Olympic National Park, Olympic National Forest and Washington state parks will be open to visitors fee-free on Monday in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Congress designated Martin Luther King Jr. Day a federal holiday in 1983 and named it the nation’s first-ever national day of service in 1994 to recognize King’s legacy of service and leadership in the civil rights movement.
“Dr. King’s holiday is an opportunity to reflect on how we can make outdoor access more equitable to all, including underserved communities,” said Stephen Sumner, interim Regional Volunteer and Service program manager for the U.S. Forest Service – Pacific Northwest Region. “As a National Day of Service, it’s also a chance to reflect on the contributions of the thousands of volunteers who donate their time and energy to ensuring these opportunities remain available for everyone to enjoy.”
The Olympic National Park fee waiver for the fee-free days applies only to the entrance fees and does not cover amenity or user fees for camping, boat launches, transportation, special tours, or other activities, such as wilderness camping.
Fees are normally required to enter all areas of Olympic National Park. For information, and to buy passes online, see https://www.nps.gov/olym/plan yourvisit/fees.htm.
The U.S. Forest Service will waive standard recreation use fees for Forest Service-managed picnic areas, boat launches, trailheads, and visitor centers. Fees for camping, cabin rentals, and any necessary permits still apply, and fees will also be charged at concessionaire -operated recreation sites unless the concessionaire chooses to participate.
For more information about Forest Service recreation passes and fees, see https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/r6/passes-permits.
On state fee-free days, visitors are not required to display a Discover Pass for day-use visits to a state park or on lands managed by the state Department of Natural Resources or state Department of Fish and Wildlife.
State parks on the North Olympic Peninsula are Bogachiel near Forks, Hoko River near Clallam Bay, Dosewallips near Brinnon, Fort Flagler on Marrowstone Island, Fort Townsend and Fort Worden in Port Townsend, Anderson Lake near Chimacum and Sequim Bay near Sequim.
Discover Passes cost $30 for an annual pass or $10 for a one-day permit. The pass is required for vehicle access to state recreation lands managed by State Parks, Fish and Wildlife and DNR.
For information about the Discover Pass, visit DiscoverPass.wa.gov.
