FAQs & Rules

Hours:  County Parks are open during daylight hours only, unless otherwise noted.

Animals: Horses and pets are not allowed near athletic fields, playgrounds, picnic sites, and swimming beaches. Unless otherwise posted, most parks/areas allow pets. Pets must be kept on leashes and owners must clean up after their pets.

The following parks DO NOT allow pets:
Carpenter Lake Natural Reserve
Guillemot Cove Nature Reserve

Trails: Hikers, bicyclists and horses must stay on existing and/or designated trails.

Trash: Trash and garbage must be placed in appropriate containers.  Where receptacles are not available, guest must pack in and pack out all waste.

Vehicles: Motorized vehicles must remain in designated parking areas. Overnight parking is not allowed.

Alcohol: Intoxicating beverages are not allowed.

Miscellaneous: Golf, paint ball, fireworks, radio controlled aircraft, camping, overnight parking, bounce houses and fires prohibited. 

No pets, bicycles, skateboards, roller blades, skates or private vehicles allowed on any County Athletic Fields at any time. 

View the full list of the Park Code

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

 What Are The Park Hours?

Parks are open during daylight hours only, unless otherwise noted.

For the winter season, Wildcat Lake Park is closed annually from October 1st through March 31st and Horseshoe Lake Park is closed beginning the second week of October through the April 1st. Visit our Horseshoe Lake Park page for specific dates. Access gates to the parking lots and park areas are closed and locked during these times.

Park restrooms are closed annually for the winter season from October 1st through March 31st. Parks are open during daylight hours only, unless otherwise noted.  Horseshoe Lake Park is open annually from May through October. 

 When Do The County Lake Parks Open?

Wildcat Lake Park opens annually from April 1st through September 30th. The park is closed to the public for the winter season from October 1st through March 31st. Access gates to the parking lots and park areas are closed and locked during these times.

Horseshoe Lake Park is open the first week of May through the first week of October. The park is closed to the public for the winter beginning the second week of October through the first week of May. Access gates to the parking lots and park areas are closed and locked during these times. Visit our Horseshoe Lake Park page for specific dates.

 When Are The Park Restrooms Open?

Park restrooms are closed annually for the winter season from October 1st through March 31st. Parks are open during daylight hours only, unless otherwise noted.  

 What Do I Need To Know About Boater Safety?

The Kitsap County Sheriff's Office is providing an educational class for county residents that will allow them to earn a Boater Safety Education Card from Washington State. Boater cards are required for those operating waterborne craft having motors with 15 horsepower or greater. 

Kitsap County Code: Restricted Waterways

Internal combustion (i.e., gasoline and/or diesel) powered motor boats used for recreational purposes are not permitted at any time on any lake of less than twenty acres in area, or on the following waters: Buck Lake, Wye Lake, Island Lake, Carpenter Creek estuary upstream of South Kingston Road and the Curley Creek estuary upstream of Southworth Drive. B. Internal combustion (i.e., gasoline and/or diesel) powered motorboats used for recreational purposes are not permitted to exceed seven miles per hour on Mission Lake.  

Life jackets kiosks  are located at:
Buck Lake Park,
Island Lake Park,
Wildcat Lake Park,
Long Lake Park,
Horseshoe Lake Park

 When Does Salsbury Point Park Boat Ramp Get Installed?

Visit our Salsbury Point Park page for current information.

 What Are The Health Advisories (Swimming Areas)?

Visit Kitsap Public Health District page for up-to-date advisories. Click the links below to watch video about cyanobateria and bacteria at swimming beaches.
What are cyanobacteria, click here to find out?
Bacteria at swimming beaches click here to find out more

 Where Can I Get A Map Of Kitsap County's Parks and Trails?

Visit our Find Your Park page. 

 Are Pets Allowed?

Park rules for pets may vary, depending on which park you are interested in visiting.  Pets are allowed at most parks if they are on a leash. However, horses and pets are not allowed near athletic fields, playgrounds, picnic sites, and swimming beaches. Parks Rules for each County Park are available by checking our Parks Listing for specific rules for each County Park.  Please be sure to clean up after your pet.

Are you looking for an off-leash dog area? Look no further, we have three!  One at Bandix Dog Park, one at Howe Farm Park  and one at Silverdale Rotary Gateway Park.

