Park ranger finally told us to move on...

[gnarledwolf]

A little bummed. We almost made it... tent camping in this same area for 3 months. Park ranger told us we have till the 15th to move ... rather generous I actually thought. Problem is, he said we can only camp on national forest land for 30 days in a year cycle... that means anywhereon the Olympic peninsula here in Washington state.  I don’t  understand that... thought it was 21 days then you move 25 miles away... said only way we could stay in the area was to pay for camping at a campground and even then only for 14 days... we weren't planning to leave til two weeks into october... and sure as hell hadn't budgeted for a campground. We are in the midst of saving to leave here and need to save money for the trip south... so now what quite sure what to do... so naturally I turned to you guys... any ideas?  Right now it looks like we will have to pay after the 15th ouch... then leave at the end of september. Nearly two weeks sooner than we wanted to. I now feel like we are being kicked out of Washington state.
Matt

 

[rvpopeye]

So leave Washington and head ....to the next forest in Oregon.......?

 

[gnarledwolf]

So leave Washington and head ....to the next forest in Oregon.......?

It's a money issue... working and not quite ready yet...

 

[Yogidog]

It doesn't seem like they could monitor if u just moved to another one?

 

[BradKW]

From the state park website:

(7) In order to afford the general public the greatest possible use of the state park system, on a fair and equal basis, and to prevent residential use, continuous occupancy of facilities by the same camping party shall be limited. April 1 through September 30: The maximum length of stay during this period shall be established annually for each park by the director or designee and shall be no less than ten and no more than fourteen nights. Campers may stay the established maximum consecutive nights in one park, after which the camping party must vacate the park for three consecutive nights. October 1 through March 31: The maximum length of stay is twenty nights. Campers may stay twenty consecutive nights in one park, after which the camping party must vacate the park for three consecutive nights, not to exceed forty days in a sixty-day time period. These limitations shall not apply to those individuals who meet the qualifications of WAC 352- 32-280 and 352-32-285

http://parks.state.wa.us/DocumentCenter/View/4086

In that regulation document and also addressed in Olympic Parks literature is the concern about people making the park a permanent residence. My guess is that the Ranger has you figured for this and more-or-less made up the rules he gave you...probably a mix of him deciding to be cool about it while throwing in some penalty clauses. Hard to say, because I can't find the rules he told you anywhere...

 

[gnarledwolf]

He did define us as "you cannot use national forest as a place of residence" saying he has been seeing our car here for more than a month... why we cannot move to another area of the National forest is beyond me though

 

[BradKW]

Yeah, just move to another park out of his patrol. The odds of him having entered you into a database that probably doesn't exist seem slim to me. Print out the above regulations and worst case scenario is you show them to a different Ranger and explain that you thought you were following the guidelines...

 

[Gary68]

anyone you work with have a tree you can stay under for a couple weeks?

 

[gnarledwolf]

anyone you work with have a tree you can stay under for a couple weeks?

ThatThat's  my inquiry at work tomorrow....

 

[gnarledwolf]

Yeah, just move to another park out of his patrol. The odds of him having entered you into a database that probably doesn't exist seem slim to me. Print out the above regulations and worst case scenario is you show them to a different Ranger and explain that you thought you were following the guidelines...

We looked into that when we first got here... closest national forest to herestablish is over 45 miles away... fit far to drive every day... will keep looking though. One way or another something always turns up

 

[TrainChaser]

One of the problems there is that the NW part of WA doesn't seem to have anything EXCEPT National Forest land, and some of the campgrounds have been closed. The only maybe-BLM land is in the Lower Elwha area (where the casino is) if you're working in Pt. Angeles. Neah Bay has more options. But they're 70 miles apart.

If you know any tribal people, ask if they know someone who would be willing to let you stay on their property (on tribal land). From what I've heard about the rez near me, the tribe can usually do as they please for most things. But a lot of drinking/drugs/theft, if that rez is anything like this one.

Your blog link doesn't seem to work.

 

[Almost There]

Wait a minute, hold on!!

Are you camped in National Forest land or in State Forest land?

 You say National forest but Brad quoted the rules for state forest land for Washington.

Here's the rules for National Forest land:

http://www.fs.usda.gov/detailfull/fishlake/recreation/?cid=stelprdb5121831

it's from the NF that came up but the rules are the same for all NF AFAIK

14 days in one spot then move 5 miles driving distance, can't return to the same campsite for a year.

Have you checked on Freecampsites.net for other places in your area that you can go.

 

[blars]

While most NF and BLM land has the 14 day rule, the rules on how far you have to move and when you can return vary. You'll need to look up the rules on "dispersed camping" for your particular forest or BLM district. Some MVUM (free maps from NF and some BLM) have places dispersed camping is allowed marked.

 

[gnarledwolf]

Through ranger didn't even know we were on national forest land until he asked us. The small signs are hard to find and read like a paint by numbers, but we mapped them out to be sure before we laid camp. The reason we are here is most other sites around here are too much work to get to in our car. The whole area is set up as if they don't really want you to use it.

 

[gnarledwolf]

Have you checked on Freecampsites.net for other places in your area that you can go.

Yeah, in the parking lot of the casino. Walmart kinda frowns on it... and no where for tent camping. I can't wait to pay off this car so I can try for a van so we have the overnight option. The same ranger patrols the only other real area to camp in as well... if he set those rules here... he will not let us stat there. Looks like if we don’t find a friend with a back yard we will be paying, then moving at the end of the month. Only two weeks difference but that's  $600 from working we were planning on. Not devastated, just annoyed.

 

[gnarledwolf]

Ok...small snag... looks like most campgrounds close mid september......grrrr

 

[WriterMs]

One one of my first trips, I thought the state of Missouri had almost NO free disperced camping. Hah! Then I learned that the free camping is at Missouri's "conservation areas" which are mostly hunting and fishing sites that are state owned. You can camp at most all of them for free.

SOOOOO... what I suggest is that you look up other public land ownership.. like wildlife refuges, conservation areas, etc. In some states, some small towns have free city parks for at least a few nights... I bet WA state has few of those since there is such congestion. But may be worth a try. OH...and you may want to check out Karen and Tony's blog as they have their paid and free campsites sorted by state:

http://rollinginarv-wheelchairtraveling.blogspot.com/

 

[gnarledwolf]

This area has none of that... itit's  for old rich retired people... everything else belongs to the indians.  On the plus side we found a woman at workwho was unsuccessful at finding the roommates she wanted in here house willing to loan us her spare bedroom to get through the month... nice of her since she doesndoesn't really know us that we'll. At least we can get our four chacks this month to travel on.... thanks for all the advice?

 

[highdesertranger]

glad you got a break. highdesertranger

 

[Van-Tramp]

No offense man, but if your plan was to camp in the same place for 3+ months, KNOWING it is against the rules, and you didn't save $20 dollar bill to be able to gas up  for WHEN the rangers came around telling you to leave, as they should have 2+ months ago... well, there is no pity for you from this end of the Internet.

My advice; move to a different national forest... now, no matter what you finances say... before you are cited, which will cost a lot more than not moving, and don't make the same mistake again. 

Why am I being such a jerk? You living in a forest for 3+ months make us ALL look bad and causes the forest service to close down areas for us ALL to camp. Your actions are ruining it for everyone, and that seriously ticks me off.