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Featured Projects

Edgewood Community Park

Funding Source: Land and Water Conservation Fund, Recreation Projects-Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program

Funding: $1 million

Recipient: Edgewood

Location: Edgewood

The City of Edgewood broke ground in October on its first community park! Using two grants, worth a combined $1 million from RCO, the City will develop 18 acres at 36th & Meridian. The community vision for the park includes a half-mile loop trail, an inclusive destination playground, a picnic shelter, grass amphitheater, and multi-use programmable space, and a permanent site for the iconic 1902 Edgewood-Nyholm Windmill that will be used to generate power for the new park.

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Featured Projects

Spruce Railroad Trail

Funding Source: Recreation Projects-Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program

Funding: $4,107,950

Recipient: Clallam County

Location: Clallam County, about 15 miles northwest from Port Angeles

Clallam County used more than $4 million in four grants to rebuild part of the 36-mile Spruce Railroad Trail in Olympic National Park. The trail originally was a railroad built to deliver spruce for World War I airplanes. A blocked tunnel, steep trail, rocky and muddy trail surfaces prevented people from using the trail and forced them to veer onto U.S. Highway 101 along Lake Crescent. During five phases, the County created a 10-mile bypass around the highway, restored parts of the trail including two mountain tunnels, and expanded a trailhead. The trail is part of the Olympic Discovery Trail.

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Featured Projects

Kettle River Boat Launch

Funding Source: Recreation Projects-Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program

Funding: $660,000

Recipient: Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife

Location: 10 miles northwest of Curlew

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife used a grant to buy 115 acres along the Kettle River in northern Ferry County and then built a primitive launch for canoes and kayaks there. The boat launch will allow more people to enjoy trout fishing, tubing, kayaking, canoeing, and bird watching on the river. There are only three places where the public can get on the 29-mile reach of the river between Ferry and Danville and none with developed boat launches. Buying the land allows the department to conserve for the public important habitat critical to a variety of rare species.

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Featured Projects

Cedar Field

Funding Source: Youth Athletic Facilities

Funding: $341,000

Recipient: Marysville Parks, Culture and Recreation Department

Location: Marysville

The City of Marysville fully renovated its oldest youth baseball field. Cedar Field got new turf, fencing, lighting, and a drainage system. The field is used by boys’ and girls’ T-ball, baseball, softball, kick ball, and other recreational activities.

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Featured Projects

Reardan Audubon Lake Wildlife Area

Funding Source: Habitat Conservation Projects-Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program

Funding: $325,000

Recipient: Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife

Location: Reardan

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife used a grant to buy 150 acres to expand its 277-acre Reardan Audubon Lake Wildlife Area, north of Reardan and 20 miles from Spokane. The department also built a parking lot and worked with students from Reardan High School to build a kiosk there. This special wildlife viewing spot is used by more than 125 species of birds and is their last stop during spring migration to Canada. In addition to birds, many animals use the land, including many at-risk of extinction.

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Featured Projects

Stevenson Waterfront Boardwalk

Funding Source: Aquatic Lands Enhancement Account

Funding: $354,000

Recipient: Port of Skamania

Location: Stevenson

The Port of Skamania is using a grant to develop a park on the Columbia River in Stevenson. The Port is building a waterfront trail and a scenic overlook, a public access point to the river, a restroom, and parking lot. In addition, the Port is renovating the existing restroom and part of a trail and paving a gravel parking lot. The new trail will feature lighting, benches, kiosks with historical information, picnic tables, and a nature-inspired play structure.

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Featured Projects

Lake to Sound Trail

Funding Source: Recreation Projects-Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program

Funding: $500,000

Recipient: King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks

Location: King County

King County cut the ribbon on 1.2 miles of the Lake to Sound Trail, which eventually will run 16 miles from the south end of Lake Washington to Puget Sound, linking the cities of Renton, Tukwila, SeaTac, Burien, and Des Moines and connecting four existing regional trails.

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Featured Projects

Middle Fork Newaukum River Fish Passage Project

Funding Source: Brian Abbott Fish Barrier Removal Board

Funding: $1,016,993

Recipient: Lewis County

Location: Onalaska

Lewis County used a grant to replace a barrier under the Middle Fork Road in Onalaska. The new crossing helps fish access 2.5 miles of upstream habitat. "This project is an incredible achievement for the board, the people of Washington, and our environment,” said Kaleen Cottingham, director of the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office. “In addition to improving access for fish, these projects also will enhance the roads that cross over them, support public safety, and protect our communities from flooding.”

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Featured Projects

Dune Peninsula Park

Funding Source: Land and Water Conservation Fund

Funding: $500,000

Recipient: Metro Parks Tacoma

Location: Tacoma

The Metropolitan Park District of Tacoma used this grant to develop open park space on about 11 acres at Point Defiance Park, located on a peninsula at the northernmost point in the city. The primary recreation opportunities provided by the project are walking, picnicking and sightseeing. Amenities include walking trails, site furnishings, restrooms, lighting, signage and landscaping.

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Featured Projects

Wally Bowman Bridge

Funding Source: Salmon Recovery and Puget Sound Acquisition and Restoration

Funding: $145,472

Recipient: Jefferson County

Location: Uncas

The Jefferson County Department of Public Works used a grant to remove a large steel pipe that carried Salmon Creek under West Uncas Road and was a barrier to migrating. In its place, the department built an 80-foot-long bridge over the creek, doubling the available spawning habitat for salmon. Jefferson County contributed $164,872 in cash and a federal grant and $788,800 in a previously awarded salmon recovery grant.

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Featured Projects

28th Street Boat Launch

Funding Source: Boating Facilities Program

Funding: $50,000

Recipient: Port of Grays Harbor

Location: 28th St. Hoquiam, WA 98550

The Port of Grays Harbor used a grant to improve the 28th Street Landing boat launch. The boat launch was in severe disrepair. The Port replaced and widened the boat ramp, added an additional boarding float, paved the main parking lot, added a permanent restroom, graveled the remaining parking area, and added lighting to improve safety in the parking area. The Port of Grays Harbor contributed $275,000 in cash and donations of cash.

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Investing in Washington's Great Outdoors

COVID Update

Recreation and Conservation Funding Board to Meet

New Report Released

Featured Projects

Edgewood Community Park

Featured Projects

Spruce Railroad Trail

Featured Projects

Kettle River Boat Launch

Featured Projects

Cedar Field

Featured Projects

Reardan Audubon Lake Wildlife Area

Featured Projects

Stevenson Waterfront Boardwalk

Featured Projects

Lake to Sound Trail

Featured Projects

Middle Fork Newaukum River Fish Passage Project

Featured Projects

Dune Peninsula Park

Featured Projects

Wally Bowman Bridge

Featured Projects

28th Street Boat Launch

News and Events

New State Report Shows Salmon Still Near Brink of Extinction

State Unveils App for Viewing Public Lands

70th Annual Statewide Weed and Invasive Species Conference Set for Nov. 3-6

Reports and Studies

Economic Analysis of Outdoor Recreation in Washington State

State Recreation and Conservation Plan

State of Salmon in Watersheds

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Volunteer for an Advisory Committee

Policy Changes