What Pass To Buy?

[+Og's outfit]

Well it's time for me to buy a new forest service pass and I wonder if I need to upgrade? For the past few years just a simple Forest Service Pass has done the trick, but now I'm thinking of upgrading to a Washington & Oregon Recreation Pass. It's $85 bucks and I wonder if it's a value. I plan on doing as many of the "Wonderland Series" virtual caches in Mt. Rainier NP as I can this summer, so I think it'll be worth the money.

 

What passes did you guys buy last year and did they save you money?

 

Here's the link........... Recreation Passes

[+LindaLu]

Last year I got the WA/OR recreation pass, which is $20 more than the Golden Eagle pass I usually get..I found that I did not visit State Parks often enough to justify the added fee, so will just get the Golden Eagle this year.

 

National Parks, Forest Service Trailhead parking, National Wildlife Refuges, etc.

 

Plus the WDFW pass for $12.

[Team Misguided]

Unless it's changed this year, the pass didn't seem to cover many of the 'popular' state parks. At least not any of the WA parks. I haven't looked at what parks it covers this year.

[+EraSeek]

Does the golden eagle pass include the stewardship permit that you usually get with a fishing license? By the way, I will never get a state park pass! It is a rip off. I'll park and walk in, thank you very much.

 

[+Half-Canadian]

If you plan on doing any camping at a Washington State Park along with your caching, don't bother buying the state pass. If you pay to camp for one night (which averages about $16.00), it also entitles you to visit any other state park in the system, use the restrooms, showers, dump station, etc. until the following day's check-in time (usually around 2-3 p.m.)

[+Right Wing Wacko]

From a purly caching perspective..... the added cost of the Golden Eagle is worthless. After all.... there are no caches in National Parks! Of course we all (or at least most of us) have lives outside of caching... so it might be usefull to you.

 

Heres my list:

 

1. Washington State Park Pass $50 or $5/day

2. Northwest Forest Pass $30 or $5/day

3. Access Stewardship Permit $10

-----

$90

 

The Washington and Oregon Recreation Pass at $85 at first glance appears to be a good deal until you read the find print and discover it that has way to many restrictions and exceptions.

[+Allanon]

A couple useful links I found recently while investigating this issue:

 

The Vehicle Use Permit (and some differences between it and the Forest Pass...

 

Recreation (Forest) Passes, and the site has a lot of other data as well...

[+Og's outfit]

Here's what the grand poo-bah, $85 dollar pass includes....... HERE

 

And, RWW, there are caches in Mt. Rainier National park. The Wonderland series of virtuals, ( I'm not above logging a virt! ) by nw climber . I want to see those places. I'm sure they're worth the effort to get there.

[Team Misguided]

There is an interesting chart here to help you decide what pass to buy.

 

I was looking for an email address to send comments to. I'd buy the pass if it covered ALL Washington and Oregon State Parks, but as it is now it's not worth it for us.

[+Kiersolvd]

I was looking for an email address to send comments to. I'd buy the pass if it covered ALL Washington and Oregon State Parks, but as it is now it's not worth it for us

 

Here's a page that list's participating sites for the "Washington & Oregon Recreation Pass" Some state parks are listed, but not a majority of them it looks like. Washington & Oregon Recreation Pass

Edited March 20, 2005 by Kiersolvd

[+Right Wing Wacko]

Here's what the grand poo-bah, $85 dollar pass includes....... HERE

 

And, RWW, there are caches in Mt. Rainier National park. The Wonderland series of virtuals, ( I'm not above logging a virt! ) by nw climber . I want to see those places. I'm sure they're worth the effort to get there.

Yes, you are correct. And from the looks of it, it will take multiple visits to get them all. In which case, a national parks pass or golden eagle would possibly be worth the extra dollars.

[+EraSeek]

It is a shame that our forests and parks are no longer open to everyone, but only to those who can afford to pay the price. I am somewhat for regulating auto traffic, but what the state parks have done is to close off all surrounding areas with no parking signs, and then they claim the fee is just for parking. Quite dishonest!

 

I get the stewardship permits and the forest passes (though I know they are not enforced with other than threats) but state parks have really left a bad taste in my mouth.

[+Right Wing Wacko]

I get the stewardship permits and the forest passes (though I know they are not enforced with other than threats) but state parks have really left a bad taste in my mouth.

I can give two stories about enforcement that I personally experianced this year.

 

Northwest Forest Pass:

 

I was going after one of Lucy and Rickies caches up around the Monte Cristo area. I arrived at the trailhead and found the place full up. I noticed little notices attached to just about every cars window. I finally found a place to put my truck about 1/4 mile down the road. After finding the cache, I decided to check on the little notices on all the cars.... they were violation notices for parking without a Northwest Forest Pass. The fine.... $5.00.. exactly what they would have paid had it been paid in advance. (Daily Rate).

 

Access Stewardship Pass:

 

A few weeks ago I had just finished finding a cache placed by Half Canadian at a Fish & Game site outside of Mt Vernon. As I was sitting in the truck a Game Warden came up and asked to see my Stewardship permit. I pointed him to the dashboard where it was properly displayed. He moved on and started ticketing the other vehicles in the lot. $67 dollars each. As I left he was arguing with one of the vehicle owners who apparently didn't want the ticket.

[+EraSeek]

On stewardship passes, perhaps so. I only got a hand written reminder to update mine. On the forest pass, I had mine upside down, and got a ticket. I stopped off at the ranger station to complain, and she said OK, no problem, crumpled it up and threw it directly into the trash can. What does that tell you?

[+Lazyboy & Mitey Mite]

I have never bought one and I never will.

[+travisl]

If you plan on doing any camping at a Washington State Park along with your caching, don't bother buying the state pass. If you pay to camp for one night (which averages about $16.00), it also entitles you to visit any other state park in the system, use the restrooms, showers, dump station, etc. until the following day's check-in time (usually around 2-3 p.m.)

Cachers should be aware that there's a 15-minute free grace period in Washington State Parks. It's designed to let you use the bathrooms for free, but it'll also work if you can get a quick find on a quick cache.