on the trails in the heart of mazama

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• Leader Lake (Loup Loup Highway)

Parking on state land requires a Discover Pass (unless you can park safely on a state or county road). The campsite fee at a state park covers your daytime activities there (including boat launch), but camping on other state lands generally requires a Discover Pass. The pass provides access to hundreds of parks, wildlife areas, water-access sites and primitive campgrounds. The pass can be transferred between t wo vehicles.

Pass options:

Discover Pass, $30, annual ($5 service fee if purchased online or at a local vendor)

Day Pass, $10, day ($1.50 service fee if purchased online or at a local vendor)

The Vehicle Access Pass is free to people who buy hunting and fishing licenses. It provides access to WDFW lands (such as the Methow Wildlife Area), boat launches and other water access sites, but not other state lands like state parks. The pass can be transferred between two vehicles.

If you do a lot of boating, the annual Natural Investment Permit could be the way to go. For $80, you get access to state watercraft launches, as well as day access to state parks, for a year. The pass can be transferred between two vehicles. The Natural Investment Permit is only good at state parks and doesn’t cover state wildlife lands or state forests, so you still need a Discover Pass to visit those areas.

You can buy a single-day permit to launch a boat for $7, but you’ll also need a $10 day pass if you don’t have a Discover Pass. You can launch a boat for free if you’re camping at a state park like Pearrygin or Alta Lake.

Washington provides free lifetime passes to disabled veterans for free camping, boat launches, and entry to state parks. The free Disability Pass provides free entry for disabled Washingtonians to state parks and boat launches and a discount on camping. Registered foster parents get free entry for their family at parks and other state areas.

People 62 and older with a limited income can qualify for the Senior Citizen Limited Income Pass, which provides free entry to state parks, free boat launch, and a 50% discount on camping. The pass is not valid at state wildlife areas or areas managed by DNR. Apply online or call (360) 902-8844.

■ P ICKING THE RIGHT PASS

In addition to the main passes — day or annual versions of the Northwest Forest Pass and the Discover Pass — a variety of other passes are available, depending on your interests, age, and how much you use public lands.

America the Beautiful Pass (aka Interagency Annual Pass): $80 for a year. Good at national parks and other federal lands; has two signature lines and both people are considered pass holders.

Interagency Senior Pass: If you’re 62 or over, you can get a lifetime pass for $80 or an annual pass for $20.

Both the America the Beautiful Pass and the Senior Pass are good at national parks, U.S. Forest Service lands (most trails along the North Cascades Highway), and other natural areas run by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, and Army Corps of Engineers. They also provide free entrance for your traveling companions and a discount on camping, boat launches and guided tours.

A pass providing lifetime entry to all federal lands (the Interagency Access Pass) is available for free to those with a disability and their traveling companions.

The Interagency Annual Military Pass is free for active-duty military and traveling companions. There is also a free lifetime pass for military veterans and Gold Star Families (next of kin to a member of the U.S. Armed Forces who lost his or her life while serving).

The Interagency 4th Grade Pass/Every Kid Outdoors program provides a free pass to all fourth-graders and their families from September through August. The pass must be printed and then displayed at parks and other sites. Check out everykidoutdoors.gov.

■ M ORE INFO

There’s detailed information about the different types of passes, where you need them — and what the agencies use the fees for –— on the Washington Trails Association website at https://www.wta.org/go-outside/passes, plus a handy guide called “Which Pass Do I Need Q&A.” The page has a list of recreation sites that do and don’t require passes.

U.S. Forest Service: www.fs.usda.gov/main/ okawen/passes-permits. See the info under Recreation Passes & Permits.

Federal passes are also available through the U.S. Geological Survey store at http://store.usgs. gov, on the home page. They offer the “Pass Wizard” to help people figure out which pass they need.

More FAQs and a quick guide to choosing a pass are at Discover Your Northwest, https:// www.discovernw.org under the “Rec Passes” tab.

Outdoor Recreation Information Center: https://www.discovernw.org/ranger-station-rei-seattle.html, (800) 270-7504. Info and FAQs about passes.

Free Trails

■ B IG VALLEY, BETWEEN WINTHROP AND MAZAMA

■ GOAT PEAK, MAZAMA

■ C OPPER GLANCE, CHEWUCH

■ HAR TS PASS AREA