BLM access about to be lost
There is a fantastic BLM dispersed camping site in Colorado on the Arkansas River that is in danger of being converted from free BLM camping to an expensive, reservation only campground run by the sta...
Forum Discussion
profdant139 wrote:
OK, folks. I guess that if we can't get this group, composed of the country's most avid and law-abiding boondockers, to agree on a method of funding the rangers' enforcement efforts, there is no sense in trying to persuade the forest service to do anything more than they are already doing. Given the decidedly mixed reaction on this forum, I myself would not be willing to spend much time and energy on such a project. Oh, well. We'll just muddle through, the same as we've always done.
But don't be surprised if the following events occur: the forest service asks for more funding from Congress for additional enforcement. The answer is no -- the general tax revenue is not sufficient. As the urban population in the West grows, the areas open to boondocking will be over-used and trashed by the bad guys, who will operate with impunity (as they now do). At some point, the forest service will simply declare more and more areas to be off-limits to boondocking. The available sites will shrink in number and acreage. More boondockers will be crammed into fewer sites. The cycle of over-use will accelerate.
I would guess that in 25 years, there will be very little, if any, boondocking available on federal lands, and especially not in the national forests. I sure hope I am wrong.
I too hope you are wrong. But thank you for your concern and your efforts. I probably have a little different perspective because I am from the least populated state in the nation.
