Discover Pass - parking at WA State Parks

What the situation with the Discover Pass and my WDFW parking permit I got with my fishing licenses?  Does the WDFW permit allow me to park at state boat launches whether or not they are in a state park?  Or do I need BOTH the WDFW permit and a Discover Pass (or day pass) to park in a state park?

Like all things WA, seek legal counsel...

the wdfw pass only allows access on wdfw land.  all other state park and dnr land requires a discovery pass.

the pass that comes with your fishing license does not work at state park or dnr lands.

the wdfw pass only allows access on wdfw land.  all other state park and dnr land requires a discovery pass.

the pass that comes with your fishing license does not work at state park or dnr lands.

Yup. It's true. And the ticket for not having a discover pass is pretty hefty.


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Okay, thanks. 

The wdfw pass gets you into any lands with a wdfw maintained boat launch, the discovery pass gets you into the State parks.  In some instances the wdfw or the discovery pass will work.  the way i look at it is this: the Discover pass will get you into all of the places that the wdfw pass will get you into, but the wdfw pass will not get you into all the places that the Discover pass will.  I havent gotten my Discover pass yet- my wdfw pass is on the hang tag the the discover pass is on- my thinking is that the ticket guy wont look that closely, and not give me a ticket. 

my thinking is that the ticket guy wont look that closely, and not give me a ticket. 

I've personally seen tickets being given out for the discovery pass violations on 10+ outings.

You need a Discovery Pass just about everywhere in Washington. If you are parked and you can see the Columbia River, you need it. If you venture up in the Cascade Mountain lakes in a National Forest like Gifford Pinchot, you may need the NW Forest Pass as well. I don't know where the WDFW pass works.

I've personally seen tickets being given out for the discovery pass violations on 10+ outings.

I agree. Out here in the boonies, there are a lot of poachers and license-free fishermen. Get caught and you'll pay, big time.

So this is all new to me.. Discovery Pass?  What is it and where do I get it?  Just got my license and it came with a pass.  (which I thought was weird)  Thanks for the info.

Tight Lines...

So this is all new to me.. Discovery Pass?  What is it and where do I get it?  Just got my license and it came with a pass.  (which I thought was weird)  Thanks for the info.

Tight Lines...

I mis-spoke earlier; it is a DISCOVER PASS - no 'y'.  A revenue gimmick by the state to provide yearly access to state parks.  It appears from the comments above that the WDFW parking permit that came with your fishing license is only good at land managed by the WDFW - so, basically, boat ramps.  The rules are complex and the penalty fines are high, so for $35 online (w/ fees and such), which probably goes to supporting state recreation land, a Discover Pass is good insurance and I got one. 

http://www.discoverpass.wa.gov/faq/

Wait so the pass that comes with your WA fishing license is not the same as a discover pass?

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Wait so the pass that comes with your WA fishing license is not the same as a discover pass?

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No.  They are not the same.