— Submitted by the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission

The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission wants the public to know that Saturday, September 26 is a state parks free day, meaning that day-use visitors will not need a Discover Pass to visit state parks.

The free day is in recognition of the 22nd anniversary of National Public Lands Day, the nation’s largest single-day volunteer effort for public lands.

State Parks free days are in keeping with legislation that created the Discover Pass, a $30 annual or $10 one-day permit required on lands managed by Washington State Parks, the Washington departments of Natural Resources and  Fish and Wildlife. The Discover Pass legislation provided that State Parks could designate up to 12 free days each year when the pass would not be required to visit state parks. The Discover Pass is still required to access lands managed by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and Department of Natural Resources on these days.

Free days apply only to day-use access by vehicle, not overnight stays or rented facilities.

Washington State Parks will have one more ‘free day’ in 2015: Wednesday, Nov. 11, in honor of Veterans Day.

For more information about National Public Lands Day, visit their website.