Same-day camping reservations expanding in WA parks

WA State Parks reservation changes begin Monday

Planning a last-minute camping trip in a state park just got a little easier in Washington.

SEATTLE - The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission announced that it will expand its same-day reservation option to all parks with reservable campgrounds.

Starting Mar. 24, commissioners hope this initiative will provide more camping opportunities across the state.

Millersylvania State Park is a public recreation area that offers camping and boating. The park is located on Deep Lake eight miles south of Olympia, Wash. (Otto R. via Yelp)

Previously, the reservation system was only available at a few parks. Now, all will have the same-day reservation system, allowing campers to secure a campsite until 2 p.m. on their intended day of arrival.

Parks officials say this will help eliminate the uncertainty of first come, first served availability.

This change applies exclusively to campground reservations and excludes roofed accommodations, vacation rentals, yurts, and day-use facilities such as picnic shelters.

Unreserved sites will remain available on a first come, first served basis after 2:30 p.m.

Dig deeper:

At first, the same-day reservation pilot program was launched in September 2023 at Cape Disappointment, Deception Pass, and Millersylvania state parks. It was then expanded to 24 additional parks in 2024 due to its popularity.

As of now, the program has created over 7,000 same-day reservations. Officials say this has increased site usage and reduced vacancies.

The commission anticipates that this system-wide improvement will enhance the camping experience for spontaneous planners and help fill sites affected by last-minute cancellations.

By the numbers:

Washington State Parks is primarily funded through earned revenue, with 64% of its budget coming from fees, purchases, donations, and other sources, while 36% is sourced from state general funds. Camping and roofed accommodations contribute to 40% of the agency’s earned revenue and 23% of its total funding.

The Source: Information for this article comes from Washington State Parks.