OLYMPIA — Twelve days next year have been designated for people to visit Washington State Parks without charge.

The free days are in keeping with legislation that created the Discover Pass, a $30 annual or $10 one-day permit required on lands managed by Washington State Parks and the Washington departments of Natural Resources and Fish & Wildlife. The legislation provided that the state parks department could designate up to 12 free days each year when the pass would not be required to visit state parks.

The Discover Pass is still required to access lands managed by the two state agencies on these days, officials said.

“Free days are a great way for people to discover or rediscover Washington’s diverse and scenic state parks,” state parks director Don Hoch said in a news release. “Once people visit a park, we hope they will be inspired to help support their state park system by buying a pass.”

The 2018 free days are: Jan. 1, First Day Hikes, New Year’s Day; Jan. 15, Martin Luther King Jr. Day; March 19, Washington State Parks’ 105th birthday; April 14, springtime free day; April 22, Earth Day; June 2, National Trails Day; June 9, National Get Outdoors Day; June 10, Free Fishing Day; Aug. 25, National Park Service birthday; Sept. 29, National Public Lands Day; Nov. 11, Veterans Day; and Nov. 23, autumn free day.

The state parks department also will offer a free day on June 10 as part of Fish & Wildlife’s Free Fishing Weekend event. The day can be combined with the June 9 free day for National Get Outdoors Day to make a weekend without charge.

For more information about the Discover Pass, visit www.discoverpass.wa.gov.