The Washington State Parks Winter Recreation Program’s Sno-Park permits will be available for purchase online and through various vendors statewide beginning at midnight on Thursday (Nov. 1).
Sno-Park permits allow visitors to park in specially cleared, designated parking lots with access to areas around the state for cross-country skiing, skijoring, snowmobiling, dog sledding, snowshoeing, tubing and other winter sports and snow play.
Sno-Park permits are sold through April 30 and must be displayed on the permit holder’s windshield during that time frame. Revenue from Sno-Park permit sales is entirely dedicated to the Winter Recreation Program and helps pay for trail grooming, snow removal from parking lots and roads, on-site sanitation, education and enforcement.
Permit types
• Daily Sno-Park permit — valid at any Sno-Park for one, two or three consecutive days as indicated on the permit. Cost: $20 per day. All Sno-Parks honor the one-day permit, and individuals who purchase a one-day permit are not required to purchase a Special Groomed sticker.
• Seasonal Non-motorized Sno-Park permit — is valid for the entire winter season at non-motorized Sno-Parks that are used for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, dog sledding, etc. Some Sno-Parks require a Special Groomed sticker to be paired with a seasonal non-motorized permit. Cost: $40.
• Special Groomed sticker — affixes to a seasonal Sno-Park permit and is required for use at these non-motorized Sno-Parks: Cabin Creek, Chiwawa Loop, Crystal Springs, Hyak, Lake Easton, Lake Wenatchee (including Nason Ridge) and Mount Spokane. Cost: $40. At this time, the Special Groomed sticker is only available online or through REI Seattle. The sticker will be available through other vendors by mid-November.
• Seasonal Snowmobile Sno-Park permit — All snowmobiles in Washington state are required to be registered annually through the Washington State Department of Licensing or a licensing agent. The $50 registration fee includes one Sno-Park permit, which must be affixed to the towing vehicle. Out-of-state visitors with snowmobiles need to purchase a motorized Sno-Park permit. Cost: $40.
To purchase a Sno-Park permit online, visit parks.state.wa.us/winter. For a list of vendor locations, visit parks.state.wa.us/147/Sno-Park-Permit-vendors.
Discover Pass requirement
Those who purchase a one-day Daily Sno-Park permit will also need a daily or annual Discover Pass for access to Sno-Parks on lands managed by State Parks or Washington State Department of Natural Resources. These Sno-Parks include Crystal Springs, Easton Reload, Fields Spring, Hyak, Lake Easton, Lake Wenatchee, Pearrygin Lake and Mount Spokane.
A Discover Pass is not required for those who purchase a seasonal Sno-Park permit. More information about the Discover Pass can be found at www.discoverpass.wa.gov.
Online purchasers need the following information at the time of purchase: credit card; date of use for one-day permits; vehicle license plate number; and a printer.
