State Seeks Input on Future of State Parks

DAYTON—During a presentation to members of the public last week, Washington State Parks Planner Laura Moxham gave an overview of plans being developed for three area state parks: Lyons Ferry, Palouse Falls and Lewis and Clark Trail.

Before inviting the public to share their ideas for the parks, Moxham discussed some of the pros and cons of each park.

She said that since being designated the state’s official waterfall in 2014, increasing numbers of people are visiting Palouse Falls State Park, up from 85,000 visitors in 2010, to around 190,000 in 2017. She cited inadequate parking, too few restrooms, damage to the ecosystem from people walking on non-designated trails, the appearance of graffiti and safety issues, as some of the areas of concern.

The challenge with Lyons Ferry State Park is that it is currently just a day-use park, and the numbers of visitors are going down, said Moxham. Moxham tossed out the idea of making Palouse Falls State Park a day-use-only park, and reestablishing camping at Lyons Ferry State Park.

The challenge for Lewis and Clark Trail State Park is it is dissected by Hwy. 12, and the day use area is used mainly as a rest stop. “It has a little bit of an identity crisis,” Moxham said.

Moxham said that the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission will take public, tribal, and agency staff input into consideration when developing management plans for the parks. She said public workshops are targeted for spring, 2019.

The Commission’s preliminary recommendations will be presented to the public next summer, and the Commission’s final recommendations will be presented to the public later in the year.

The state has completed land-use plans for almost 100 state parks through a Classification and Management Plan process. The CAMP process addresses trails and recreational use, day-use opportunities, natural and cultural resources and other topics of interest to the community. The agency’s goal is to complete CAMP plans for all state parks.

More detailed information about planning for the parks can be found at: http://www.bit.ly/PalousePlan. The public may provide comment or ask questions about the planning effort by contacting Moxham by phone at (360) 902-8649 or email at laura.moxham@parks.wa.gov.

In addition, volunteers are needed to form a Friends Group for the three parks. The state has agreements with 20 such groups, including three for the Blue Mountain Area, but none for Lyons Ferry, Lewis and Clark Trail, or Palouse Falls.

For information about forming a Friends Group to support one of the three parks, contact Steve Brand by phone at (306) 902-8651 or email at steve.brand@parks.wa.gov.