Event Calendar

Volunteer Event - Riverside - Forest Health Thinning

Riverside State Park

Proper spacing between trees reduces overcrowding and maintains health and vigor within a forest. This also helps reduce the intensity of wildfires, severe infestations of insects and disease, and competition between the trees for water & nutrients. These benefits extend beyond the State Park boundaries – private landowners who own properties adjacent to the thinned areas will also face a reduced fire risk and enjoy a more diverse forest ecosystem just past their backyards.

Guided Plant Walk at Riverside

Riverside State Park

A guided plant walk exploring the plants of Riverside State Park and forest health practices.

Klickitat Trail Work Days

Klickitat State Park Trail

Pitch In to improve the Klickitat Trail! Join State Parks and Klickitat Trail Conservancy in trimming vegetation while getting to know your neighbors and fellow trail fans on two separate dates.
Saturdays 10/11 and 10/25

Volunteer Event - Riverside - Scotch Broom Removal

Riverside State Park

Scotch Broom is a Class B Noxious Weed that crowds out native species and can be harmful to habitat. Within the Little Spokane Natural Area, there is a large and growing area of this invasive plant. We will be targeting smaller patches of this plant along the edges of the affected area.

THESE SACRED HILLS: Film Screening and Tribal Social Dancing

Goldendale Observatory State Park Heritage Site

Join us for a screening of the award-winning documentary film These Sacred Hills followed by social dancing led by local members of the Rock Creek Band of the Yakama Nation.

Mount Spokane First Day Hike- Snowshoe to the Summit

Mount Spokane State Park

Guided by Park staff and volunteers from the Friends of Mt. Spokane, participants will snowshoe past the Bald Knob Picnic Shelter to the historic Vista House located at 5,833 feet – the highest point of Mt. Spokane. If weather permits, participants will have views of the Cabinet Mountains in Montana, Selkirk Crest in North Idaho, and nearby lakes. Snacks will be provided at the trailhead. Participants can also purchase hot drinks and snacks at the Vista House.

Kopachuck First Day Hike

Kopachuck State Park

This hike will be an interpretive showcase of some of the park’s more overlooked features. The 1.1 mile loop starts at the park’s new amphitheater and is composed of a combination of the Middle Loop Trail, the Upper Loop Trail and Interpretive Loop Trail. The theme of the hike will be Kopachuck’s Trees. Topics discussed will be Kopachuck’s tree history and how visitors of the park can affect the trees both negatively and positively. The hike will have a brief ascent in the beginning but most of the hike will be steady and downhill.

Twanoh First Day Hike

Twanoh State Park

​The hike will be led by park staff and will follow Twanoh Creek before climbing up to a forested ridgetop. It then follows a service road along the ridge before descending back to end along the creek. For those interested, multiple geocaches have been placed along or near the trail

Cama Beach First Day Hike

Cama Beach Historical State Park

Join the Interpretive Specialist, Meredith Peterson, and other park staff for a walk out to Cranberry Lake to get out and get moving on the first day of the year. This gentle trail leads you through the forest to a marsh ecosystem, where there is an active beaver lodge and signs of their activity along the way. Enjoy hot drinks and snacks at the drop off shelter before the hike begins.

Battle Ground Lake First Day Hike

Battle Ground Lake State Park

There will be two separate hikes. The 9AM hike will be a Ranger Guided interpretive hike by Ranger Ryan Reynolds. This hike will include information about the history of the park, species, etc..

The 1PM hike will be a feel good, get healthy hike with Ranger Friend. We will stop and talk if we see wildlife but will mainly just be enjoying the day.

Both hikes will be on the upper lake trail, which is an easy to moderate trail with a few elevation changes up to 50 ft. The trail has overarching views of Battle Ground Lake and many pine and cedar trees along the way. A volunteer will stay staffed at the interpretive shelter with touch table interpretive items, kids activities and snacks.

Riverside's Trautman Conservation Area First Day Hike

Riverside State Park

Join Park Staff and volunteers from the Riverside State Park Foundation for a 1.6-mile hike through the Trautman Conservation Area. This route uses the newly completed trail system in the Trautman area and provides wildlife viewing opportunities. Snacks will be provided at the trailhead.

