Trailhead Parking

General discussions on hiking in Oregon and the Pacific Northwest
johnspeth
Posts: 346
Joined: July 30th, 2013, 8:33 am

Re: Trailhead Parking

Post by johnspeth » April 27th, 2019, 4:23 am

To hopefully set your mind at ease, for violations, the worst you should get is a ticket. Towing will only happen if your car is blocking emergency access if it's needed. Towing for lack of a pass will not happen due to the risk of stranding you in the wild. That's the theory anyhow.

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Water
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Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm

Re: Trailhead Parking

Post by Water » April 27th, 2019, 6:11 pm

teachpdx wrote:
April 26th, 2019, 11:48 am
It's worth it to buy an annual NW Forest Pass for $30.
By what metrics do you measure this worth you speak of? Just compared to buying daily passes?
Feel Free to Feel Free

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xrp
Posts: 524
Joined: May 2nd, 2012, 10:26 am

Re: Trailhead Parking

Post by xrp » April 28th, 2019, 2:45 pm

Please note that despite USFS signs stating that Northwest Forest Pass (NWFP) being required, per a 2014 9th Circuit Court ruling, the NWFP is only required if you use the amenities at the site.

http://www.allgov.com/USA/ca/news/where ... ews=853621

The case is Fragosa et al vs USFS.

I'm not saying that you should or should not buy a NWFP, just wanted to state under what circumstances it is actually required per the latest court ruling. As far as I know, Fragosa et al and Adams (both vs USFS) haven't been appealed higher, yet.

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teachpdx
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Location: Hillsboro, OR

Re: Trailhead Parking

Post by teachpdx » May 1st, 2019, 7:03 am

Water wrote:
April 27th, 2019, 6:11 pm
teachpdx wrote:
April 26th, 2019, 11:48 am
It's worth it to buy an annual NW Forest Pass for $30.
By what metrics do you measure this worth you speak of? Just compared to buying daily passes?
Yes, compared to day passes. OP mentioned it being a 5 day trip. At that cost, they’re 5/6 of the way to an annual pass.
instagram: @remyodyssey

birdhiker
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Joined: May 23rd, 2016, 6:23 am

Re: Trailhead Parking

Post by birdhiker » May 1st, 2019, 8:40 am

I post my NW Forest Pass on dash at all times, along with the ODFW pass, no mater where I park to hike, do/did it as a habit creating act so I do not forget to show it when I need it. Nothing worse than being 1/2 mile from car and recall not pulling it out of the door pocket.

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Chip Down
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Joined: November 8th, 2014, 8:41 pm

Re: Trailhead Parking

Post by Chip Down » May 1st, 2019, 7:53 pm

I can't hold back, gotta say it:
I've paid for parking once in the last decade.
Only cited once, which ironically was at a non-posted TH where I disputed the citation, but was told to pay anyway (an obvious racket designed for the sole purpose of extracting money from the populace, which is expected in third-world s-hole countries*, but disgraceful when it happens here).

*Just a humorous** allusion to a certain politician's comment; I bear no ill will towards the people of such countries.
** you know, in a coarse poor-taste sort of way

As the government's anti-hiker aggression*** escalates, I'm increasingly inclined to shift from disregarding the laws, to blatantly flouting the laws as a test.

***except for the disneyfied version that they endorse/encourage

Steve20050
Posts: 395
Joined: November 12th, 2009, 8:06 pm

Re: Trailhead Parking

Post by Steve20050 » May 2nd, 2019, 7:38 am

Chip Down wrote:
May 1st, 2019, 7:53 pm
I can't hold back, gotta say it:
I've paid for parking once in the last decade.
Only cited once, which ironically was at a non-posted TH where I disputed the citation, but was told to pay anyway (an obvious racket designed for the sole purpose of extracting money from the populace, which is expected in third-world s-hole countries*, but disgraceful when it happens here).

*Just a humorous** allusion to a certain politician's comment; I bear no ill will towards the people of such countries.
** you know, in a coarse poor-taste sort of way

As the government's anti-hiker aggression*** escalates, I'm increasingly inclined to shift from disregarding the laws, to blatantly flouting the laws as a test.

***except for the disneyfied version that they endorse/encourage
Hey my wife is from one of those tropical/ socialist s-hole countries. At least that is what the political satiric map of your "politician" labels her country area. I have to say I never paid for parking when hiking/trekking there. I did pay to take an over night bus that ran out of gas about 10 miles outside of town. No problem. They just syphoned the last bit of gasoline from the tank and put it in a plastic jug on top of the engine to get to town. Course the bus on the way back broke down and I had leave my gear behind till they got it to town a few days later. One place I camped was back in this canyon outside of town. Had the whole place to myself, until I got up one morning to do a photo and a dump truck parked in the mid ground for a couple hours to load rocks. Why? The roads are full of rocks so why those rocks, is a puzzle to this day. But I didn't pay to park or to camp. The official name of this place is Valle de los Machos. Sorry to hijack the thread, I'm old and do have a seniors pass, so we're allowed to wander, LOL.
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Ramble
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Joined: January 30th, 2019, 11:11 pm

Re: Trailhead Parking

Post by Ramble » May 12th, 2019, 2:21 pm

Chip Down wrote:
May 1st, 2019, 7:53 pm
I can't hold back, gotta say it:
I've paid for parking once in the last decade.
Only cited once, which ironically was at a non-posted TH where I disputed the citation, but was told to pay anyway (an obvious racket designed for the sole purpose of extracting money from the populace, which is expected in third-world s-hole countries*, but disgraceful when it happens here).

*Just a humorous** allusion to a certain politician's comment; I bear no ill will towards the people of such countries.
** you know, in a coarse poor-taste sort of way

As the government's anti-hiker aggression*** escalates, I'm increasingly inclined to shift from disregarding the laws, to blatantly flouting the laws as a test.
So, just out of curiosity, do you have the disposable income to hire a lawyer and the time to deal with it should the local USFS officials decide to try and make an example of you? I'm pretty sure most of us don't--I know I don't. Rather than risk it, I'll buy the damned pass.

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Water
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Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm

Re: Trailhead Parking

Post by Water » May 12th, 2019, 11:25 pm

Lol risk it?

I'm a penny pincher but you can go a long way before hiring OJ's lawyers. And there's groups like Western Slope No Fee coalition who are resources to help develop a case.

I too have not paid for parking in years and years and would continue to hope for a ticket so I can contest it. I've heard the FS does not want anything going to a trial because they may get slapped down hard and have to actually say the NWFP is only required for amenity use and parking alone is not that.
Feel Free to Feel Free

Ramble
Posts: 2
Joined: January 30th, 2019, 11:11 pm

Re: Trailhead Parking

Post by Ramble » June 25th, 2019, 4:12 am

Water wrote:
May 12th, 2019, 11:25 pm
Lol risk it?

I'm a penny pincher but you can go a long way before hiring OJ's lawyers. And there's groups like Western Slope No Fee coalition who are resources to help develop a case.

I too have not paid for parking in years and years and would continue to hope for a ticket so I can contest it. I've heard the FS does not want anything going to a trial because they may get slapped down hard and have to actually say the NWFP is only required for amenity use and parking alone is not that.
You must be retired or have some money in the bank. I'm a blue-collar working man and the only income provider in my household (wife is disabled) and I don't have the time or money to deal with being a "test case". I'll pay the annual fee and let someone else who has the time and/or money fight the government, if they so choose. And good luck to them.

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