Here’s a ray of happy news for stir-crazy Washingtonians amid the coronavirus gloom: more than 100 state parks will reopen Tuesday for daytime use.
Gov. Jay Inslee had announced earlier this week some parks would open again as part of a phased-in relaxing of outdoor recreation restrictions imposed by his emergency coronavirus stay-home order. The state parks, along with other public lands and water-access points have been closed since late March.
On Saturday, Washington State Parks revealed the list of which parks will be open. The roster includes popular hiking, fishing and boating destinations, such as Deception Pass, Lake Wenatchee and Fort Worden. In the Seattle area, Bridle Trails, Blake Island, Saltwater and Ollalie state parks are reopening.
However, the parks system is delaying the reopening of some spaces beyond May 5, including ocean beach parks and those along the Columbia River Gorge. In a news release, the agency said it is working with local communities, resource agencies and the state of Oregon to decide an appropriate time for reopening those areas.
In addition, State Parks will limit parking capacity at some urban parks, such as Lake Sammamish, Saint Edward and Dash Point, to discourage overcrowding.
The reopening is for daytime only, with no overnight camping allowed. The parks agency is also asking people to only visit parks close to home, to check the status of parks or trail heads before trying to visit, and to come prepared with hand-washing supplies.
Here’s the full list of state parks and properties that will reopen Tuesday:
Alta Lake
Battle Ground Lake
Bay View
Belfair
Birch Bay
Blake Island
Blind Island
Bottle Beach
Bridgeport
Bridle Trails
Brooks Memorial
Cama Beach
Camano Island
Centennial Trail
Clark Island
Columbia Plateau Trail
Conconully
Curlew Lake
Cutts Island
Dash Point (reduced capacity)
Deception Pass
Doe Island
Dosewallips
Eagle Island
Federation Forest
Fields Spring
Flaming Geyser
Fort Casey
Fort Ebey
Fort Flagler
Fort Townsend
Fort Worden
Ginkgo Petrified Forest
Goldendale Observatory
Griffiths-Priday
Hope Island – Mason
Hope Island – Skagit
Ike Kinswa
Illahee
Jackson House
James Island
Jarrell Cove
Joemma Beach
Jones Island
Joseph Whidbey
Kanaskat-Palmer
Kinney Point
Kitsap Memorial
Kopachuck
Lake Chelan
Lake Easton
Lake Sammamish (reduced capacity)
Lake Sylvia
Lake Wenatchee
Larrabee
Leadbetter Point
Lewis & Clark
Lewis & Clark Trail
Lime Kiln Point
Lincoln Rock
Lyons Ferry
Manchester
Matia Island
McMicken Island
Millersylvania
Moran
Mount Pilchuck
Mount Spokane
Mystery Bay
Nine Mile Recreation Area
Nolte
Obstruction Pass
Olallie
Olmstead Place
Pacific Pines
Palouse Falls
Palouse to Cascades
Paradise Point
Patos Island
Peace Arch
Pearrygin Lake
Penrose Point
Peshastin Pinnacles
Posey Island
Potholes
Potlatch
Rainbow Falls
Rasar
Reed Island
Riverside
Rockport
Sacajawea
Saddlebag Island
Saint Edward (reduced capacity)
Saltwater
Scenic Beach
Schafer
Seaquest
Sequim Bay
Shine Tidelands
Skagit Island
South Whidbey
Spencer Spit
Squak Mountain
Squilchuck
Steamboat Rock
Steptoe Battlefield
Steptoe Butte
Stuart Island
Sucia Island
Sun Lakes-Dry Falls
Tolmie
Triton Cove
Turn Island
Twanoh
Twenty-Five Mile Creek
Wanapum Recreation Area
Wenatchee Confluence
Willapa Hills Trail
Yakima Sportsman