Does Miguels Close for the winter?

[Mark W]

free? damn. should have stayed there this weekend---we got harassed (yet again) by the forest service cops.

Wow that sux!! Hate to hear this... I spent my first few years in the red paying fines and being harassed by cops. Never camp by a roadside spot... Always hike in a mile or so,or use a place like miggs or arches campground.

Good advice. However, as far as I understand, you can camp roadside in the Indian Creek area (off Forest Roads 9, 9A and 9B . . . make a left onto the gravel road after you cross the Red River on the steel bridge if you're coming from Slade) as long as you have a valid parking pass. That area can be kind of crowded in the warmer months but in the off-season or during the week I doubt you'd have much competition for campsites. Everywhere else you have to be 300 feet from any road or trail and 100 feet from the base of any cliff/rockshelter.

[toad857]

right... if I were them, I'd just be happy that people are choosing to camp in the forest in January. We camped here: (37.768957,-83.602959), for about the 100th time.

This time the ticket was for illegal camping (300 ft of a road). The place we camped was easily more than 300ft from the road, but only about 150 from a parking lot. Since the backcountry passes don't make this clear, I'm contesting it.

What makes it worse was that they pulled up into the parking lot as we were setting up camp, then left so that they could 'bust' us a few hours later, after the fire was roaring. Dicks.

[CLIMBTRAD]

free? damn. should have stayed there this weekend---we got harassed (yet again) by the forest service cops.

Wow that sux!! Hate to hear this... I spent my first few years in the red paying fines and being harassed by cops. Never camp by a roadside spot... Always hike in a mile or so,or use a place like miggs or arches campground.

Good advice. However, as far as I understand, you can camp roadside in the Indian Creek area (off Forest Roads 9, 9A and 9B . . . make a left onto the gravel road after you cross the Red River on the steel bridge if you're coming from Slade) as long as you have a valid parking pass. That area can be kind of crowded in the warmer months but in the off-season or during the week I doubt you'd have much competition for campsites. Everywhere else you have to be 300 feet from any road or trail and 100 feet from the base of any cliff/rockshelter.

You are rite .. 9a and 9b are good places to camp but the rangers will come in your site and search you if they feel like it.. you can get big fines for almost anything.. I have had rangers tell me, they hit chimneytop rd then the camps by jump rock then always finnish the night at indian creek. They can feel up the jails on any given summer weekend. I know I got to spend the night in lee co. Jail . 3 locals and about 10 campers .

[cliftongifford]

Seems like I'm always getting pulled over or harassed by the FS... Got pulled over a couple weeks ago for 'not wearing my seatbelt' when I was definitely wearing it. BS. Took 45 minutes, 2 SUV's (backup), and 2 officers to write me a ticket for no proof of insurance. Had to go to Lex to prove that I, in fact, did have insurance. Seems like a waste of resources when there are real crimes going on... But that would require them to actually work instead of sit on their fat asses in their fancy SUV's waiting to bust someone without their seat belt on.

[CLIMBTRAD]

Also their have been a few nice cops but most are really dick heads... I understand coming in to a drunking camp and taking everyone to jail... But this is not what is going on. They are sneaking in to your camp at night, or in the case of rd 9b they will come driving in slamming on the breaks real fast and scaring the hell out of your kid!!!! I have been roughed up in front of my kids. Had guns pointed at me. Had my whole camp dismantled, then when they didn't find drugs gave me a fine for a can sitting by the fire.. not in it by it!!!!!! All I can say is stay away from the road far away!!!!

[toad857]

Seems like a waste of resources when there are real crimes going on... But that would require them to actually work instead of sit on their fat asses in their fancy SUV's waiting to bust someone without their seat belt on.

You said it. When we were heading out of the gorge this weekend, we were tailgated for about 3 miles by forest service cops before I pulled over to let them pass (they were making my duty of safe driving more difficult). Immediately they turned around and came back toward us, slowly, for a better look.

The Daniel Boone NF really needs to talk to these guys about hospitality.

[krampus]

you guys must have buckeye plates

[CLIMBTRAD]

Nope Indiana tag I know just as bad if not worse... But really these cops suck big time. Fat lazy overpaid slobs!!

There are 2 i see alot in the red proper both overwait and both talk with a studder, funny as shit having them yell at you
the outher is a lesbo cop with curly hair and a dog... If you see them you will pay something!!

the 2 fat boys once came into camp about midnight.. Woke us up took my buddys bag of pot and left.. No tickets no warning got his shit and left us sitting their feeling like we just got jacked in the hood... He could have at least left us a wake n bake fucker!!

[Andrew]

Nope Indiana tag I know just as bad if not worse... But really these cops suck big time. Fat lazy overpaid slobs!!

There are 2 i see alot in the red proper both overwait and both talk with a studder, funny as shit having them yell at you
the outher is a lesbo cop with curly hair and a dog... If you see them you will pay something!!

the 2 fat boys once came into camp about midnight.. Woke us up took my buddys bag of pot and left.. No tickets no warning got his shit and left us sitting their feeling like we just got jacked in the hood... He could have at least left us a wake n bake fucker!!

I don't think this story is helping your cause.

[bcombs]

Seriously.