Forest Service Fees Found Faulty by Courts

KREX News ^ | Feb 21, 2012 | Matt Kroschel

[george76]

In a ruling that is binding in nine western states and sets a nationwide legal precedent; the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals found unanimously last week that the U.S. Forest Service's recreation fee programs must allow citizens to park at trail-heads and go for a hike without paying a fee.

The case (Adams v. U. S. Forest Service) was brought in 2008 by four hikers who visit the Coronado National Forest around Mt. Lemmon, near Tucson.

The San Francisco Appeals Court found the U. S. Forest Service at fault for charging parking fees to people who go for a hike without using amenities such as picnic tables, trashcans, and bathrooms located nearby, or who camp in dispersed, undeveloped parts of a National Forest.

Judge Robert Gettleman, writing for the unanimous three-judge panel, stated in the ruling that "Everyone is entitled to enter national forests without paying a cent."

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[girlangler]

Good. Those are the people’s lands and we shouldn’t be charged for recreating in them.

[jazusamo]

Good. Those are the people’s lands and we shouldn’t be charged for recreating in them.

Amen to that. There are some now in the USFS and BLM that would like to keep everyone off public lands, enviro-nazis are being promoted into higher positions.

[Flycatcher]

You said it.

Before this Obamanation is all over, I'm probably going to be declared a "public lands criminal."

I'll probably enjoy that status, though, I'm thinking. Ha ha ha!

[cyclotic]

The problem is that seasoned citizens are as a demographic unit far more financially stable with more disposable income than the other demographics, yet, as a result of getting old, get lots of discounts.

[Ramius]

I feel strongly that federal parks and forests (and state for that matter) should be free of charge. It really should be a simple perk of citizenship that as a taxpayer there’s this one thing you can do without being nickel-and-dimed for some sort of fee or yet another tax. You can go up and take a walk in the woods, or the shore of some high mountain lake.

I remember boating on Puget Sound and there were numerous state parks with bouys where you could just go tie up for the night. It was nice. Now they charge a fee to do that too. [sigh]

[pallis]

I went through this at Snow Lake. I drove into the parking area, not seeing any forest service people, parked, hiked into the stream above it to look for fishing spots, and came back down to find a lunatic forest service lady screaming at me for not paying a fee. A guy camped by my truck said the lady had raised so much hell that he had paid my fee. I paid him and left, the lady was still screaming. I waved at her with my middle finger as I drove out.

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[Publius6961]

Judge Robert Gettleman, writing for the unanimous three-judge panel, stated in the ruling that "Everyone is entitled to enter national forests without paying a cent."

Interesting.
Why then, are there National Wilderness where no one except park rangers are allowed to go?

I have never gone, but the idea rankles me on principle.