WA's annual Discover Pass price is going up. Here's what to know

Washington’s annual Discover Pass will increase from $30 to $45 beginning Oct. 1, marking the first price change since the program began in 2011.

State officials say the increase will provide essential funding to keep parks and recreation lands open and maintained.

The fee adjustment was approved by the Legislature in April and signed into law by Gov. Bob Ferguson in May. Keep reading for everything you need to know about the changes.

What is the Discover Pass?

The Discover Pass is a parking permit that gives one year of unlimited entry to:

• More than 100 state parks
• 350 recreation sites
• 700 water-access spots
• Over 90 natural areas and conservation areas
• 33 wildlife areas

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

Why is the Discover Pass price going up?

According to Washington State Parks, the $30 fee had not been raised in 14 years, despite periods of high inflation.

Officials say revenue from the Discover Pass is critical to park operations, with about 71% of the agency’s operating budget coming from pass sales and earned revenue.

"All of the revenue State Parks earns from Discover Pass sales stays with the agency," the department said. "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."

What’s changing for Lifetime Disabled Veterans Pass holders?

The Legislature also updated the Lifetime Disabled Veterans (LDV) Pass. Previously, the pass only applied to Washington State Parks. Beginning Oct. 1, LDV holders will also gain access to:

3.3 million acres of Department of Natural Resources-managed land, including 80 campgrounds and multiple moorage and water-access sites

More than 1 million acres of Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife-managed land, including 33 wildlife areas and hundreds of water-access areas

LDV passholders will continue to receive free camping, moorage, day-use parking, boat launch and trailer dump services at all state parks. However, reservation transaction and change fees will begin applying to LDV camping reservations on Oct. 1.

How many people visit Washington State Parks?

Washington State Parks was founded in 1913 and now operates 124 developed parks, 1,300 miles of trails, more than 6,000 campsites and over 2,700 facilities.

More than 40 million people visit the parks each year, including 39 million day-use visitors and 2.3 million overnight guests.

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