Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
new ranger
Audra Sims has taken over management of 10 state parks.
A new area manager is in place for the 10-park Blue Mountain State Parks area. Audra Sims began Sept. 1 after transferring from Alta Lake State Park near Chelan.
She now oversees the operation of Sacajawea, Columbia Plateau Trail, Iron Horse/John Wayne Pioneer Trail (Lind to Idaho border), Lewis and Clark Trail, Camp Wooten, Lyons Ferry, Palouse Falls, Steptoe Butte, Steptoe Battlefield and Fields Spring State Parks.
A staff of 14 report to her, including park rangers, maintenance and administrative staff.
The daughter of an Air Force father, Sims’ interest in her vocation began early.
“The way I got started is, I grew up camping,” she said, noting some favorite trips to Forest Service lands above Boise with her grandfather.
After graduating from high school at Rammerstein Air Force Base in Germany, Sims went to the University of North Texas for a degree in recreation and leisure services.
Beginning her career in Texas, she later came to Washington and attended the Parks Law Enforcement Academy in Mount Vernon in 2003-04.
Aside from her time as a Washington State Park Ranger, Sims has worked as a ropes course consultant, an interpretive specialist in Texas, site supervisor for the City of Austin Parks & Recreation, an interpreter with Idaho State Historical Society and an environmental education facilitator in West Spokane Valley.
“It has been thrilling and really energizing,” Sims said of her new assignment. “I’ve been really proud and pleased at the work ethic of the group I stepped in to.”
She succeeds the previous area manager Gary Vierra, who transferred to Grayland State Park, South Beach Area.
Sims may be reached at Lewis and Clark Trail State Park, 36149 Highway 12, Dayton, WA, or at (509) 337-6457.
Garth Meyer is a former Whitman County Gazette reporter.
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