I know several of the places I have gone for years have started charging a fee. In the form of a day use permit. While you can still camp for free you still need a permit to be there so I guess technically they aren't charging you to camp. When I asked a ranger about the fees he said what has been said previously. The fees are to pay for the services, when I asked about what services since there are none he said well to be honest it is for enforcement of the rules and regs of the area. Visitation has increased so much that the Washington budget just doesn't allow for enough rangers to keep the area from getting destroyed. His next comment which he said so tactfully "while I am not including you or your wife and many others in this statement there are just too many visitors who don't care and feel that anything goes out here and they are ruining it for everyone as well as destroying the resources here". He went on to say even with the day use fee there still isn't enough money to have enough rangers to keep it from happening but every bit helps and it is just sad that if the visitors just followed the rules there would not be a need for more rangers. As I mentioned I have been going to this particular area for years in fact decades and I have certainly noticed the increased visitation as well as the destroying of the resources. We see folks frequently out there breaking various rules that one instance not that big of a deal at all but multiply that by hundreds or thousands year after year it really starts to take a toll and it shows.
I have no real issue with pay to play but what bothers me about it is the reasons why it is needed to begin with
