PORTLAND, Ore. — Law enforcement and park officials worked through the weekend to help enforce closures in the Columbia River Gorge, as people continued to visit trails and parks amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Although fewer people are attempting to access parks and trails that have been closed to the public for more than two weeks, officials said Monday they’re still finding folks in closed areas as spring temperatures arrived.
The Hood River County Sheriff’s Office, which patrolled in the Columbia Gorge as well as Mt. Hood National Forest, said there were still “plenty of contacts” made over the weekend.
“It’s a number we’re concerned about, just because of the need for people to heed these closure orders,” Joel Ives, spokesman for the sheriff’s office, said. “We get it, it’s frustrating, but we’re just trying to make sure everybody stays healthy.”
The sheriff’s office didn’t hand out any citations, focusing instead on educating people about the closures – the tack many agencies have taken. Most people claimed ignorance about the closures, Ives said, though he added that it’s a typical response to law enforcement regardless of the situation.
The efforts by officials to enforce the public lands closures follows several attempts at stemming crowds in what is normally one of the busiest recreation areas in the Pacific Northwest this time of year.
On April 3, following the closures, several agencies banded together to launch a social media campaign that urged people to “do the right thing” by staying home and not visiting outdoor recreation areas – even places that are legally still open.
Then on April 7, the Oregon Department of Transportation extended its closure of the Historic Columbia River Highway after officials discovered people sneaking into parks, violating barricades and throwing closure signs off the side of the road.
Heading into this past weekend, officials in Hood River told visitors that the town is “closed for recreation,” asking people to stay home and protect the health and safety of their community.
Some opted to go out to the gorge regardless, but there are signs that people are beginning to get the message.
Before the extended closure of the Historic Columbia River Highway, nearly 300 cars an hour were showing up at the barricades. This weekend, that number dropped to some 300 cars a day, according to Oregon state park rangers who have been staffing the closures.
Clay Courtright, an Oregon state parks manager for the Columbia Gorge, said the majority of cars that show up simply turn around when they see rangers. A few pull up to ask questions. A small number are local residents, who are allowed through.
The original intent was to keep the scenic highway open during the coronavirus pandemic, to give people a taste of natural beauty from the safety of their cars. And while the majority did that, many others pulled up to waterfall viewpoints and trailheads, moved cones aside, parked their cars and got out.
That led to the extended closure of the Historic Columbia River Highway, which is now off limits to all drivers and cyclists from Bridal Veil to Larch Mountain.
Courtright said the closures are challenging for everybody involved, including the rangers tasked with enforcing them. But it’s imperative to abide by the rules now, he said, so natural areas can reopen as soon as possible.
“It’s a very challenging message for us to send, to be closed,” Courtright said. “We want folks enjoying the sunny weather.”
Rachel Pawlitz, spokeswoman for the U.S. Forest Service in the Columbia Gorge, said that while the agency also contacted many people violating closed areas over the weekend, the number pales in comparison to the throngs that would normally visit the area this time of year.
“Generally speaking, most people are complying and we appreciate that,” Pawlitz said.
There have been a few egregious cases, however. Over the weekend, a large group violated a closure to go target shooting in the woods, she said, and recently, a group of people waited until after dark to sneak into Multnomah Falls.
Rangers have handed out a few citations, but the agency still remains focused on education. Many hikers contacted by forest rangers have also claimed ignorance, though Pawlitz said with big signs up at trailheads and in parks, it’s an increasingly difficult argument to make.
“In the gorge, we have a painfully clear message of, ‘it’s closed,’” she said.
Following a huge wave of public lands closures across the Pacific Northwest, many people are still asking, “what’s still open?” officials said, when they should be asking themselves, “should I be going out at all?”
“I think people are actually choosing to get hung up on the details because they want to be on public lands,” Pawlitz said. “Even though it doesn’t feel fun to stay home right now, it’s the right thing to do,” she said.
She said she can empathize with those looking for opportunities to get outdoors, especially as Oregon sees a stretch of sunny spring weather, but urged people to look at the big picture.
Officials continue to remind Oregonians that flouting the closures puts park rangers, emergency personnel and local communities at risk. It also often results in litter and human waste at recreation areas as restrooms remain closed and trash is not collected.
“This is a challenging situation for all of us, and it’s going to take all of us to get over it,” Courtright said. “For now we’re asking you to stay home, stay healthy and save lives.”
--Jamie Hale; jhale@oregonian.com; 503-294-4077; @HaleJamesB
This article was originally published by The Oregonian/OregonLive, one of more than a dozen news organizations throughout the state sharing their coverage of the novel coronavirus outbreak to help inform Oregonians about this evolving health issue.