Winter Recreation in Washington State
Discover Pass: Visitors to Washington state parks and state recreation lands
managed by the Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Washington State Department of Natural
Resources are required to display the Discover Pass on their vehicles. Exemption: If you have a
current seasonal Sno-Park permit, you will not need to purchase a Discover Pass to use a
designated Sno-Park between Nov. 1 and March 31 for winter recreation activities. However, your
Sno-Park permit may not be used to access other state recreation lands.
Please note: If using a daily Sno-Park permit, you also will need a one-day or
annual Discover Pass when visiting Crystal Springs, Easton Reload and Hyak sno-parks, Fields Spring,
Lake Easton, Lake Wenatchee and Mount Spokane state parks and DNR's Mt. Tahoma Trail System. For
more information or to purchase an annual Discover Pass, please visit
www.discoverpass.wa.gov.
Get outside and enjoy winter fun in Washington!
Winter sport enthusiasts and families can spice up the cold months with a variety of snow activities sponsored by Washington State Parks' Winter Recreation Program. The Evergreen State is "ever green" only in parts. The Olympic, Cascade, Blue and Selkirk mountains provide great opportunities for all types of outdoor winter fun.
Cross-country and downhill skiing, skijoring, snowmobiling, dog sledding, snowshoeing and tubing are available at a variety of locations across the state. In concert with federal agencies, private landowners and other state agencies, Washington State Parks administers this program in seven national forests and blocks of state and private forest land. Five major highway passes, kept open to normal traffic in winter, provide easy access to play sites and trailheads.
The Winter Recreation Program manages Sno-Parks (cleared parking areas) in close proximity to groomed and backcountry trails.
- Snowmobile Sno-Parks are open to both motorized and non-motorized winter recreation.
- Non-motorized Sno-Parks are only open to winter recreation sports such as cross-country skiing, dog sledding, snowshoeing and snow play.
