COUGAR — Reserved parking tickets are now required through Sept. 6 to visit popular recreation sites along the upper North Fork of the Lewis River in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest.
The tickets are available at recreation.gov. While the ticket is free, there is a $2 non-refundable transaction fee.
Tickets are not needed for motorists simply driving through the Lewis River Recreation Area, but not stopping.
Eighty percent of the daily reserved parking tickets are available now, 20% will be made available on a rolling basis, two days in advance of each calendar day.
Parking along the road outside of designated parking areas is prohibited.
In addition the the reserved parking ticket, a Northwest Forest Pass, Interagency Pass or a day pass is required to visit Lower Falls Day Use Area, although not at the five other parking areas in the Lewis River area.
Day passes are available at Lower Falls for $5, using cash or checks only.
For more information, go online to https://www.fs.usda.gov/goto/gp/LRAA.
Mop-up of Iron Creek fire
RANDLE — Crews are falling hazardous trees and mopping up hotspots in the Iron Creek campground fire in the northern Gifford Pinchot National Forest.
The U.S. Forest Service reported Thursday that 52 personnel are assigned to the fire including a 20-person crew from the Columbia River Gorge, an 18-member crew from the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest and 10 people from the Cowlitz Valley Ranger District.
The fire is contained fully and has not grown or spread in recent days. It has burned across 17 acres.
Workers will stay on the fire until it is declared out.
Iron Creek’s 98 camping spaces remain closed.
WDFW seeks feedback on hunting season planning
OLYMPIA — Members of the public are invited to weigh in on longer-term hunting season planning as the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife begins its latest three-year season setting effort.
Comments received during an ongoing scoping period will be used to inform game managers about changes the public would like to see to hunting seasons in 2024-2026.
The current scoping period is now through July 2. Comments may be submitted online through WDFW’s public scoping survey (https://publicinput.com/i4611), via email at 77552@PublicInput.com, or via voicemail by calling 855-925-2801 and entering code 2576.
Written comments may also be mailed to Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife – Wildlife Program, PO Box 43200, Olympia, WA 98504.
Three-year season setting is an in-depth rule making process that allows WDFW to propose and collect public feedback on changes to Washington hunting laws. The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission sets hunting seasons based on public input and staff recommendations.
Clark College summer running camp set for July
The Clark College Penguin Summer Running Camp for grades 3-12 will be July 17-20.
Cost is $25 for the camp.
All students will receive daily lectures on benefits of good health, study habits and lessons for success in addition to individual and group instruction for runners of all events and ability levels.
