Subject: [Tweeters] The "New" Wenas Campground
Date: Tue Jun 4 11:45:04 PDT 2019
From: Carol Riddell - cariddellwa at gmail.com

I camped at Wenas Campground Sunday night. I was surprised and very pleased to have the entire area to myself. No ATV campers, no other birders, not a jet overhead. Quiet and dark! Denny provided us with photos of the new toilet facilities. One has been installed at the south end of the campground and the other at the north end. The doors remain locked as they do not appear to be hooked up and some groundscaping has yet to be completed. When they are available for use, I would recommend continuing to bring all necessary toiletries. DNR facilities get notoriously hard use and are not always maintained regularly.

The road to the back gate has been closed off to vehicles about halfway back. There is a sign to that effect that a Red-naped Sapsucker was having fun vandalizing. Why wait for the shooters when your bill can accomplish the same?

The new road is smooth and doesn't kick up much dust at all. It is steeply ditched to prevent vehicles from approaching the creek. There are lots of no camping signs along that stretch to make it clear that creekside camping is a thing of the past. That's great for stream quality and the creatures in the riparian area. It also makes for a quiet bird walk. The road has been improved up the ridge and way beyond. It is passable with a passenger vehicle of regular clearance. It has been ditched to prevent off-road travel and several former roads have been blocked. Off-road vehicles now can only be used for entering and exiting the campground.

The old Wenas did not allow campfires in the summer. In the absence of a burn ban, a campfire is now allowed as along as you do not leave it unattended and make sure that it is completely out before leaving. And be sure to have your Discovery card as that is now required.

Carol Riddell
Edmonds, WA