Herman Creek Trailhead Towing?

[cmb]

Hello! I have respected, admired and enjoyed your site for years and have been very slow at getting involved. I plan to post again, posts that are all smiles! I enjoyed a wonderful hike up Gorton Creek Falls to the cutoff and back down the Nick Eaton trail yesterday (Sunday). Warm weather, lovely views and didn't pass a whole lot of people, although the parking lot was full when I arrived mid-morning.

Upon return to my car at the Herman Creek trailhead, I saw that cars parked alongside the road going back to the campground had been marked with marker paint across the back window, clearly labeled, "Tow". Since I had paid my user fee and had parked fully off the pavement in an clearly used parking spot, with no visible sign to not park there, I was particularly surprised to see that my car had received this same treatment. I have talked with two USFS employees so far, and will continue to try to get some clarification about this, but wanted to share this experience. Apparently, there is a sandwich board tied to a tree that says not to park beyond the sign. If someone parks in front of it, no one else can see it. It seems pretty drastic to tow, or even threaten to tow a car while people are out hiking. I hope that no one's car was towed yesterday and that this, indeed, was just an odd incident.

[BigBear]

Yes, I'm sure that you were surprised to see that your car was marked for towing.

Although I was not at the trailhead this past weekend, I have found it rather annoying that people park on the Herman Creek CG roadway without regard to other people's need and/or desire to get home after their hike (when they parked in the designated spots). Parking on the roadway is illegal in most locations, but it does not seem to impact those persons' decisions in parking their vehicle anyway.

I do not know the circumstances of your specific situation, although USFS personnel appear to be supporting my contention above by marking your back window with "TOW."

There are just too many people and too few trails.

[retired jerry]

if there's plenty of room to get by I don't see what the problem is

although if there's a "no parking" sign I can see not parking there

[vibramhead]

I hiked to Burnt Lake on Saturday. It's a mighty popular hike. After we got back to the trailhead, there were cars parked well down the road on both sides, some sticking out so far that we could just barely squeeze through in a small sedan. I think a few of those folks could have justly been towed. It's amazing how some people are reluctant to park a quarter mile further from the trailhead where there are wide spots that would be better for parking.

[Chip Down]

I do not know the circumstances of your specific situation, although USFS personnel appear to be supporting my contention above by marking your back window with "TOW."

Well, the OP's circumstances did include this: "parked fully off the pavement in an clearly used parking spot, with no visible sign to not park there". Sound to me like the biggest crime was that Wentworth license plate frame.

There are just too many people and too few trails.

Amen, brother! On the other hand, I was out from dawn to dusk Saturday on a sunny warm (not too warm) early summer day, and saw not a soul, just lizards and a deer. Between Wyeth and Starvation. Mostly on known trails/roads, but not the touristy "gotta check that one off my list" hikes.

[Arturo]

Last year I parked there. The lot was full but there were cars all the way down the approach on one side so I squeezed in and put my NW Forest Pass in the window. When i came down off Nick Eaton my car had the same orange dry marker with TOW on it.

So I went down to that building at the entrance ... not sure if it is USFS or something else ... spoke to two official looking guys and told them about my window (I had wiped it off by then). They said they did not know who was doing that but it wasn't them. I believed them. Why wouldn't they just say you can't park there? So I see the mystery continues.

I read not too long ago that they closed the horse camp and campground there because some trees were rotting at the roots and were in danger of falling. It's been well over a year now. I'm not sure if that has something to do with it but I for sure did not park in the area where it said no parking and still got that "message".

BTW, this Sunday I returned to Wahclella lot after climbing Munra Point and pulling out of the parking area was a tow truck.

[retired jerry]

Maybe it was some vigilante who was indignant because people weren't following the rules, as they interpreted them

It's funny, in this internet age, how indignant people can sometimes get over unimportant things (like artsy cairns?)

I think that's a work center and the people responsible for patrolling the trailheads are out of Hood River?

[cmb]

Thank you for the conversation. I just talked with the supervisor in Hood River and although this was a case of an overzealous employee, it sounds like this is a technique they are using, in part as a warning to others, particularly in areas with very heavy use where people are parked in the way of traffic, or fully in the lane. They are also ticketing and trying to take proactive measures with messaging about appropriate parking.

[ochocowalker]

BTW, this Sunday I returned to Wahclella lot after climbing Munra Point and pulling out of the parking area was a tow truck.

About time. People park all along the roads there clogging up traffic, when there are always empty spots in the Tooth Rock parking lot. Heaven forbid people have to walk an extra hundred yards to park.

[drm]

I have never heard of towing from remote locations, just expensive tickets, unless the road is truly blocked. So unless and until you get confirmation, I would think it was a prank.