Washington State Parks And National Forests Are Free Saturday

SEATTLE — Looking to get out and enjoy nature this weekend? If you are, it's the perfect time to do it, because this Saturday is National Get Outdoors Day, so Washington State Parks and National Forests will be waiving fees for visitors.

National Get Outdoors Day is a nationwide event held the second Saturday in June, and coordinated by the US Forest Service and the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable. For the annual event, National Forests are encouraged to offer a ‘fee free’ day.

In Washington, that'll mean no parking passes required at any lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management, Washington State parks or the Forest Service. Fees will still be charged at national park sites and at wildlife refuges, and camping fees will still apply, the Seattle Times reported.

National Get Outdoors Day — or GO Day, as the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable calls it — began in 2008 and aims to encourage active, healthy living by making outdoor experiences more affordable. It's just one part of the larger Great Outdoors Month which includes other events like National Trails Day and the Great Outdoors Day of Service. Organizers say, following a year stuck indoors due to the coronavirus pandemic, its more important than ever to encourage everyone to get out and enjoy nature.

“Now is the time to deliver recreation differently, and more importantly, to expand access to public lands and benefits for all Americans,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack at an event commemorating Great Outdoors Month. “The visitation increase we saw in 2020 and expect to see again this year provides a great opportunity to meaningfully serve more Americans, increase the economic vitality and quality of life in communities, improve mental and physical health, and connect even more people to conservation.”

>> Learn more about National Get Outdoors day from the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable.