“Check Out Washington” with more Adventure Packs this summer

You can borrow a free Discover Pass, educational materials about state parks, and a pair of binoculars with your KCLS library card

It’s now easier than ever to explore Washington’s beautiful state parks — but you’ll have to plan ahead.

For four years, the King County Library System has been a part of the Washington State Park’s “Check Out Washington” program, which allows library patrons to borrow Adventure Pack to enhance your state park experience.

This year, KCLS has even more Adventure Packs to borrow (from 200 to 270) so more people can participate in the program.

However, the program is popular. So popular that the current wait list for an Adventure Pack is more than 700 people long, according to Sarah Fronk, State Parks communications manager.

When you check out an Adventure Pack, you receive a Discover Pass, various educational materials, pocket guides about Washington’s flora and fauna, and a set of high quality binoculars.

The Adventure Packs themselves are made by epqd gear, a Washington-based sustainable bag manufacturer.

Other library systems that participate in Check Out Washington include the Pierce County Library System, the Tacoma Public Library, the Joint Base Lewis-McChord Libraries, and more.

Washington State Parks hopes to continue expanding the program in the future; Fronk said State Parks is working on a fundraiser to that will fund an additional 150 Adventure Packs for KCLS specifically, plus another 150 Discover Passes that can be checked out without an Adventure Pack.

For more information, head to discoverpass.wa.gov.