Yes. Check Out Washington lets Washington library cardholders borrow a free state-park day-use pass. Verified against discoverpass.wa.gov, checked 2026-09-04.
| Program | Check Out Washington |
|---|---|
| What it covers | A special-edition Discover Pass borrowed from the library, giving free day-use entrance to Washington State Parks and other participating state-owned recreation lands. Some libraries also lend an 'Adventure Pack' backpack with binoculars and Washington trees/birds guides plus a state park map. |
| How to borrow | Checked out for one week at a time from participating libraries — 176 libraries across 15 library systems statewide currently carry 500 special Discover Passes; borrowed 9,000+ times in the most recent reported year. |
| Day-use cost otherwise | A standard Discover Pass costs $50.00/year (includes a $5 processing fee) or $11.50 for a one-day pass (includes a $1.50 processing fee). |
| Source | discoverpass.wa.gov · checked 2026-09-04 |
A cooperative project between Washington State Parks, the Washington State Parks Foundation, the Washington State Library, and local public libraries; created to widen access for people who can't afford a Discover Pass.
Check Out Washington puts the passes in circulation like any other library item: each participating Washington branch holds a limited number, checkouts are typically one per household, and holds are the difference between getting one and not — the shelf empties fastest ahead of summer weekends. The borrowed pass covers a special-edition Discover Pass borrowed from the library, giving free day-use entrance to Washington State Parks and other participating state-owned recreation lands. Some libraries also lend an 'Adventure Pack' backpack with binoculars and Washington trees/birds guides plus a state park map.. Camping, cabins and boat launches are a separate booking and fee — the pass never covers them.
Day-use entry in Washington runs about $50 per visit, so a family that day-trips five times over a season keeps roughly $250 by borrowing the pass instead of paying at the gate — and a twice-a-month hiking habit is $1200 a year back in the budget. The pass costs exactly what the library card does: nothing.
Washington is one of 20 states in this situation. Traveling? California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida work the same way, each with its own program name and loan rules.
Yes — Check Out Washington circulates day-use passes through public libraries. Checked out for one week at a time from participating libraries — 176 libraries across 15 library systems statewide currently carry 500 special Discover Passes; borrowed 9,000+ times in the most recent reported year.
A standard Discover Pass costs $50.00/year (includes a $5 processing fee) or $11.50 for a one-day pass (includes a $1.50 processing fee).. That's what each borrowed-pass visit saves.
No — these programs lend day-use entry passes. Campsites, cabins and boat launches are booked and paid separately everywhere.