close to home or explore a new part of the state this season.
Many former park aides say their summer with us was their all-time favorite job. Learn more.
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 Mt. Spokane shines under a starry sky. By Camryn Harbert.
The holidays are over, but snow season’s just getting started.
This month, staff weighed in on their favorite spots to ski, snowshoe, try fat-tire biking, or throw snowballs:
“Normally Mount Spokane, but this winter has been a bit of a dud so far. That's all about to change this week.” Editor’s note: About two feet of snow have fallen since this response!⛷️
“Central Washington is the place to be! I love snowshoeing at Lake Easton, Easton Reload and along the Palouse to Cascades Trail at Hyak. I plan on snowshoeing at Gold Creek since it's open for winter.”
”MTTA Sno-Park above Ashford for hut-to-hut snowshoeing. You can book anight in a hut and hike to fire lookouts and magnificent views of Rainier.”
“Crystal Springs is our family's favorite. We love to bring friends and spend the day snowshoeing or cross-country skiing. There are so many beautiful trails, and always a treat to see dogsleds too!”
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 Wohelo Lodge at Fields Spring State Park is the ultimate winter escape!
Wohelo Lodge welcomes you!
Book a midweek stay at Fields Spring State Park
There’s no shame in wanting a roof over your head as you enjoy the Pacific Northwest, but not everyone has an RV or a camper van.
That’s why our cabins and yurts are popular options – and you can sometimes find last-minute availability in January and early February, especially during the week.
A winter retreat in Southeastern WA:
Invite your friend group, your whole family – or just a few besties and rent the historic Wohelo Lodge for a fun winter retreat.
Originally built for the Campfire Girls in 1935, the lodge at Fields Spring sleeps up to 20. Trails leave from the front door, and one of the best sledding hills in the state is steps away.
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Bring snowshoes and hike to a sweeping view of the Wallowa Mountains and Grand Ronde River from this park in the Blue Mountain range.
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Watch for wildlife and their tracks – you may see grouse, snowshoe hare and more!
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Bundle up for a night hike to photograph the stars and the Milky Way, or depending on when you visit, bright moonlight on snow.
- Pack sleds for sledding by the lodge. You may have the long, steep hill to yourself midweek.
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Make hot cocoa and cider for your crew and spend cozy evenings by the fireplace.
How to reserve:
Wohelo must be reserved three days in advance with a 2-night minimum stay. To reserve Wohelo Lodge on our reservations site, click on “Vacation Houses,” then “Group Vacation Rentals,” and enter “Fields Spring State Park” and your dates.
 A screengrab of how to book the Wohelo Lodge in the State Parks reservation system
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 Visitor walk on a sparkly staff-led snowshoe hike at Lake Easton.
Winter is a time to slow down, but here in Washington that can mean clopping around a lake on snowshoes or scanning the forest to see a new bird. It can mean ducking into an interpretive center for a fun history or geology lesson or feeling accomplished after a morning of volunteer work.
Whatever “slowing down” means to you, you will find it in our parks!
Near Cle Elum:
Join guided snowshoe hikes at Lake Easton
Explore railroad history at South Cle Elum Depot
Do geology activities at Ginkgo Petrified Forest
North Central WA:
Take guided snowshoe hikes at Lake Wenatchee
Northwest WA:
Take a guided bird walk at Deception Pass
Puget Sound:
Join a work party to improve the trails at Dash Point
Spokane:
Sign up to use the Action Trackchair at Riverside.
 The CCCpicnic shelters at Twanoh are a great place to gather. But remember to pack out what you pack in this year!
Trash-free Twanoh
Visiting Twanoh State Park? Here’s what to bring:
- Reusable food containers
- A small trash bag
- A plan to pack it all out
Beginning this year, Twanoh State Park will not have trash service in its day-use areas. That means you’ll need to pack out everything you pack in during your next visit.
We also encourage you to unbox and recycle new gear and gadgets at home – packaging is one of the largest contributors to in-park waste.
A little planning goes a long way to reduce waste, protect wildlife and keep our parks beautiful for years to come.
 First Day Hikes, like this one at Cape Disappointment, combined walking and learning activities.
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We want to give a big thanks to everyone who chose to spend New Year’s Day with us on a First Day Hike!
By the numbers:
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On Jan. 1 Washington State Parks hosted 43 First Day Hikes.
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Park staff and volunteers welcomed 1,765 participants from around the Pacific Northwest to our parks.
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These hikes collectively covered 3,204.45 miles.
These guided and self-guided activities meandered on lakes, through forests, down long-distance trails, through Ice Age Flood-carved scablands and on islands, wetlands and wild beaches. And they weren’t just hikes! Some involved snowshoeing, horseback riding, tree plantings and historic tours.
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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:
Cape Disappointment's camping remains closed for renovations.
Cama Beach's lower park is closed due to sea wall damage.
Steptoe Butte remains closed for a washout.
Check the full list of alerts here.
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Have you told stories around the campfire? Read a book, listened to music, talked with a friend about aging parents, cranky teens, a new love, or recent travels? That means you’ve participated in the humanities.
It sounds fancy, but the "humanities" are the way we explore and document the human experience — through art, music, language and stories. And thanks to State Parks Folk and Traditional Arts Program Coordinator Makaela Kroin, we keep upping our game on that front.
Humanities Washington recently presented Makaela with a prestigious statewide award for emerging leadership.
Makaela was nominated by the executive director of Arbutus Folk School, which, in partnership with FTAP has brought Senegalese drumming, Japanese calligraphy, Swedish fiddling, Quinault cedar bark weaving and more to Tolmie and Millersylvania.
The 20-year-old FTAP program includes cultural festivals, theatrical productions, oral history projects, interpretive programs and the four signature concert series in our parks, which were funded last year by the Washington State Parks Foundation and Friends groups.
Please keep watching the FTAP Calendar of Events and plan to attend one of these wonderful concerts or festivals in 2026!
Photo caption: Makaela, at far left, stands with staff and partners at a performance of Vietnamese traditional music at Tolmie.
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