Hikers, bikers, and nature enthusiasts, mark your calendars — Washington State Parks has announced its free parks days for 2023.

Normally, state park-goers need a Discover Pass to visit state parks like Flaming Geyser or Kanaskat-Palmer. But for a dozen days next year, anyone can visit these parks for free.

The days are:

• Sunday, Jan. 1 – New Year’s Day and First Day Hikes

• Monday, Jan. 16 – Martin Luther King Jr. Day

• Thursday, March 9 – Billy Frank Jr.’s birthday

• Sunday, March 19 – Washington State Parks’ birthday

• Saturday, April 22 – Earth Day

• Saturday, June 10 – National Get Outdoors Day

• Sunday, June 11 – Free Fishing Weekend

• Monday, June 19 – Juneteenth

• Saturday, Sept. 23 – National Public Lands Day

• Tuesday, Oct. 10 – World Mental Health Day

• Saturday, Nov. 11 – Veterans Day

• Friday, Nov. 24 – Autumn Day

Some of these free days are new — Billy Frank Jr. was an environmental and treaty rights activist from the Nisqually Tribe; he’s perhaps most famous for his leadership in the Fishing Wars against the state of Washington over salmon catching rights and conservation. His newly-proclaimed free day replaces “springtime day”, which was the first Saturday in April last year.

Juneteenth celebrates when enslaved people in Texas learned two-and-a-half years later that the Civil War was over and that President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. This free days replaces “National Trails Day”, which was held the first Saturday in June.

Finally, World Mental Health Day recognizes now nature can have a positive affect on mental health, as studies show that time in nature boosts serotonin, dopamine, and vitamin D, as well as lower blood pressure and help bodies combat stress. This free day replaces the National Parks Service’s birthday, held Aug. 25.

Please note that free days to not apply to Sno-Parks, which will still need Sno-Park permits to visit.