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Forest Service and county explore shuttle parking, trail plan and allowing street‑legal OHVs on service roads
Summary
Officials discussed the agency's new sustainable trail system strategic plan, options to reduce parking pressure (shuttles and town lots), and whether to allow street‑legal off‑highway vehicles (OHVs) on certain forest service roads to reduce clandestine trail use and illegal dumping.
Forest Service leaders told Skamania County commissioners on May 6 that a newly published sustainable trail system strategic plan proposes strategies to improve trail identification and maintenance and to better connect trail networks with communities.
"The plan proposes strategies, to improve how new trails are identified and existing trails are maintained and highlights opportunities to connect veil systems with communities," Forest Supervisor Johanna Calvert said. The plan is on the Forest Service website and staff offered to provide copies to county officials.
Commissioners and Forest Service staff discussed parking constraints at popular recreation sites such as Dog Mountain and Cape Horn. County participants proposed shuttle systems and staging at town parking lots or fairgrounds to reduce roadside congestion. Forest Service recreation staff said Dog Mountain parking capacity issues are unlikely to be solved by simply adding a few spaces and encouraged exploring shuttle pilots and interagency coordination with the Gorge transportation group.
The meeting also examined whether the Forest Service could permit street‑legal OHVs (side‑by‑sides and similar vehicles) to use some forest service roads. "We're digging into that... we're gonna continue that conversation," Calvert said, noting that permitting street‑legal OHVs on forest roads could reduce clandestine trail creation and illegal dumping by increasing routine, lawful use.
Staff cautioned that charging for parking at some federal grant‑funded sites may not be allowed under the terms of those grants, but other staging or fee options could be evaluated at alternate sites. The Forest Service said it would continue internal analysis and follow up with the county on what is feasible and which roads could be considered for managed OHV access.
Lower Falls and Goose Lake campgrounds will operate this season under concessionaire permits rather than direct Forest Service management because of seasonal staffing shortages; staff said they expect some initial bumps in management but overall service levels should improve under concession management.
No county policy decision was made; staff agreed to continue joint evaluation of shuttle pilots, parking staging and OHV policy options and to include the county in follow‑up workshops and outreach.
