skull hollow/grasslands (smith rock) camping fee starting May 15

conveniently timed to start AFTER the smith rock spring thing...

here's a writeup:

Written by Mike Bookey
Wednesday, 29 April 2009
Up past Smith Rock State Park, on a road lined with farmland and flanked by pine-covered hills on each side, there’s a small brown sign that you’d miss if you weren’t keeping a keen eye out. But it’s a sign that seasoned climbers from Central Oregon and beyond know well. It marks the entrance to the Skull Hollow Campground, a small collection of picnic-table-and-fire-pit camp sites nestled amongst brush and scattered trees.

The campground is rather primitive, as far as campgrounds go. Other than the tables and fire pits, the only other amenities are a dirt road that loops through the grounds and a pair of toilets that are basically just pits in the ground and on a recent afternoon were absent of toilet paper. For years, Skull Hollow has been a refuge for weary climbers who spend the days tackling Smith Rock and retreat the roughly eight miles to Skull Hollow to sack down for the night come sundown. And they’ve always done so for free – Skull Hollow hasn’t required a fee, only a 14-day limit on stays. But a public lands advisory committee has recommended that the campground include a $5 nightly per-site fee, and anti-public-land-fee groups, as well as climbers have taken issue with the fact that come May 15, Skull Hollow (which is currently not planned to receive improvements or additional facilities) will no longer be a free campground.

MORE:
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And who exactly will be enforcing this? Might this actually be an attempt to keep "undesireables" (meth heads) from living there?

I lived at Skull Hollow for two weeks last summer and there was an encampment of, shall I say, suspicious persons, there the whole time.

Still, five bucks is five bucks and that sucks. But I've definitely stayed at the real Smith campground for "free" many, many nights.

Ian G. wrote: suspicious persons

ha ha, yes...

I have never had a problem with the local meth community out there, but I have hard of plenty of gear getting stolen.

It's still a shame that they're doing this though.

damn, that blows. i stayed out last summer for a bit and it was a great experience. it was clean, no noise, and there was firewood left at multiple campsites. thats a shame this place was like a diamond in the rough( compared to other campgrounds around the US).
josh

I predict not much will change.

Though I've stayed there many times, last summer's stay was a bit of a bummer. I and several other camper-climbers had a host of things stolen from our campsites while we were away: water jugs, coolers, etc. They damaged my bikes, too, when they tried to pull them from picnic table. Being a dirtbagging climber, I wasn't too upset but maybe the authorities have received too many complaints and need to fund some regular patrols. Ah well, still a great place and $5 is tolerable - especially if we end up getting some toilet paper out there! It's tough to spackle with that volcanic tuffa around the park!

My problems with a camping fee are these:

1) A camp host (if there's is even going to be one) cannot protect personal property. The thefts will continue at the Grasslands. Tweakers are a clever lot and are not swayed by an elderly host.

2) The fee will just force climbers up the road further into BLM land. The squatter/tweakers will most certainly take most of the available spots. This will lead to further degradation of the area. Camper impact will be sever in these "new" sites.

3) Fire hazard...as people move further up the road into more lush regions, we will see more fires. Let us not forget the Grasslands are directly behind Smith.

5) Bivy. What are we stupid. The bivy area is right next to Smith; no driving necessary. The bivy offers many more amenities, including: hot showers, clean drinking water, nice dinning areas, access to power outlets. And all of this for $4/night. None of which are offered at the Grasslands. Sure, there is a no-fire rule there, but do we really expect the new host to allow the usual pallet inferno, no we dont.

Oh well...see you at the Bivy!

i guess i'll be snuggling with ryan at the bivy. dang

I always brought my own TP anyway....