Recreation
RCO is a key player in helping Washington provide opportunities for outdoor recreation, whether it’s rock climbing, boating, hiking, or just relaxing in the great outdoors.
RCO Does This by Doing the Following:
- Investing grants that build and renovate parks, trails, waterfront access opportunities, and other outdoor spaces.
- Publishing a statewide recreation plan and tracking trends.
Find Places to Recreate
While RCO doesn’t manage any facilities, its many partners do. Click on the links below to find places to recreate in Washington.
- Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Nature Tourism
- Washington Department of Natural Resources’ recreation
- Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission
- Map of state parks with features for people with disabilities
Trails
Washington’s trails map includes information on local, state, and federal trails. While still a work in progress, the interactive map represents nearly 12,000 miles of trails. You will find information about how long the trail is, what amenities you will find along the way, what the trail surface is, and what types of uses are allowed on the trail.
Boating
Find complete boating information on this portal website on the following:
- Places to boat
- How to register your boat
- How to get a fishing license
- Boating laws
- Boating safety classes
- Boating grants
Conservation
RCO helps Washington protect its most valuable wildlife habitat and working farms and forests in a variety of ways.
- RCO provides grants to protect and restore land for a range of animals and plants.
- RCO provides grants to protect significant farmland and grants to conserve forests.
- RCO, through the Habitat and Recreation Lands Coordinating Group, coordinates with other state agencies on habitat and recreation land purchases to improve communication and visibility of purchases, reduce duplication, and save money.
- RCO supports the former Washington Biodiversity Council’s Washington Biodiversity Conservation Strategy to ensure the state’s rich biological heritage is maintained and improved.
Conservation Resources
- Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Priority Habitats and Species
- Washington Department of Natural Resources Priority Plants
- Biodiversity Eco Region maps, which help identify areas of high biological significance: