WASHINGTON — The cost of an annual Discover Pass will increase by $15 starting today.
The Discover Pass, which allows visitors to park at Washington’s state parks and state-operated lands, will now cost $45 for the year.
The cost of a one-day pass is still $10.
This increase was passed by the Legislature in April, and on May 17, Gov. Bob Ferguson signed the bill into law.
This is the first price increase since the Discover Pass was implemented in 2011, despite a period of high inflation.
“The operation and maintenance of Washington’s state parks relies heavily on revenue earned by the Discover Pass, camping and other fees. Despite the Discover Pass fee increase, the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission (State Parks) will not see significant new revenue in the 2025-27 biennium.
In response to the state’s budget shortfall, the Legislature reduced general fund appropriations and added new costs to the agency. In the 2025-27 biennium, approximately 71% of the funding for State Parks will be from earned revenue as opposed to about 65% in the current biennium," Washington State Parks wrote on its website.
The fees from a Discover Pass go toward keeping parks open, clean, staffed, and operational.
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