NuclearNed
Raconteur
Rock Creek Recreation Area is a small park located in the mountains surrounding my hometown. It is owned and administered by the US Forest Service, a division of the US Dept. of Agriculture. It is a small park with a creek, swimming hole, a few trails into the mountains, a picnic area, and a campground with three loops.
What I like about the park is that it is very quiet and shady, as it is located in a very densely wooded area. It makes a great, safe place to camp. There is a campground host, and rangers make sure everything stays under control. The first two loops of the campground are fully developed, with water, electricity, etc. The last loop is the finest primitive campground I have ever seen. The sites are VERY private, to the point that you really get the feeling that you are in the backcountry.
Earlier this week my wife and I were walking in the park, and we noticed that the primitive loop was closed off. We walked in anyway and looked around. It appears that there are plans in motion to convert the primitive loop into more spots for RV's. I would guess that at least half of the trees are marked with tape to be cut down. Going a little further, it appears that the park is going to make a new primitive campground, but judging by the markings it is going to consist of about five sites, all of which are placed right on top of each other in a virtually open field.
I'm upset because there are all sorts of campgrounds in the area for RV's, but this is the only good spot for primitive camping. I think if they cut all the marked trees, the overall look and feel of the park is going to be drastically changed, probably forever. I am guessing that someone somewhere decided that there was an opportunity to make some money, since RV spots cost considerably more to rent that tent spots.
Is it worth it to try to fight the Forest Service? I don't even know where to begin if I am going to do this.
What I like about the park is that it is very quiet and shady, as it is located in a very densely wooded area. It makes a great, safe place to camp. There is a campground host, and rangers make sure everything stays under control. The first two loops of the campground are fully developed, with water, electricity, etc. The last loop is the finest primitive campground I have ever seen. The sites are VERY private, to the point that you really get the feeling that you are in the backcountry.
Earlier this week my wife and I were walking in the park, and we noticed that the primitive loop was closed off. We walked in anyway and looked around. It appears that there are plans in motion to convert the primitive loop into more spots for RV's. I would guess that at least half of the trees are marked with tape to be cut down. Going a little further, it appears that the park is going to make a new primitive campground, but judging by the markings it is going to consist of about five sites, all of which are placed right on top of each other in a virtually open field.
I'm upset because there are all sorts of campgrounds in the area for RV's, but this is the only good spot for primitive camping. I think if they cut all the marked trees, the overall look and feel of the park is going to be drastically changed, probably forever. I am guessing that someone somewhere decided that there was an opportunity to make some money, since RV spots cost considerably more to rent that tent spots.
Is it worth it to try to fight the Forest Service? I don't even know where to begin if I am going to do this.
