Covid camping in Oregon???

Soccerjones · Mar 31, 2020

I 60+ and diabetic. My Doctor has ordered me to do more to isolate. Is there anywhere Kate will allow me to camp right now? That is, other than the streets of downtown Portland?

DB is Here · Mar 31, 2020

This guy has camped all over Oregon:

Primal Outdoors - Camping and Overlanding

My name is Jason Darrah and I am Outdoor videographer and photographer living the van life in Central Oregon. Camping and Overlanding in my Ford E350 4x4 Van...

www.youtube.com

Soccerjones · Mar 31, 2020

DB is Here said:
This guy has camped all over Oregon:

Primal Outdoors - Camping and Overlanding

My name is Jason Darrah and I am Outdoor videographer and photographer living the van life in Central Oregon. Camping and Overlanding in my Ford E350 4x4 Van...

www.youtube.com

This week?

Hop Sing · Mar 31, 2020

As far as I know all public lands are off limits. Lots of RV people have nowhere to go because those parks are closed. Your call, but given your challenges wouldn't it be better to stay near your doctor and such? Again, your call.

hatchj · Mar 31, 2020

I mean. I have heard campgrounds are closed, but federal forest land? I'd think you could camp outside of a campground depending on what you're trying to do.

Soccerjones · Mar 31, 2020

hatchj said:
I mean. I have heard campgrounds are closed, but federal forest land? I'd think you could camp outside of a campground depending on what you're trying to do.

Not according to Oregon.gov.

DB is Here · Mar 31, 2020

Soccerjones said:
This week?

I can't say about today. Just stating he shows a ton of camping spots in Oregon.

cigars · Mar 31, 2020

Soccerjones said:
I 60+ and diabetic. My Doctor has ordered me to do more to isolate. Is there anywhere Kate will allow me to camp right now? That is, other than the streets of downtown Portland?

I would park a tent and a Weber grill right on her front lawn. Or just go full Cousin Eddie and park the RV at her curb. In light of recent back handed attempts to ram cap and trade down our throats I am tempted to go park in front of her house and excessively idle my SUV.

eldbillbo · Mar 31, 2020

What about shooting outdoors?

DB is Here · Mar 31, 2020

eldbillbo said:
What about shooting outdoors?

Well, Uncle Joe said you can fire your shotgun in the air....Just tell Kate, Joe said you could... :s0140:

Soccerjones · Mar 31, 2020

Hop Sing said:
As far as I know all public lands are off limits. Lots of RV people have nowhere to go because those parks are closed. Your call, but given your challenges wouldn't it be better to stay near your doctor and such? Again, your call.

That appears to be Kate's logic. If I need help there will be no one from the government to come help me. I suppose if I get the virus (at home) then she'll send someone to save me?

Natty Bumpo · Mar 31, 2020

Soccerjones said:
Not according to Oregon.gov.

Only "developed" camp grounds on Forest Service (federal) land are closed. This includes trailheads and campgrounds. Just about everywhere else on the National Forest remains open. The Governor of the State of Oregon has no jurisdiction over federally managed public lands, only State managed public lands.

On National Forest lands, unless an area is specifically closed, it remains open, with only some exceptions, like OHV-legal use areas, where the Forest is closed to OHV unless designated as open on the OHV use maps.

There are many "dispersed" camp sites around the forest. A "dispersed" camp site is a place that might have a fire ring, but is otherwise "undeveloped", which is to say: there are no fees, no reservations, no restrooms, picnic tables, or any other amenities, or "development", so these are not "developed" sites. There are many of these dispersed camp site on the National Forests. You can camp in dispersed camp sites, but you cannot camp not developed ones, because they are now closed by Special Order, by the Forest Service, and not by the Governor. Some dispersed sites are large enough for a trailer or two, but most are quite small. These are often used by hunters. These are not on maps, so you have to know where they are or drive around until you find one.

You cannot ride your OHV because OHV areas are developed and closed by the same order.

You can walk (and camp) just about anywhere you want on the National Forest because most of it it is not "developed". But you cannot park at a trailhead, again a "developed" area. While the trailheads are closed, the trails are not.

The general idea, it seems to me, is to try to keep people from congregating in groups where they usually congregate in groups. Walking around alone or with your spouse on a trail or camping in a dispersed site is, as I see it, consistent with this objective. And in so doing, you would most likely be doing a better job of "social distancing" that our Governor probably is.

Now, maybe one could argue that the "stay at home" Executive Order issued by the Governor might apply to those wishing to travel from their home to a National Forest (or anywhere else) except for those reasons specifically mentioned in the Order as "essential travel". The Governor's order states that non-essential travel should be "minimized", however that might be interpreted.

Go to the Governor's Executive Order #20-12, page seven, item #22. Read the Order in full text rather than having TV news or an internet forum interpret it for you.

https://govsite-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/jkAULYKcSh6DoDF8wBM0_EO%2020-12.pdf

Link below is from the Mt Hood National Forest website, explaining which areas or kinds of "developed" areas are closed.

Mt. Hood National Forest - News & Events

www.fs.usda.gov

This can and could change. The Forest Service could close the forest roads and who knows what else (including the entire National Forest for that matter) by special order. If they do, it should be on the various Forest's websites.