Does Salmon-Huckleberry Wilderness near Mt. Hood in Oregon cost money?
Posted: February 4th, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Q & A | Tags: cost, Hood, money, near, Oregon, SalmonHuckleberry, Wilderness | 1 Comment »Of course it shouldn’t, but if I wanted to park my camper-van there for a couple days would I have to pay a fee? I want to do this in the winter when it might be snowing.
Also if you know, do you know any good free camping places near Portland? Any cool places around Mt. Hood?
Vehicles are not allowed in wilderness areas. Trailhead roads are always outside the wilderness boundary. Typically, if the trailhead has any improvements—like an outhouse or boat ramp—then a forest permit is needed. See http://www.fs.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsinternet/!ut/p/c4/04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP0os3gjAwhwtDDw9_AI8zPwhQoY6BdkOyoCAPkATlA!/?ss=1106&navtype=BROWSEBYSUBJECT&cid=null&navid=200100000000000&pnavid=200000000000000&position=BROWSEBYSUBJECT&ttype=main&pname/index.shtml for the permit types. An annual NW forest pass is $30; all the others cost less.
All the trailheads I know of for Salmon-Huckleberry *do* require a permit—they are all near a ranger station so enforcement is likely. But if you don’t have a vehicle to park, use of wilderness is completely free. There is a requirement to obtain a wilderness permit, but those are free and self-issuing. Find them at a kiosk at every trailhead or at the wilderness boundary.
Cloud Cap is a pretty awesome place to park, at least until the snow begins piling up. See http://mapper.acme.com/?ll=45.40478,-121.65348&z=17&t=S