Athletic Fields: No pets are allowed on any athletic fields or within athletic field complex.

Pet Waste:  "Dogs in Kitsap County drop more than 11 tons of waste each day - and it doesn't just go away."  Watch the Dog Diggity video on pet waste.  Also, check out the Pet Waste and Mutt Mitt Program. 

 Is There A Lot Of Wildlife In Kitsap County Parks?

Many Kitsap County Parks are inhabited by native wildlife.  Plan ahead for your visit by gathering information from the links below on how to handle possible wildlife encounters:

Bear or Cougar sighting - Immediately contact the Washington State Patrol at 360.478.4646 or call 9-1-1.

Bears - For information to plan for possible bear encounters, contact Center for Wildlife Information at www.BeBearAware.org

Cougars - For information to plan for possible cougar encounters, contact the Washington State Department of Fish & Wildlife at http://wdfw.wa.gov or 360.902.2515. 

 Can I Reserve A Picnic Shelter?

Kitsap County Parks are a great place to hold an event, like a wedding or a child's birthday party. Reserve Picnic shelters by clicking here. Other areas of the park are open to the public and available on a first-come,-first-served basis at no cost.  Guests to a County Park cannot be prohibited from entering or using an open area of a park during your event.

Please note: If you do plan to use any kind of canopy or tent for an event, these items cannot be staked into the ground, due to possible damage to our irrigation system and must be weighted-down with sandbags, water jugs, or other weights. Bouncing houses and similar items are NOT allowed in our parks.

 What Activities Are Available?

 Visit our Why You Should Visit A Park page.

 Is There Overnight Camping Available At Any Kitsap County Park?

Unfortunately, camping and overnight parking are not permitted in any Kitsap County Parks.  

October 31, 2019 - The RV dump station located at the Kitsap County Fairgrounds is permanently closed.
Alternate dump locations:
Bremerton Wastewater Treatment Plant - 1600 Oyster Bay Ave S, Bremerton
Karcher Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant - Beach Drive & Olney Ave, Port Orchard
Contact your local State Parks for RV dump site availability or call Kitsap 1 for more information 360-337-5777

 I Want To Volunteer In A Kitsap County Park - How Do I Start?

 Visit our Volunteer page to get started with the Online Volunteer Registration Form

 Is There A Fee To Enter A Kitsap County Parks?

 No, all Kitsap County Parks are FREE to enter.

 Can I Harvest Mushrooms In Kitsap County Parks?

 Please check out our Mushroom Harvest Policies. 

 Is Metal Detecting Allowed in Kitsap County Parks?

Please follow the guidelines below when metal detecting in one of our county parks

Respect private property and do no metal detecting without the owner's permission.
Please fill all holes and excavations.
Please appreciate and protect our heritage of natural resources, wildlife and private property.
Please use thoughtfulness, consideration and courtesy at all times.
Please leave gates as found.
Please remove and properly dispose of any trash that I find.
Please DO NOT litter.
Please DO NOT destroy property, buildings or what is left of deserted structures.
Please DO NOT tamper with signs, structural facilities or equipment.  

​ Is Shellfish Harvesting Allowed?

​ Reporting Animal Enforcement

​ How Do I Rent A Facility?

​ How Do I Report Parking Violations?

​ What Is The Status of Point No Point County Park?

The main parking lot at Point No Point Park remains closed due to the significant damage caused by the past winter storms. However, we have good news to share.

The Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) parking lot located on Point No Point Road is open for the summer season. In addition to the normal use the parking lot provides and until Point No Point Park is open again to vehicular access, the WDFW parking lot may also serve as a location from which visitors may park and walk to Point No Point Park. A Discover Pass will be required to park in the WDFW parking lot. Passes can be purchased online and in person. For more information, please visit https://wdfw.wa.gov/licenses/parking.

• We remind visitors about the following:
• The main parking lot at point no point park is closed. However, the park is open to pedestrian traffic. Please walk to the park by following the road indicated on the map.
• Beach and tidelands on both sides of the WDFW access area are privately owned respect the privacy and property of adjoining property owners.
• No stopping or loitering on private tidelands for any reason.
• Exercise caution as vehicles may be entering/leaving the area.
• CLICK HERE TO VIEW PARKING MAP
  

​ How Do I Report An Encampment on Public Property: