Tyler . . . keeping people away is essential. Permit negotiation is difficult at best . . . almost impossible when inspectors have to do their site visits amongst people trespassing in flagrant disrespect for the 'no trespassing' signs. When the owner has to explain to those who can influence a go-ahead permit, why people continue to sneak up there at night, why people continue to sneak up there to camp, why people continue to build illegal and very dangerous fires on the deck, why people are still taking dogs up there (and some letting the dog soak), why a father has to call Search and Rescue to find his overdue daughters from a visit to Scenic in the middle of the night (they were drunk and suffering heat exhaustion and in no condition to take care of themselves). Locks get shot of the gate, signs get torn down . . .

I am sick and tired of it . . . the owner is sick and tired of it. Scenic is closed! Period! We need the casual visitors to stay away and let Mike do his job. If you want to ever see Scenic open again expect that it is going to take time to get over the perceptions of the past and bring back Scenic legally. What Mike is trying to do is very, very difficult.

This is not addressed personally at you Tyler. I get dozens of requests every week and I run across people trespassing everytime I am up there . . . they've all got excuses and as far as I'm concerned a little bit of online research will show that Scenic is private property, closed and in the process of being renovated.

If you would like to volunteer on an upcoming clean-up party, contact me with contact information and I'll add you to the list. Right now, that is the only way a visit and soak up at Scenic is legally available.

You ask if you will be hassled, arrested or banned. Hassled, yes. I challenge everyone I see hiking up to Scenic. So does the owner. Arrested, possibly. The Sheriff's department has a key and the property is posted. If the deputy gets involved arrests are possible. Banned? That depends on attitude. There are a number of misfits who have been banned (either for being arogant, engaging in vandalism such as setting fires on the deck, and just plain being an a**hole up at the springs).

Do you see where I'm coming from? Where the owner is coming from? Mike would love to see people enjoying the springs but during these sensitive negotiations people need to respect the will of the bureacracy and just stay away. Or offer something of themselves to help get this revitalization going.

Respectfully, Rick