Scenic Tacoma road permanently closed to cars. Blame climate change Crumbling cliffs have led Metro Parks Tacoma to permanently close two miles of Five Mile Drive, a popular park road built atop the bluffs of Tacoma’s Point Defiance 109 years ago. John Ryan
This Skagit County park was almost a nuclear power plant. A tribe helped save it: Travel For Good At different points in its history, the Kukutali Preserve was slated to become a summer resort and even a nuclear power plant. But those plans didn’t come to pass. Instead, a unique partnership between the Swinomish Tribe and state government now safeguards the area for conservation and public use. It opened to visitors as one of the state’s newest parks in 2014. Amy Radil Play AudioListen 2 mins
Glacial rivers rage as heat wave bites into Northwest snowpack At mile-high Paradise on Mt. Rainier, 30 inches of snow melted in just four days of extreme heat. John Ryan Play AudioListen 3 mins
Beachgoers unhappy as Navy SEALs get OK to train in Washington State Parks Washington state has OK'd a plan to allow Navy SEALs to train in up to 17 parks. Parkgoers worry about their safety and peace of mind. John Ryan Play AudioListen 4 mins
A park. A protest. Cal Anderson remains in flux ‘…perhaps the idea was that security guards might be able to tell people to leave the park.’ Kim Malcolm Play AudioListen 5 mins
Parks In Nonwhite Areas Are Half The Size Of Ones In Majority-White Areas, Study Says Amid high temperatures and a pandemic, green spaces are a lifeline. But new data shows parks in low-income and nonwhite areas are smaller and more crowded than those in high-income and white areas. Laurel Wamsley
Sen. Cantwell explains why a newly-passed conservation bill is so important The US Senate has passed a historic conservation bill with bipartisan support. Washington Senator Maria Cantwell discusses. Kim Shepard Play AudioListen 5 mins
More than 100 Washington state parks on list to reopen, but Coast and Gorge excluded More than 100 Washington state parks made the cut to reopen for day use beginning Tuesday, but aficionados of Pacific Coast and Columbia River Gorge getaways will have to wait a while longer. Tom Banse
Locals only, please. Reopening of some Washington state parks greeted by concern Outdoor enthusiasts in Washington may be looking forward to the reopening of many shuttered state parks and public lands next week. But a few of Washington's most popular state parks could stay closed because the surrounding communities are worried about crowds and renewed disease spread. Tom Banse Play AudioListen 2 mins
Coming soon to a park near you? Navy SEALs The US Navy has spent many years quietly training Navy SEALs in 5 Washington state parks. Now the Navy wants to expand to 29 parks. John Ryan Play AudioListen 2 mins