Oregon Hikers

Sometimes a guy just wants a liesurely visit to a state park. North of the Tarbell north trailhead is Wormald State Park. It's accessed via a gated road, but it's not restricted. Gate is sometimes open, sometimes locked. It's risky to drive in.

Pics tell the story:

Why is a "State Park" accessed by a capriciously gated road? Is this land that is technically State Park but isn't intended for access? (Yet?) What is the purpose of the State acquiring land like this?

My understanding is they decided not to develop it into a park, and the land was either transferred to another agency, or sold to private interests.

Webfoot wrote: ↑

February 10th, 2021, 11:40 am

Is this land that is technically State Park but isn't intended for access? (Yet?) What is the purpose of the State acquiring land like this?

Thought I'd respond to this before it drops off the front page.

There are dozens of named "State Park" parcels around Oregon and Washington (and probably every other state) that are not listed on the state parks website and yet they actually are managed (owned) by state parks. There are various reasons for this, but the Oregon State Parks site only lists "developed" state parks, i.e. places with some kind of infrastructure (restrooms, picnic area, etc.). Perhaps the most egregious omission is the state park land south of Floras Lake which includes Blacklock Point, one of the largest state park areas but not on their website because it isn't developed. An example closer to Portland is Bonnie Lure, not an officially listed park on the website but state park land nevertheless. It comes under the jurisdiction of the ranger based at Milo McIver State Park. He told me he has to check in on it regularly, mainly to monitor illegal activity and "pick up garbage." Another example is Cougar Valley, east of Wheeler on the Nehalem River, which was purchased as part of Gov. Kulongoski's "one new state park per year" initiative. In the initial planning stages after the purchase, local residents panned the entire project (an RV campground was going to be installed and trails built) as a disruption of their reclusive lifestyles and as redundant because of the many existing state parks on the coast.

There are numerous parcels in the Willamette Valley as well. Access to some is blocked by private land. State parks has decommissioned some parks and even sold a couple. The original concept for state parks in Oregon was to have beautiful corridors and way stations along highways. With the construction of I-84 in the Gorge, some "parks" that were on the old highway and had at least drinking fountains and picnic tables are now just designations on topo maps.

As for Wormald, this Clark County regional parks plan from 2000 mentions Wormald:
However, the latest Yacolt Burn State Forest map shows it as part of that entity (Washington DNR).

Later edit in response to acquisition question:

Much state park land has actually been donated. This is true of most of the Gorge state parks (and many of them are named after the donors). Some land comes to the state as part of a foreclosure or tax delinquency. Sometimes, as with Cougar Creek, the state actually purchases the land but, for one reason or another, hasn't developed it. I suspect Wormald falls into one of the first two categories, maybe immortalizing its donor?

State Parks in the Gorge are odd. Some of them have one developed access point and then encompass several "State Parks". Mitchell Point is a good example of that. Most people have heard of Mitchell Point but not Wygant, Seneca Fouts, and Vinzez Lausman State Parks.

Chip,

Great write up!! Very much enjoyed reading this.

dn

bobcat wrote: ↑

March 14th, 2021, 3:38 pm

Webfoot wrote: ↑

February 10th, 2021, 11:40 am

Is this land that is technically State Park but isn't intended for access? (Yet?) What is the purpose of the State acquiring land like this?

Thought I'd respond to this before it drops off the front page.

Thank you.