My mantra to kids.....*Get out and STAY out*. When the government gets involved... they outlaw fun and tax it as well!
This summer. I’ve been exploring state parks in the state to kayak.....mostly places I’ve never been B4.
We found a remote park with a large lake. There are no *park rangers* during the week..... people are pretty much on their own. I love it. Families bring tubes, rafts, floats, dogs, off leash...yada. No one to say *You can’t do that here* it’s wonderful. And I don’t see litter and inappropriate behavior. Nirvana.
In every other park, nearer to urban centers w/ more bodies using them....it’s always...*no you can’t do that* for every move you make.
We were just the state beach in RI....there are no trash barrels....when you enter they give you a trash bag....and you bring it home with you. I think that’s a good idea. People, like most hikers and nature lovers are very respectful, responsible. Please government...leave us alone!
“We were just the state beach in RI....there are no trash barrels....when you enter they give you a trash bag....and you bring it home with you.”
Sandy Hook in NJ is like this (one of the beaches near the top of the shore/closest to the urban toilets). You are expected to take your trash with you, but the people (the usual suspects) just leave it in the sand. We stopped going there a few years ago; it is worth a little longer drive and a little more money to go to a beach with people like us. I’ve seen the same policy at state parks in the mountains.
We’ve camped (backpacking) on state land where it is officially not allowed but they cannot police it; it is great, and we “leave only footprints”.