I've gotten warnings before, but I DID contest every one. Be PROACTIVE in your dissent. I wrote a standard complaint/not gonna pay it letter, based off the verbiage from Scott Silvers website (some here may call him a crack, but I'm with him on this BULLSHIT "demonstration" fee program. You could do a search on this site with Fee Demo in the title and use "newer than 7 years" as the timeframe. I'd do it for you and send you the link, but I'm crashing on a deadline for work this weekend.

AFAIK, I think they can only try to take you to court over the Fee "Demo" (bullshit!) thing.
But ask ivan. I think he really got raked over the coals for his ticket a coupla years ago.

ivan-
that was you, wasn't it?

FEDERAL LANDS RECREATION ENHANCEMENT ACT
SEC. 3. RECREATION FEE AUTHORITY
f) Standard Amenity Recreation Fee.--Except as limited by subsection (d), the Secretary may charge a standard amenity recreation fee for Federal recreational lands and waters under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land Management, the Bureau of Reclamation, or the Forest Service, but only at the following:
(4) An area--
(D) that contains ALL of the following amenities:
(i) Designated developed parking.
(ii) A permanent toilet facility.
(iii) A permanent trash receptacle.
(iv) Interpretive sign, exhibit, or kiosk.
(v) Picnic tables.
(vi) Security services.

I have not paid a ticket yet. The first four I got I ignored, but I kept getting the letters. Last letter was five years ago.
My solution was to grab an old set of plates off a junk car (not in my name). Whenever I pull into a parking lot I swap plates real quick, I lock the car and cover the VIN number. So far the 15 some odd tickets I've gotten have never been traced back to me.

OK, I'll admit it, I'm cornfoozed...

I thought that this past March/April, the Access Fund, along with other supporters, won the "repeal" of the NW Forest Pass on FS lands (only?) thru Congressional petitioning. Is that not correct? Beginning in October, the NWFP is kaput on FS lands?

I know that doesn't help those now being ticketed, but isn't this crock of shit circling the drain?

My own personal view: I bought a pass the very first year it came out, thinking the logic of what was being said about the pass was true. I later tuned in to various websites and heard conservationist lectures that caused me to change my opinion. I never bought another one after the first year. And I drive around with that original pass still in the window, just to piss 'em off/make a statement.

I've never been ticketed, but have gotten warnings on at least two occasions, maybe three. I wrote letters, based largely in part on material culled from Scott Silver's site, to the FS and flatly stated I refused to pay, citing the myriad of reasons provided on Scott's site. I have never heard from the FS since, and this was at least two or three years ago.

Granted I didn't usually go to oft-trammelled THs, and even less so now that I'm a daddy to a two-year-old. But from what I've seen at the THs where I do go, my money hasn't ended up there.

PS: I do pay the $5/day parking fee at State Parks (like at Peshastin Pinnacles, say), because I can actually see what my money has bought (working toilet complete with TP, irrigated lawn, picnic tables, gravel parking lot, etc.).

Here is the web site to go to for more protest the NWF Pass
http://www.freeourforests.org/

I can't believe anyone on this site buy's these passes. More people need to know that these passes are only for Or and WA. All other states access to national forests is FREE. Only in WA and OR do we have to pay. Please write and call your senators and Representatives to complain.

It is $30 for a year. I've spent this a hundred times buying a round of shots or a case of beer. Small price to pay to support something that we all love--access to the outdoors. If you are in Washington State, you don't even pay income tax (assuming you have income), most everyone else does. Every year when I buy my pass, I consider it a donation to support the trails and trailheads I use--just like the Access Fund or the Northwest Avalanche Center. All of this stuff cost money to maintain. I'll bet if you volunteer for a day clearing trails, you could negotiate next year's pass.