DNR wants your input to plan the next 10 years for their lands

If you have visited Oyster Dome, Gothic Basin, Tiger Mountain, Mount Si, Mailbox Peak, Capitol State Forest or Yacolt Burn, then you’ve hiked on DNR land.

Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) invites you to public meetings in person on Jan. 18 or 23 or online on Feb. 1 or 6 to share your thoughts as the agency develops their Outdoor Access and Responsible Recreation Strategic Plan. This will be DNR’s first statewide plan for recreation, and public input will help shape the plan.

• RSVP to attend a public meeting
• Jan. 18, 9 a.m. – noon, Ellensburg
• Jan. 23, 9 a.m. – noon, Lacey
• Feb. 1, 1 p.m. – 3:30 p.m., Zoom
• Feb. 6, 9 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., Zoom
• Feb. 6, 6 p.m. – 8:30 p.m., Zoom

Their goal is to enhance opportunities to get outdoors on DNR lands while protecting natural, cultural and Tribal resources. It is important for DNR to hear from hikers like you about how outdoor recreation contributes to your quality of life. These meetings are also a chance to ask questions about how this planning will affect your favorite hikes on DNR land.

Winter hiker enjoys the view from Dirty Harry's Balcony, a popular hike on DNR land. Photo by Alex Kalaw.

DNR oversees 3 million acres of land, including 97 natural areas, across Washington. These lands include 1,300 miles of designated trails and more than 160 recreation sites, including 80 campgrounds.

As our state’s population and visitation to public lands continue to grow, DNR wants the outdoor opportunities they offer to match the number and diversity of people looking to connect with Washington’s nature. With your input, the Outdoor Access and Responsible Recreation Strategic Plan will guide the next 10 years of management decisions and budget requests for recreation access to DNR lands.

• Public input brings real results on DNR land
• This is DNR’s first statewide recreation plan, but not their first time gathering public input to make recreation decisions. In 2018, hikers like you engaged with DNR to create their Baker to Bellingham recreation plan. Thanks to that input and planning, WTA and partners broke ground on a new trail near Olsen Creek in Whatcom County this past fall.

Public input is one piece of DNR’s process to create this statewide plan. They are also meeting with Tribal governments, as well as organizations that represent recreation interests (WTA included) and institutions that are supported by revenue generated on DNR lands (K-12 schools, universities, libraries, fire districts, hospitals and other social services).

DNR intends to share what they learn from the public meetings with those partners and use that information to together make a concrete plan. WTA will be at the partner meetings to represent the interests of hikers. The aim is for DNR to have a draft plan by summer 2024 for Tribal and public feedback before finalizing the plan by the end of the year.