Beginning Oct. 1, the annual Discover Pass will increase from $30 to $45, providing critical revenue to keep state parks open and operational.  

The Discover Pass is a parking pass that provides one year of unlimited entry to all Washington state lands managed by the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Washington Department of Natural Resources.  

Everyone in the passholder’s?vehicle has access to: 

  • Over 100 state parks
  • 350 recreation sites
  • 700 water access spots
  • More than 90 Natural Areas and Natural Resource Conservation Areas
  • 33 wildlife areas

The annual pass is valid for one year from the date of purchase and can be transferred between two different vehicles.  

This increase was passed by the Legislature in April and signed by the Governor in May. It is the first price increase since the Discover Pass was implemented in 2011, despite a period of high inflation.  

The Legislature’s bill made additional changes to the Lifetime Disabled Veterans Pass. Previously, the LDV only provided access to State Parks-managed lands. LDV passholders will continue to enjoy free camping, moorage, day-use parking, boat launch and trailer dump at all state parks and now their passes will also provide access to: 

  • 3.3 million acres of DNR-managed land, 80 campgrounds and several moorage and water access sites
  • More than 1 million acres WDFW-managed recreation land at 33 wildlife areas across the state, and hundreds of water access areas

Additionally, beginning Oct. 1, State Parks will begin collecting camping reservation transaction and change fees on the LDV as part of these legislative changes.   Approximately 71% of State Parks’ operating budget comes from Discover Pass sales and earned revenue. All of the revenue State Parks earns from Discover Pass sales stays with the agency. These funds are critical to supporting recreation and conservation opportunities, keeping bathrooms cleaned and trails maintained, caring for the health of forests and protecting seashores for generations to come.