Canoe Camp Closed Due to "Vandalism, Transience, and Non-Payment"

[boy&hisdogs]

This is mostly just a rant, consider yourselves warned...

The only campground on my favorite stretch of river got closed last year right before we had a trip planned. Back then it was temporary, until they figured out how to deal with the issues. We decided to just make it a day trip and try again next year. Well now it is next year... and now the closure is permanent. I'm relatively new to the area, and never actually got to do this trip overnight, and I was really looking forward to it.

The sad part is that most parks and public spaces here are much cleaner and nicer than where I'm originally from. No bums or junkies or tent cities... but somehow the one that I really cared about is the one that gets closed.

Why can't people just behave themselves?

 

[tketcham]

Can you be more specific? I've paddled quite a few sections of rivers in eastern Washington and am curious if this is a camp site I've used before.

 

[boy&hisdogs]

Can you be more specific? I've paddled quite a few sections of rivers in eastern Washington and am curious if this is a camp site I've used before.

Horn Rapids

 

[tketcham]

Not surprised, it's too close to town and doesn't have full-time caretakers. Jerks are everywhere unfortunately.

 

[CaptainOllieWest]

The money generated from paying campers does not equal the cost to maintain and repair the damage caused by a few scumbags.

It can be difficult to "evict" non-paying tenants. This is the county's solution; turn it in to a day use park with the ability to reserve the whole park for large groups.

 

[tketcham]

It can be difficult to "evict" non-paying tenants. This is the county's solution; turn it in to a day use park with the ability to reserve the whole park for large groups.

Turning campground parks into group rental areas is common in some places, Vermont's been doing that for a while. Helps pay the bills and it's enforceable. I guess it's good for groups and organizations but it's one less place for everybody else.

 

[boy&hisdogs]

Turning campground parks into group rental areas is common in some places, Vermont's been doing that for a while. Helps pay the bills and it's enforceable. I guess it's good for groups and organizations but it's one less place for everybody else.

That's what it turned into here. Now the only way you get to stay overnight is if you book 10+ sites at $30 each in advance.

 

[Alan Gage]

That's what it turned into here. Now the only way you get to stay overnight is if you book 10+ sites at $30 each in advance.

Maybe not so bad. Pay $30/night and put up with a bunch of jabronies at the surrounding sites or pay $300/night and have the place to yourself.

Alan

 

[memaquay]

Learned something new today.
From urban dictionary
"Jabronie"
A slang term in professional wrestling first used by the Iron Sheik and then again later by Dwayne "the Rock" Johnson. It is derived from the word jobber, which is someone who routinely loses, or "does the job".
The Rock says, "Know your role and shut your mouth, jabroni!"

 

[Gamma1214]

Interesting... so Alan's a wrasslin' fan... (or, at least, familiar with the terminology)

Most of the Army Corps campsites around here have been closed over the years but not due to vandalism. The money generated from the camping fees & launch fees was less then the cost to collect the funds, especially since it required two people to steward the funds at all times (gubbermint hires you because you're trustworthy and then assumes that you're not).

The solution here was to close the campsites and forget the launch fees. Kind of a push, really, as the campsites were all the drive-in glamper variety but it's nice to launch without fees.

 

[Black_Fly]

There is an entire group on Facebook dedicated to Vandalism in National Parks. Too danged depressing to join. Check it out.