Oregon Hikers

squidvicious wrote: ↑

May 2nd, 2020, 3:50 pm

List of WA parks opening and not opening May 5
https://parks.state.wa.us/1181/Parks-opening

From that link, here are the still-closed parks, with parks close to Oregon highlighted:

Anderson Lake
Beacon Rock
Bogachiel
Cape Disappointment
Camp Wooten
Cedar Falls Trailhead (on Palouse to Cascades Trail)
Columbia Hills (limited fishing access)
Crawford State Park and Gardner Caves
Daroga
Doug’s Beach
Fisk
Fort Columbia
Fort Simcoe
Grayland Beach
Klickitat Trail
Kukutali Preserve
Ocean City
Pacific Beach
Pleasant Harbor
Maryhill (watercraft launch will open)
Spring Creek Hatchery
Twin Harbors
Westport Light
Wallace Falls

squidvicious wrote: ↑

May 2nd, 2020, 3:50 pm

List of WA parks opening and not opening May 5
https://parks.state.wa.us/1181/Parks-opening

Thanks for the update! Sad that Beacon Rock SP won't be open, but it makes sense. It gets very crowded, even Hamilton Mountain.

Still wondering about Table Mountain. I'll probably call next week if I don't find any info by then.

burnside wrote: ↑

May 2nd, 2020, 5:31 pm

Still wondering about Table Mountain. I'll probably call next week if I don't find any info by then.

It's in Skamania County, so it won't be open until both the county AND the CRGNSA lift their restrictions. Don't hold your breath.

I've read the online information and there's nothing about opening areas for backpacking (e.g., Pasaytan Wilderness). Any information on that issue will be appreciated!

Thanks,
Keith

keithcomess wrote: ↑

May 4th, 2020, 7:30 am

I've read the online information and there's nothing about opening areas for backpacking (e.g., Pasaytan Wilderness). Any information on that issue will be appreciated!

That's a National Forest, not a State Park. Check the USFS's web site: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/r6/home/ ... eprd716206

I have as yet not seen any updates on national forest closures. But as those closures were clearly done to "align" with state policy, they are likely to open back up roughly in concert with state policy, and county policy where applicable.

I was a little surprised to see that Columbia Hills was not on the list of parks opening this week. It is easy to see other hikers and keep your distance in the grasslands, and it is not normally a crowded park anyway. I suppose that with the scenic area still closed, it would draw larger crowds though, though it seems too far from Portland to get that big of a rush.

You can listen in on the Skamania County Board of Health meeting today, where I assume they will discuss when to open trails in the county.
https://www.skamaniacounty.org/home/sho ... nt?id=2671

drm wrote: ↑

May 5th, 2020, 6:51 am

I have as yet not seen any updates on national forest closures. But as those closures were clearly done to "align" with state policy, they are likely to open back up roughly in concert with state policy, and county policy where applicable.

I haven't seen any updates either, so I was surprised to read this the other day in a Mail Tribune article. I hadn't heard the September 30 thing.

The Rogue River-Siskiyou and the Fremont-Winema national forests, which manage Forest Service lands in Southern Oregon, continue to follow guidelines that are keeping recreation sites, including boat docks, campgrounds, fire lookouts, restrooms and trailheads, closed. Those forests, along with others in the Pacific Northwest, plan to keep the closures in place until Sept. 30, although the sites could open earlier if the epidemic is controlled or, if the numbers of infected people and deaths increase, could be extended. There will be public notification when the closure is lifted.

Most National Forest campgrounds close for the winter season around Sept. 30 in a normal year. It could be this was a confusing way of saying their plan is that their developed sites will remain closed this year - unless they decide to open them.

Did anyone listen in on the Skamania County Board of Health meeting? I did not have a chance to....