[pct-l] No camping with 100 feet of PCT & Lakes?

[Sean Nordeen]

Most National Forest and National Parks (and many state parks, at least in CA) require backcountry campers to camp at least 100ft away from water sources and many (especially those in Designated Wilderness Areas) require a similar distance from a trail.  It is a pretty common requirement that I've seen on the back of almost every overnight backcountry permit that I have ever had.  As an example, all of the NF and NP in the Sierras operate under this requirement.

The only thing unusual about what you are descrbing is the fact that the rangers are out in force ticketting.  I've only seen that in a handful of wilderness areas on a busy summer weekend.

I do take issue with the comment about 90% of campsites being within 100ft of the trail/lakes.  There are often plenty of campsites away from most trails, but the catch is you can't always see them from the trail.  This is actually the idea of the requirement of being 100ft or more away from the trail.  When you set your camp up, it ideally should be out of sight of the trail so other hikers can't see it.  This is so you don't intrude on the wilderness experience/solitude of other backpackers.  And additional reasons for camping away from a lake/stream/river is to not interfere with wildlife access to a water source and to lessen the human impact (which traditionally was too high around lakes before they added the restrictions).

There are actually other restrictions in some wilderness areas such as no open fires (but this is typically a local requirment if it exists and doesn't apply to all.  As an example, the San Jacinto Wilderness in SoCal forbids them).  You really need to ask the local agency managing the area for their list of rules as they may be different from other areas.

-Sean


>Anybody know about this regulation? It's in effect in Central
>Washington and the backwoods rangers are ticketing.  Anybody hear
>about  this rule being in effect elsewhere?
> 
>Just curious as it's news to me
> 
>Daniel Smith
 
>PS: 90% of existing camp sites near the PCT are within 100  feet of
>the PCT or a lake.