New Day Use Fees & Increase Existing Fees, Public Lands

An increasing number of folks boon dock camping are homeless. They probably couldn’t afford the fee. They are also the ones who stay the max 14 days or whatever at the free campgrounds. I would be willing to pay an annual boondocking fee. We not only boon dock due to being free but also for the freedom from noise and light pollution. We have such a deal with the Senior Access Pass that we would be okay with such a fee. With federal campgrounds being managed by concessions, that half-price camping is void in some cases.

Phil, as they say, the best is the enemy of the good. It's not a perfect solution, but better than nothing. The money would supposedly go to enforcement, although we all know that some of it will be siphoned off for other uses. It beats doing nothing.

And I would not want to see this jacked up out of sight so that all lower income folks would be screened out. The proposed $70 national park DAILY fee would accomplish exactly that. Very unfair (except for those of us with senior passes, like me).

I would say that a modest annual boondocking fee is far different in intent and effect.

It's not going to happen, though. Very few of us are in favor of it. And of course the government will listen to the majority, right? ;)

avoidcrowds wrote:
I think Dan's idea is fine. I would be willing to pay $75/yr for a Fed pass. I already purchase a Colorado State Parks pass, so I can enter all those parks free - just pay the nightly fee for camping.

IMHO, $75 wouldn't be anywhere near enough to prevent abusers from squatting on public lands for weeks/months at a time while trashing it up. The abuser types would probably come up with $75 so as to be able to live that cheaply in RVs on public lands while still doing as they please out there.

And again, are there even enough public land workers to police the purchasing of permits to insure that the folks out there on our lands are holders of permits?

Usually all permits wind up doing is extract more money from honest/responsible folks so as to continue offering something to all folks. Forcing certain folks to be responsible has been an on going battle for millenniums, with the responsible folks footing the bill for the battle.

profdant139 wrote:
Well, avoidcrowds, that makes two of us. I sense a grass-roots groundswell . . . . ;)

Since your idea is really taking off.... count me in!

Well, avoidcrowds, that makes two of us. I sense a grass-roots groundswell . . . . ;)

To me, a fee would be simple to implement, and enforce.

I buy my hunting/fishing license online. It is mailed to me. I have a printed receipt if I need to hunt or fish before I receive the license in the mail.

Same system can be set up for a boondocking/Public Land permit. One for Federal land, one for each state. If someone only wants to camp one weekend of the year, they could buy a 3- or 5-day pass, similar to a short-term hunting or fishing license.

Where you cross-over from Washington to Oregon, for example, just have two permits. Or, have each state's permit valid in neighboring states, but only within 25 miles of the state line.

I think Dan's idea is fine. I would be willing to pay $75/yr for a Fed pass. I already purchase a Colorado State Parks pass, so I can enter all those parks free - just pay the nightly fee for camping.

And, Dan, I would join your Pro-fee group.

bfast54 wrote:
As far as having like a yearly boondocking fee on federal land or things like that--- it could easily be done .
In Michigan and many other states if you want to go off-road in an off-road vehicle including one license for the street ----you buy a sticker and you put it on the vehicle you going to take off road--- so if you bought a sticker that was boondocking on Federal Land and put it on the RV ,the tow vehicle ,whatever the thing

Problem of how....would be solved

Just like the BLM does with the Long Term Visitor Areas in AZ & CA. Good for 8 areas across both states. I just got my winter sticker a couple days ago...

I agree with Prof. Certainly, those of us who use the NF and SF lads heavily ought to pay something more for the privilege.

My gripe is that as currently implemented in OR/WA, there is no easy way to figure out which of the myriad of passes you need for which potential public lands you're planning to hike/camp on. So I'm currently hoping our elected govt leaders get around to a revenue-sharing agreement that will let me by ONE pass for WA sno parks, OR sno parks, NW NFS lands, WA state parks, and OR state parks--simply for entry and parking, to say nothing of overnight camping.

As far as the potential death of free boondocking, take a look at the vast areas of open lands in the SW, we will NEVER run out of great placeds to camp, unless the criminal Bundys and the no-fee freeloaders get their way.

As far as having like a yearly boondocking fee on federal land or things like that--- it could easily be done .
In Michigan and many other states if you want to go off-road in an off-road vehicle including one license for the street ----you buy a sticker and you put it on the vehicle you going to take off road--- so if you bought a sticker that was boondocking on Federal Land and put it on the RV ,the tow vehicle ,whatever the thing

Problem of how....would be solved

If I were to start a "Western Slope Pro-Fee Coalition," I wonder how many members we'd have.

Probably just me.

Late-breaking news: my wife just peeked over my shoulder to see what I was writing. She has announced that she will not join my coalition.

On the bright side, my coalition could hold meetings inside my extremely small trailer!