Franklin County, WA Curfew Laws: Park Curfew (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Franklin County Code § 12.12.030
- Who sets hours
- Franklin County Parks Department director
- Posted where
- Park entrance and department office
- Camping exception
- Paid use-fee campers in designated camping areas
- Penalty
- Misdemeanor plus immediate ejection, § 12.12.320
Summary
The Franklin County Parks Department sets separate open and closing hours for each county park under Franklin County Code § 12.12.030, posted at the park entrance and the department office. Hours shift by season and conditions, and once a park is posted closed, staying past closing time is unlawful unless you are a paid camper in a designated area or hold a valid reservation.
The director shall establish for each Franklin County park, according to existing conditions, times and periods when the park area will be open or closed to the public. Such times and periods shall be posted at the entrance to the Franklin County park affected and at the department office. Park hours are subject to current conditions and may vary by season. Park front gates may be open during normal business hours but the park area will be closed to public use when so posted. No person shall enter or be present at a Franklin County park after closing time or when the park area is closed, except persons camping in a designated camping area who have paid the applicable use fee, or persons who have a reservation or are associated with the person or persons having a reservation at a department facility.
Full Breakdown
030, the director of the Franklin County Parks Department sets the times each county park is open or closed to the public, based on the conditions of that particular park. Those hours are not uniform: they are posted at the entrance to the affected park and at the department office, and the code specifically allows them to shift with the season and current conditions. A park's front gate can be open during normal business hours even while the park area itself is posted closed to public use, so a visible open gate does not by itself mean the park is available.
030 makes it unlawful for anyone to enter or remain there, with two exceptions: a person camping in a designated camping area who has already paid the applicable use fee, and a person holding a reservation for a department facility, or accompanying someone who does. 12, including the hours rule, is a misdemeanor, and the Franklin County Parks Director, parks department employees, and other law enforcement officers can eject a violator from the park immediately in addition to any criminal charge. 300 work the same way, closing specific sections of a park to public access or use outside of the general hours rule.
Violations & Fines
Entering or staying in a Franklin County park after posted closing time, without a paid camping permit or an active reservation, is a misdemeanor under section 12.12.320. Parks Department staff, the Parks Director, and law enforcement officers can eject a violator from the park immediately, on top of any misdemeanor charge, and repeated after-hours use can be grounds for denying that person's future reservation applications under section 12.12.100.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Franklin County parks closed at a fixed time every night?
Can I stay overnight in a Franklin County park after closing?
What happens if I get caught in a Franklin County park after hours?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Franklin County
Compare Franklin County to another location·View the Washington curfew laws overview
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