After a recent family trip to Capital Forest (in southwestern Washington State), I just wanted to share some personal impressions:

First, the trail system for Quads is outstanding, through some stunning woods/mountains/streams with numerous hill climb pits, whoops, jumps etc.

Easy 80 + miles of terrain, less severe than Walker Valley, for example. More family fun, but plenty of other things make this a great place to ride, like the camping close by (fall creek and middle waddell as two examples)...

But my number one impression, and why I am posting this message, is because of the tons of garbage being dumped there, almost everywhere you rode.

Broken bottles, shotgun shells by the 10,000's, old cars, garbage sacks, energy drinks......

It looked like a ride at the dump(!)

I just don't understand the mindset. Mountain Bikers may be the energy bar/energy drink culprits, but it sure isnt the horse and hiker crowd; they will be the ones sponsering cleanup efforts and park closures to ATV's and Bikers.

Is this really what we want? Please, as they used to say in the National Parks, if YOU brought it in, BRING IT OUT. Use transfer stations for your garbage not the riding and staging areas(!)

My opinion only.

 

informative

 

yea, i try to pick up all the garbage i find on the trails and pack it out, but in some areas, i just don't have the room to haul it all out. it's sad.

some of the trash is accidental, i'm sure. someone leaves their water bottle where it falls off on the trail. but most of it is just thrown there. and we know the hikers diddn't bring in the case of long neck beer bottles.

in Moab, there is heavy trail traffic, but there is almost no litter. each day there, i could only find a few little items to haul out. sometimes just a bolt or broken tail light. so there is really no excuse for the garbage in other areas.

monty

 

Next time we head down to Capital Forest, I'm bringing a bag along, I guess. I'll pick up the smaller trash and stuff on the trails I ride on;

I guess it's apathy, or just lack of respect for the area. Always makes me wonder what their homes look like, I mean the same fools who toss trash everywhere they go, are there shotgun shells, beer bottles and old cars in the middle of their living room floors?

Bad enough that my kids and I have to clean up along our front ditch (A favorite beer bottle and blow-out sack gathering area), but we are used to drunks and druggies cruising the rural backroads on weekends. We take great pride in the fact that most of them party out here in the woods and then end up in the 150-350 caught in the hiway drunk patrol weekend enforcement net...

Capital Forest has some very good, fun riding areas, and they host Mountain Bikers and Horses too.
It has multiple camping areas and access roads.
All are posted.

There is also a clear "No Shooting" law posted at each entrance, for VERY OBVIOUS reasons.
I own 12 guns. I Hunted when I was younger. I am a lifetime NRA member.

I support owners and shooters, EXCEPT when the idiots are shooting inside the RIDING AREA (!)

We crossed paths with 3 stupid guys, taking a chance, for no good reason; they had 1 horse trail crossing just below their target area, with two quad trails leading right into the pit area. It was a nice hill clibing area. I flagged my kids through and took the lisc number, but cell service is spotty.... I know the sheriff has better things to do, but why shoot there? No big deal, I guess the trash actually bothered me more (!)

 

Our trails are fairly clean, especially in areas only used by ATV's. When exploring new areas, the trash is the first indicator of "civilization". Once we start heading out of a woods trail and onto a wider trail that can support regular vehicles, then the trash starts to pile up. However, once you get back int the trail system past the point where a car or a casual hiker can go, then you only see trash every once in a while.

Jaybee

 

Look at the trash filled sides of any well-traveled public road for an indication of 'civilized' behavior. Those people don't change their personal habits just because they're on an ATV. Pigs have better manners than the general public.

 

Once while riding down a old road on an unused part of a National Guard Post I saw a rifle target to my right on the road. I immediately looked left and saw a guy lying down on an overgrown road sighting his rifle across the road I was riding on. He could not see to the left or right of his target and if he overshot his target, the post airfield was in his direction of fire. I left the area, should have gone to the post police to report it but I didn't. Bad on my part.

It amazes me the places I can find trash (but I guess it shouldn't), especially Mickey D wrappers and cups and wally world bags. I always try to pick up some trash when I ride the ATV. I'll pile up the trash at a parking area if there is no trash can to use. I keep meaning to take a garbage bag on the trail with me, guess I'll go put one on it right now.

 

Abuse is bad.

TPR