Sunnyside County Park in Linn County, Oregon, was anything but peaceful at times this summer as “campsite pirates” picked fights over sites they claimed they reserved, but others argued were theirs. The park near the town of Sweet Home includes 165 campsites for RVs and tents, 42 of which are first-come, first-served.
Some campers tore off reservation tags from the campground’s kiosks and replaced them with their own, leaving the original parties confused — and angry — when they showed up and found their campsite occupied, the Statesman Journal reported.
“Tensions also ran high over first-come, first-served campsites,” the newspaper reported. “Plagued by the question of who arrived first, rangers had to play mediator and detective to determine the rightful occupant of the site. Two people even threw punches, said Brian Carroll, the director for Linn County Parks and Recreation.”
EARLIER THIS YEAR the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department reported assaults and harassment of park rangers had increased to the point the agency would seek legislation to give rangers added protection and increase the penalty for attacking them. Rangers have reported not only being physically assaulted, but being stalked by campers with firearms and even attacked by campers’ dogs. Last April, graffiti was found at State Capitol State Park that said “die rangers” in a bathroom along with a racial slur.
“Traditionally about 1% of our visitors really struggle with complying to rules and regulations,” said Dennis Benson, recreation manager for Deschutes National Forest. “Now, we’ve got more like 10% of the population that doesn’t comply or adhere with rules, regulations, those kinds of things, which is lending itself to more problematic behaviors on public lands.”
Read more at the Statesman Journal
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I’m in Oregon, and yes, it’s bad. That’s why I wonder about all the reports saying no problem. I guess that’s elsewhere. Some of the campgrounds don’t allow leaving stuff in a space to save it until the people get there. I wouldn’t do that, but I also would not move someone’s stuff. I seem to have to take rubber gloves to pick up after rude people. People letting dogs run loose aren’t helping any. There’s no consideration, non-stop running, screaming kids, loud adults, all the usual problems. What I also hate are people using the bushes for a toilet because they’re too lazy to walk a few feet.
I reserve my campsites on line and carry the e-mail receipts with me to show I have reserved a site. I have never had a problem.
Lock them up.
Recently, at Oregon Inlet campground, I found my reserved site occupied by a woman with a tent. We both whipped out our phones to show our confirmations. It turns out she was in the right site — wrong campground.
This doesn’t surprise me at all. Oregon used to be on my short list of states where I would like to buy a home. But after seeing & reading about all of the violence the state has condoned it is completely off my list. Furthermore, I have no desire to even visit or spend money in any of the west coast states. Glad that I am now a resident of Florida where laws are respected.
Really, i remember most the show, COPS, being filmed in FL trailer parks
Really, i remember most of the show, COPS, being filmed in Albuquerque, New Mexico streets…
Good gravy, I think we watch too much TV!
I guess I am blessed not to be in these situations. Some people just have to be next to the lake, the stream, or the rest room. My site is over there, somewhere. biggest problem I usually see are dogs.