A Study of the Park and Recreation Problem of the United States

Cover

Contents

Foreword

Supplemental Foreword

Introduction

Recreational Habits and Needs

Aspects of Recreational Planning

Present Public Outdoor Recreational Facilities

Administration

Financing

Legislation

A Park and Recreational Land Plan

A Study of the Park and Recreation Problem of the United States

WASHINGTON

WHILE Washington's population has been increasingly urbanized during the past two decades, nearly half the population still lives in rural sections or in cities of less than 2,500. With the exception of Spokane, near the eastern border, the centers of large population cluster around Puget Sound, which region possesses unusually fine recreation features.

The State is endowed with favorable climate and beautiful and varied scenery, featuring snow-clad peaks; deep and placid mountain lakes; swift rushing streams; Pacific ocean and Puget Sound beaches, bays, inlets, and archipelagos; rolling wheat fields; purple desert plains; volcanic hills and deep coulees; and desert rock rimmed lakes. The Columbia River Gorge, well known for the rugged nature of its landscape, and the lake, formed by the Bonneville Dam, increases the importance of this whole valley as a recreational resource. Hunting, fishing, mountain climbing, skiing, and water sports make this a year round out-of-doors playground providing recreation for widely differing tastes.

Washington has two national parks and nine national forests, with a total of approximately 10,000,000 acres, or nearly 23 percent of the total acreage of the State. In addition, it has 52 areas in its State park system, varying from 1 to 16,000 acres, the smaller areas being waysides. It is the policy of the State Parks Committee, the administering agency, to provide a varied recreation program on its areas insofar as space and natural features permit, including bathing, hiking, tennis, softball, baseball, nature study, boating and many other features, in order to satisfy as far as possible the desires of each person visiting the park. This agency also makes an effort to save stands of virgin timber along the main highways. The State has reserved approximately 150 miles of ocean beach by acquiring it as part of a highway right-of-way, and still retains title to about 1,500 miles of tideland and shoreland. It is recommended by the State report of this study that additional waterfront be set aside for public use.

With such large Federal holdings distributed fairly well over the State, thought should be given to the coordination of the service of these areas with the State recreation program. In order to round out the system of recreational areas, 23 locations have been recommended for additional units of the State park system as indicated on the accompanying map.

(click on image for an enlargement in a new window)

¹ Area under Federal administration June 1938.

² Acreage of only 27 areas reported.

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Last Modified: Mon, Aug 9 2004 10:00:00 pm PDT
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