Seaquest State Park, Mount Saint Helens Visitor Center's First Day Hike

Seaquest State Park

SEEK out the special birds on the Wetland Haven Trail. Guaranteed to FIND and learn about some of the regulars. Accessible, flat ½-mile trail open to First Day Hikers of all ages. Bring binoculars if you have them. Snacks and hot drinks available. Led by Ranger Robyn.

Mount Spokane First Day Hike- Smith Gap Snowshoe Hike

Mount Spokane State Park

Park staff and volunteers from the Friends of Mt. Spokane will lead this 2.6-mile snowshoe hike to the Smith Gap warming hut. Along the way, participants will traverse through a beautiful old-growth cedar-hemlock forest and pass several stream crossings. Snacks will be provided at the trailhead.

Wallace Falls First Day Hike

Wallace Falls State Park

​Allow for 3 hours round trip. We will make several stops and talk about park features, history, and wildlife.​

Fort Flagler First Day Hike

Fort Flagler Historical State Park

Kick off the new year with a one-mile walk through history and nature at Fort Flagler! On this family-friendly hike, discover the fort’s role in the past and its purpose today as a state park.

Guided Hike: 10:15am (limit 20 people) with an interpretive ranger

Self-Guided Hike: 10:00am–12:00pm at your own pace (several versions to choose from)

Location: Rec Hall or Theater (check signs on arrival)

Before or after your hike, warm up inside with hot drinks and snacks from the Friends of Fort Flagler and stop by the State Parks booth for First Day Hike pins, Bark Ranger bandanas, Jr. Ranger packets, and more.

Accessibility: The first portion of the guided hike and the self-guided route are ADA accessible. The guided hike includes 60 feet of downhill elevation change along a portion of the Bluff Trail.

Saint Edward First Day Hike

Saint Edward State Park

Moderate 2-mile hike led by Saint Edward Park Staff and the Collaborative for Socio-Ecological Engagement. Enjoy hiking downhill to Lake Washington, you will hike along the largest green space along the north shores of Lake Washington and may see wildlife such as bald eagles, beaver, Douglas squirrel, and various waterfowl.

Harstine First Day Hike

Jarrell Cove State Park

Hike the Harstine State Park Trails with local Park Rangers and dive into the flora and fauna of Harstine Island. We'll be following our curiosities through the forest to learn about the plants we see, the birds we hear, and anything else we stumble upon!

Lake Chelan First Day Hike

Lake Chelan State Park

Take a turn along the interpretive Little Bear Loop Trail through ponderosa pine forest and learn about the park’s unique position on the convergence of four ecological zones ranging from mountains to desert plateau.

Lake Easton First Day Hike

Lake Easton State Park

Join us on a guided hike through the forested hillsides of Lake Easton.

Note: Guide is a Spanish speaker, hike available in Spanish.

South Whidbey First Day Hike

South Whidbey State Park

Meet Ranger Tabitha and Ranger Drew at the South Whidbey State Park Amphitheater for a 1.25-mile loop hike through part of the park’s most magical terrain, perfect for all ages and experience levels. We’ll begin on the Campground Trail, a gentle forest path that leads us to the awe-inspiring Ancient Cedar, a western redcedar estimated to be over 500 years old! From there, we’ll descend into the whimsical Hobbit Trail, where moss-draped branches, twisted trunks, and fern-covered ground create a fairytale-like atmosphere. Along the way, we’ll provide interpretive notes while we pause at scenic overlooks offering breathtaking views of the Salish Sea and the distant Olympic Mountains, adding a dramatic backdrop to this peaceful forest walk. Look forward to a relaxed pace, plenty of photo opportunities, and a deeper connection to the natural and cultural history of the area. The program encourages dogs (and their owners) to follow four simple principles:

Bag your pet’s waste

Always leash your pet

Respect wildlife

Know where you can go

By following these guidelines, pets can earn the honorary title of BARK Ranger!