Increased camping fees coming to Washington State Parks in 2025

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – If you plan on going camping in 2025, you may want to carry a bit more cash in your pocket.

The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission recently announced a new increase coming to its camping fees, effective May 15, 2025. These changes will impact the cost of standard, partial utility, and full-utility campsites.

According to Washington State Parks, standard camping fees are expected to increase between $3 to $5, partial utility campsites will increase $5 to $6, and full-utility sites will increase $6. However, the cost for primitive site fees will remain $12.

Updated fees for peak season camping:

Primitive and water trail campsites	$12
Standard campsites	$30-42
Partial utility campsites	$40-51
Full-utility campsites	$45-$57

The peak season applies for the weeks between May 15 and Sept. 15. Shoulder season prices and winter season prices can be found on the Washington State Parks website.

Although these camping fee changes will take effect in May 2025, the updated costs will also apply to those scheduling sites in advance. That means that reservations made as early as nine months ahead - on Aug. 15 - should expect to pay the new fees for any sites on or after May 15, 2025.

According to Washington State Parks, these camping fees follow months of increased maintenance costs at the parks.

“Since the last camping fee change, inflation has increased by more than 20%, while infrastructure maintenance needs have also increased,” officials said in a press release. “From fiscal year 2019 to fiscal year 2023, the agency’s utility costs increased by 37%.”

However, reduced-rate camping is also available to those eligible through five discount pass programs. 

“Parks depends on visitor fees to maintain camping and moorage infrastructure and provide a high level of customer service and recreational access,” officials added.