PORT ANGELES — Recreation access in Clallam County could be reduced under ongoing and proposed funding cuts at the Washington Department of Natural Resources.
DNR materials list Bear Creek Campground and Lyre River Campground, both in Clallam County, as facing full closure if recreation maintenance funding is not restored.
The agency says recreation maintenance and operations funding was cut by more than $7 million during the 2025 legislative session — a reduction of over 20 percent — with additional cuts proposed in the 2026 state budget.
Those reductions eliminated funding for Washington Conservation Corps crews, who previously provided nearly half of DNR’s trail and campground maintenance capacity. As a result, DNR now has just 60 field staff statewide to manage millions of acres of public land.
Officials warn the cuts could lead to campground closures, unsafe trail conditions, and reduced access for hikers and campers across the North Olympic Peninsula.
DNR is urging lawmakers to restore recreation funding, saying maintenance dollars are critical to keeping public lands safe and accessible.