Latest news with #WashingtonStateParks
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
$10 million project closed popular WA park for a year. When will it reopen?
From family picnics to enjoying the beach, Kopachuck State Park near Gig Harbor is known for its scenic views. Since June 3, 2024, the park has been closed for a $10 million renovation. The team is now in the final stretch of that project, and hopes to reopen the park in August. The renovations include a welcome center, community meeting hall, a new playground and a space for outdoor learning. Of existing components, there will be improved parking lots, restrooms, increased accessibility for people with disabilities and enhanced pathways to the beach. Roads and utilities will also be upgraded. An outdoor amphitheater was built in the upper day-use area of the park, Washington State Parks spokesperson Meryl Lassen said. Wooden ramps and stairs were also added across the park in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. That means the beach, amphitheater and other amenities will be more accessible for visitors. Crews discovered in 2011 that 80% of the trees in the park's campground were infected with a fungus called laminated root rot, according to the Kopachuck State Park website. After further research, park officials decided to close the campground area permanently for safety reasons. In 2014, Washington State Parks created a master plan to improve the day-use area of the park, Lassen said. Ten years later, construction began. Lassen described the lengthy process as 'playing the long game.' Obtaining permits and funding slowed the process. It's a state-funded project, and the total contract amount is $9,956,107.06. Lassen said some residents have expressed concern over the years about the loss of trees and the modernization of the park taking away from its natural environment. 'Our mission is to preserve and maintain parks for generations to come,' Lassen said. 'Our commitment is not just their immediate recreation value, but also their long-term health and sustainability.' She said officials will announce a reopening date when the project is further along, possibly in mid-July.
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Mount St. Helens visitor center to reopen this weekend with upgrades
A view of Mount St. Helens. (Photo by) The Mount St. Helens visitor center is reopening its doors with the first major renovations since it opened in 1986. Starting on May 31, the center will be open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Prior to the renovation, exhibits remained largely unchanged since they were first installed nearly four decades ago, and only six years after the volcano erupted. The center closed Sept. 30, 2024, and work began on upgrades with funding from the state. The $1.1 million renovation will be centered around the Cowlitz Indian Tribe and the 1980 eruption and will feature more tactile, sensory, interactive exhibits tailored to kids and families. Mount St. Helens is famous for its massive eruption on May 18, 1980, which killed 57 people, blasted away part of the mountain, and spewed about 540 million tons of ash. The mountain has played a central role in the customs and culture of the Cowlitz Tribe and other Indigenous people across this region. Washington State Parks worked closely with the tribe to highlight its culture and traditions and provide visitors a holistic understanding of the mountain and the tribe's perspective. New exhibits include contemporary and historic works by Cowlitz artists and in the Cowlitz language. One of the exhibits includes a new film of a Cowlitz spiritual leader, Tanna Engdahl. Additionally, there are several short films that highlight the tribe's use of natural resources. Since the eruption, the mountain's landscape has undergone significant changes. Scientists have since deepened their understanding of both the eruption and ongoing volcanic activity within the mountain, said Sarah Fronk, a spokesperson for Washington State Parks. 'The exhibits have been updated to reflect current science and to provide a broader story about the mountain's long history of eruptions,' she added. Visitors can expect an enhanced experience with hands-on learning through interactive displays and storytelling, along with improvements to the reception desk design and the flow of the building. Accessibility improvements have also been made inside and outside the building. Some of the new offerings include a 'Make-a-Quake' exhibit that lets you create your own shockwaves with a seismograph, a new and improved 'walk-in' volcano that takes you inside a replica of the mountain, and a 'Volcano Blasters' pinball machine. There are also over 80 historic artifacts, volcanic rocks, a wetland exploration area, and a three-dimensional relief map of the mountain. A new 'Junior Volcano Explorer' activity booklet and badge program is also offered to kids. Admission for children under 7 is free. The cost is $2.50 for youth ages 7 to 17 and $5 for adults.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Yahoo
Washington raising price of Discover Pass
The Brief Starting October 1, 2025, Washington's annual Discover Pass fee will increase from $30 to $45 to help fund state parks, marking the first price hike since its introduction in 2011. The parks commission anticipates funding 71% of state parks through earned revenue in the next biennium, and the new law will also remove fee exemptions for disabled veterans. OLYMPIA, Wash. - Get those credit cards out, hikers — Washington is raising the price of its annual Discover Pass. Starting Oct. 1, 2025, the annual Discover Pass will increase from a one-time fee of $30 to $45. This marks the first price hike for the pass since they were introduced in 2011, and was signed into law by Gov. Bob Ferguson. The Discover Pass is an annual pass for your car, allowing you to park at state parks and lands, with the funds aimed at maintaining trails, staffing and park amenities. They were first signed into law when the Legislature determined that federal funding for state parks was drying up. What they're