It doesn't stop us. We're prepared to pay a parking fee at just about
any park with a lot. If a clue says "park roadside" then we presume it
to be free.

CT state parks charge a $5 parking fee ($8 for out-a-staters). With
some parks, whether they charge depends on their staffing. Sometimes
you slip in for free, just because they have no one to sit and take
your $$. With most you can park elsewhere and walk a little to save
the cash.

There has been one exception: The Regional Water Authority (New Haven
area, CT). They only have one option: buy a seasonal use permit, which
is something like $35 per person. With that you get a couple (one time
use) guest permits. They control some nice properties, but one would
have to get a LOT of use out of it to make it worthwhile, IMO.

Aili

--- In letterbox-usa@y..., tehutika@a... wrote:
> Greetings,
>
> While driving all over Western Mass. the last few days, we passed a
bunch of
> places that would be great to put boxes in. Some of the sites,
however, have
> parking fees or whatnot to get in. In fact, one of the places we
just put a
> box in does have a small charge on weekends, which is probably when
most
> folks would go up there looking for it. So I want to put a question
to the
> list.
>
> If you see clues for a box that is in a park or reservation that has
a
> parking or use fee, would that stop you from going to look for it?
If so,
> why? If not, why not?
>
> Mike S.
> P4 F44 V4

I happily pay any fees required for park use in our area, so if a
letterbox is someplace that requires a fee, I will pay it. It can be an
inconvenience, at times, so I try to get annual passes if I can, since I
tend to go back to really beautfiul natural places often when I get the
chance. I know my Oregon State Park Annual Pass has more than paid for
itself since we got it in late December. The NW Forest Pass, too! Not
to mention our local Metro Pass that gets us into Oxbow Park and Blue
Lake, were there are letterboxes in the Portland, OR area, as well as
local boat ramps where we put in with our kayaks and canoe. I can stand
to fork out the dough if it means our great local park systems will be
maintained and accessible.

Best regards,

Amanda Briles
The Paisley Orca

--- In letterbox-usa@y..., tehutika@a... wrote:
>
> parking or use fee, ...... One of my favorite boxes to date was
St.Marie Among the Iroquois in N.Y. it was in a small muesam with a
fee and it was great! The interpreters would not step out of the time
period no matter how hard you tried. The 1600's fascility was very
interesting and our talk with them on farming delightful. Cowboy
tried to get them to come into the 21 st century to no avail.
Stay tuned next week for a Mansfield historical Socioty box it
will have specified hours to visit the muesam and a small fee but
well worth it as the carving is one of my best and having itin the
muesam will protect it. Besides the muesam is a gem of local history
and Uconn history. Leader of the Pack

Several of my boxes are in a park system in Michigan (one pass gains you
access to a dozen or so parks in the region). My clues state that there
is an access fee, so it isn't a surprise to the seeker.

I personally have no problem paying a park entry fee because that money
helps support the park system. As long as the clues indicate a fee,
people can make their own mind up about whether they want to search for
that box.

Ruthann
aka Mirkwood

Several of my boxes are in a park system in Michigan (one pass gains you
access to a dozen or so parks in the region). My clues state that there
is an access fee, so it isn't a surprise to the seeker.

I personally have no problem paying a park entry fee because that money
helps support the park system. As long as the clues indicate a fee,
people can make their own mind up about whether they want to search for
that box.

Ruthann
aka Mirkwood

Considering that the reason for the "cover charge" is usually for
preservation of the park, I usually don't mind at all. I think I would pay
up to $10 a car. If I was given a choice to spend 3 hours letterboxing or 3
hours watching a movie for the same price, letterboxing would win (weather
providing).

I would let it stop me, however, if I didn't like the site. One box in MA is
accessable through a paid parking lot at a beach, something like $5 and we
gladly bypassed that one.

I've also seen park areas that are just too expensive. I doubt there is a
letterbox there, but the unfinished Crazy Horse memorial in South Dakota was
$30 per car when I was there in '93. We didn't even consider paying it.

In a message dated 8/15/02 12:11:17 AM, tehutika@aol.com writes:

>Greetings,
>
>While driving all over Western Mass. the last few days, we passed a bunch
>of
>places that would be great to put boxes in. Some of the sites, however,
>have
>parking fees or whatnot to get in. In fact, one of the places we just put
>a
>box in does have a small charge on weekends, which is probably when most
>
>folks would go up there looking for it. So I want to put a question to
>the
>list.
>
>If you see clues for a box that is in a park or reservation that has a
>
>parking or use fee, would that stop you from going to look for it? If so,
>
>why? If not, why not?
>
>Mike S.
>P4 F44 V4

Generally speaking Amy and I don't mind a nominal fee to get into a
park or rec. area. We just like to know about it ahead of time. If
you could please post in the begining of your clues that there is a
fee and how much. That would help.
Thank you
Patrick and Amy

--- In letterbox-usa@y..., tehutika@a... wrote:
> Greetings,
> If you see clues for a box that is in a park or reservation that
has a
> parking or use fee, would that stop you from going to look for it?
If so,
> why? If not, why not?

I only mind paying the fees when I don't find the *&^%$# box!

:)

Seriously, warnings in the clues are nice, and I wouldn't do a bunch
of pay-to-play parks in one day if I could avoid it. But an entrance
fee of over $5 does put me off a bit. I wouldn't rule out completely
going to that park, it would just depend on the circumstances.

Park fees are unavoidable, though, I suppose.

-- Marsha Gainey
Richmond, VA
5F1P0X