Eagle Creek Overlook Hike
Posted: May 9th, 2018, 10:45 am
Regarding the Field Guide hike listed here: https://www.oregonhikers.org/field_guid ... rlook_Hike
The article mentions that a reservation is required for camping at this spot from May 1st to September 30th. However, it doesn't state that the location is closed to hikers during those times. It hints at it, but it should be a little more blunt.
Beyond the entry gate, this location does NOT offer parking for Eagle Creek Trail - nor does it offer access to the Eagle Creek Trail. This location is not available for hiking during "all seasons", it is only available for open hiking and camping outside of the reservation season. It doesn't matter if the gate is latched or not.
When this campground is reserved, all other traffic is supposed to remain at the bottom of the hill, outside of the gate. Reservations are for the entire campground, not just individual fire-pits at the top.
It costs hundreds of dollars to secure this privacy for a weekend, and hikers need to start respecting that.
My family rents this campground every year, and we have to deal with a near-constant flood of hikers and people looking for parking so they can go to the Eagle Creek Trail. We've had to argue with numerous hikers, had to chase some down and tell them to come back and remove their vehicles from the grounds, and even had to chase some off of the grounds entirely because they kept coming back after being informed multiple times with decreasing degrees of patience.
Out of the 25 years I've been going to this campground, these issues have only started becoming prevalent in the last 3-5 years.
If you plan to do this hike between May 1st and September 30th (of any year), you must be part of the group that has reserved the campground (unless it happens to be vacant, though that is rare for this location). Otherwise, don't expect any sort of warm welcome to peoples' private rented space.
Hiking through here with impunity from May 1st to September 30th, is like going into someone's rented beach house uninvited, while there are people inside trying to enjoy what they paid for. It's just an open-air riverfront beach house. Treat it accordingly.
--edit---
I do recognize that most of this is rendered moot at present, as there should be very little reason for people to be in the area this season due to the fire damage and regional closures. We may still have our own reservation cancelled. However, it remains valid for most normal seasons.
The article mentions that a reservation is required for camping at this spot from May 1st to September 30th. However, it doesn't state that the location is closed to hikers during those times. It hints at it, but it should be a little more blunt.
Beyond the entry gate, this location does NOT offer parking for Eagle Creek Trail - nor does it offer access to the Eagle Creek Trail. This location is not available for hiking during "all seasons", it is only available for open hiking and camping outside of the reservation season. It doesn't matter if the gate is latched or not.
When this campground is reserved, all other traffic is supposed to remain at the bottom of the hill, outside of the gate. Reservations are for the entire campground, not just individual fire-pits at the top.
It costs hundreds of dollars to secure this privacy for a weekend, and hikers need to start respecting that.
My family rents this campground every year, and we have to deal with a near-constant flood of hikers and people looking for parking so they can go to the Eagle Creek Trail. We've had to argue with numerous hikers, had to chase some down and tell them to come back and remove their vehicles from the grounds, and even had to chase some off of the grounds entirely because they kept coming back after being informed multiple times with decreasing degrees of patience.
Out of the 25 years I've been going to this campground, these issues have only started becoming prevalent in the last 3-5 years.
If you plan to do this hike between May 1st and September 30th (of any year), you must be part of the group that has reserved the campground (unless it happens to be vacant, though that is rare for this location). Otherwise, don't expect any sort of warm welcome to peoples' private rented space.
Hiking through here with impunity from May 1st to September 30th, is like going into someone's rented beach house uninvited, while there are people inside trying to enjoy what they paid for. It's just an open-air riverfront beach house. Treat it accordingly.
--edit---
I do recognize that most of this is rendered moot at present, as there should be very little reason for people to be in the area this season due to the fire damage and regional closures. We may still have our own reservation cancelled. However, it remains valid for most normal seasons.