saying Washington State Parks says the $30 price has stayed in effect for too long, remaining at that price even through periods of high inflation. Additionally, the state's $77.9 billion budget plugged a major deficit, which they say left little room for appropriations for their agency. The parks commission estimates that during the next biennium, they will have to fund 71% of their state parks through earned revenue, up from 65% in the current biennium. Lastly, the new law no longer exempts disabled veterans from certain reservation transaction fees, but this also does not go into effect until Oct. 1, 2025. You can learn more on the Discover Pass website. The Source Information in this story comes from Washington State Parks. Viral TikTok warns women of convicted rapist released in Seattle Over 100 Rite Aid and Bartell Drugs stores to close, including 8 in WA Seattle Seahawks 2025 schedule released, here are all 17 matchups Marymoor Park announces 2025 summer concert series lineup in Redmond, WA Viral TikTok captures truck break-in after Seattle Mariners game, despite police presence Bryan Kohberger back in court for pretrial hearing in Idaho students murder case 'Scared of accountability': Crowd calls out West Seattle leaders at public safety meeting FBI nabs Thurston County, WA fugitive hundreds of miles from crime scene To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter. Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national news.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
WA governor signs hunting, fishing fee increases into law; Discover Pass price also rising
May 19—Washington hunters and anglers will pay more money for their licenses starting this summer. Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson on Saturday signed a new law that raises fees for nearly all hunting and fishing licenses by close to 40%. Under the law, an annual resident combination fishing license will now cost $62.79. A big game hunting license that includes deer, elk, bear and cougar tags would cost a resident $117.30. For nonresidents, the combination fishing license will cost just under $150 and the big game license will be just over $1,000. The law goes into effect July 1. It's the first time hunting and fishing fees have increased since 2011. While the new fees are expected to bring in more revenue for the Department of Fish and Wildlife, officials have said it won't result in a net increase in its budget because of expected cuts to the agency's share of the state general fund. Most state agencies are facing cuts as part of the budget lawmakers sent to the governor this spring as they tried to manage a statewide budget shortfall. License price hikes will help stave off deeper cuts for WDFW, but officials are still bracing for major changes, including cuts to several work programs and possible staff reductions. Staci Lehman, a WDFW spokesperson, said agency officials are still working out many of the details of those cuts. Also on Saturday, Ferguson signed a bill increasing the cost of a Discover Pass from $30 to to $45 starting Oct. 1. The pass is required for vehicle access to state parks and oither state managed properties. Its price hasn't been increased since the pass was put in place in 2011. Most of the proceeds from the Discover Pass go toward Washington State Parks and make up a significant portion of the agency's budget. Smaller amounts go to WDFW and the Department of Natural Resources. Ferguson vetoed a section of the Discover Pass bill that would have ordered a work group to study funding mechanisms for the three agencies. In a letter explaining the veto, Ferguson wrote that the effort risked diverting limited funding from other important work at the three agencies. Similar to WDFW, Washington State Parks officials don't expect the price increase to provide a singificant boost to the agency's budget because of cuts in its general fund appropriations.
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Washington Legislature approves hiking Discover Pass price to $45
(Getty Images) The price for a Washington state Discover Pass would rise by $15 later this year, under a bill headed for Gov. Bob Ferguson's desk. Senate Bill 5390 would raise the price of the annual state public lands pass to $45 from $30 for two vehicles. Transaction fees can apply to pass purchases, including a $5 charge for online sales. The Discover Pass allows motor vehicle access to more than 100 state parks and hundreds of other recreation sites on state land. The increase would take effect on Oct. 1, 2025. An earlier version of the bill would've upped the price in July. The House also stripped language from a Senate-approved version of the bill that would have permitted people to use the passes in up to three different vehicles instead of the two allowed under current law. In the House, the bill passed on Tuesday on a 52-46 vote, with seven Democrats joining Republicans in opposition. The Senate voted 27-21 to accept the House's rewrite on Thursday, with two Democrats and all Republicans voting against the bill. The bill would still allow for various discounts for seniors, disabled veterans, families of foster children, and volunteers. This would be the first increase to the price of the pass since it was introduced about 14 years ago, after budget cuts to state parks and recreation areas around the 2008 recession. Democratic lawmakers say the increase would help protect state parks from drastic cuts amid the multibillion-dollar deficit the state is currently facing. Revenue from pass sales goes to Washington State Parks, the Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the Department of Natural Resources, with Washington State Parks receiving the bulk of the revenue. The bill also calls for the Office of Financial Management to review the cost of the pass every four years and recommend to the Legislature if adjustments to the price need to be made to account for inflation. A work group would also be created to review the efficiency of the funding for state parks and recreational areas and submit a report to the Legislature by Dec. 1, 2026.
