Hiker Headlines: Free Day, Now Hiring, Deception Pass Closures, Freezing Weekend

It’s Jan 11. Monday is Martin Luther King Jr. Day and parking fees are waived in some areas. WTA is hiring for a professional services manager. Share your thoughts with the Washington State Department of Natural Resources as they develop a statewide recreation plan. Be aware of some closures at Deception Pass State Park due to storm damage. And we’ve got a very cold weekend coming. Here’s some news you may have missed while out on trail this week.

We've had a lot of snow at elevation this last week, and we'll be seeing freezing temperatures all across Washington at low elevation this weekend. Photo by trip reporter shegoat. 

Free day: Monday, Jan. 15, is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and parking fees are waived on lands managed by the National Park Service, Forest Service, Washington State Parks, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Washington Department of Natural Resources and the Bureau of Land Management.

Now hiring: WTA is hiring for a full-time professional services manager. This position will work from WTA’s Seattle office, and act as the technical expert for the organization, guiding overall trail design and technical skill support, working with WTA staff and local, state and federal partners across the state. This position will also oversee WTA’s Lost Trails Found professional trail crew program. The priority application date is Jan. 31. 

Share your thoughts: The Washington State Department of Natural Resources is inviting the public to general meetings in person on Jan. 18 or 23 or online on Feb. 1 or 6 to share your thoughts as the agency develops its first statewide plan for recreation.

State park partial closure: Be aware of a couple of closures at Deception Pass State Park if you’re planning an upcoming hike there: 

• The West Beach parking area is closed until further notice due to storm damage. 
• The trail between Lottie Point Loop and Lighthouse Point Loop at Bowman Bay is closed until further notice due to storm damage. 

Freezing forecast: In case you missed it — get ready for some very cold weather this weekend all over Washington! Below freezing temperatures will be hitting the entire state, with snow in the forecast for some, so please be careful if you decide to head outside. 

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