From now on, it'll cost you to visit Wash. parks

It's now going to cost you to visit a Washington state park.

Starting Friday, people who bring a vehicle to state outdoors sites will have to first buy a $30 annual pass or a $10 day-use permit. State officials are relying on that new source of to keep the parks operating after other money was used to help balance the budget.

In a year when Washington lawmakers filled a $5 billion shortfall without raising taxes, the fee provided an alternative way of collecting millions of dollars from taxpayers. Philip McKnelly, executive director of the National Association of State Park Directors, said the fees also go against the historical legacy of state parks as a destination for people who can't otherwise afford day-trip vacations.

"Those folks are not going to be able to get in," McKnelly said. "If they're worried about where that next meal's coming from, that $30 is going to be quite a bit."

Budget cuts around the country are forcing state parks to identify new funding sources to sustain themselves - sometimes in the most novel ways. On Thursday, Gov. John Kasich in Ohio is preparing to approve a new law that would open up state parks to oil and gas drilling, returning some of the proceeds to the parks. New Hampshire, Maine, Virginia and Georgia have explored corporate sponsorships.

Without money, parks are closing: California is poised to shutter about 70. Oklahoma has moved to close seven.

Washington would have also seen closures without the new fee, officials said. Just two years ago, the state's general fund covered two-thirds of the roughly $150 million operating budget for state parks. In the budget cycle ending this past week, the general fund covered less than one-third of the money available, and there's even less in the new budget.

Officials are preparing for a time when there is no money, so the parks need to be self-sustaining. The program is expected to bring in more than $64 million every two years and will come in addition to revenue the state already collects from camping reservations, picnic shelter rentals and other fees.

"This is a pretty dramatic shift," said Virginia Painter, a state parks spokeswoman. "It's an unfortunate reality."

The state does plan to provide some free visiting days but hasn't yet settled on when those will take place.

About 8,700 passes had already been sold Thursday, Painter said, and agency officials were feeling optimistic about the numbers.

Passes will be required for access to 120 state parks and millions of acres managed by the state. That includes boat launches, campgrounds, heritage sites, wildlife areas and trails. Most of the initial proceeds would go into a special state parks fund while the rest will be divided between the state Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Fish and Wildlife.

The so-called Discover Pass can be purchased online or at retail outlets that also sell hunting and fishing licenses. People who do not have a Discover Pass displayed on their vehicle at state lands face a fine of $99, although state officials plan to start by focusing on education visitors about the passes over the Fourth of July weekend.

Those who already hold certain types of fishing and hunting licenses - along with people camping in state parks - are exempt from the pass requirements.

Rich Dolesh, chief public policy officer at the National Recreation and Park Association, said the recession is forcing state parks leaders around the country to identify new sources of revenue. He said reasonable fee increases are acceptable but that states have to be careful not to cross lines that make it unaffordable for families.

"This is a new reality for state parks systems," Dolesh said. "Whether we dislike them or not, they're happening. We have to be realistic."

---

Associated Press Writer Mike Baker can be reached at http://twitter.com/MikeBakerAP