Washington State parks don't allow pack goats?

[Deborah Haney]

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong but I just read that goats are prohibited in Washington State parks. 

WAC 352-32-070
(1) No horses, llamas, sled dogs or similar animals used for recreation shall be permitted on trails in any state park area, except where designated and posted to specifically or conditionally permit such activity.
(2) No horses, llamas, sled dogs or similar animals used for recreation shall be permitted off trails in any state park area, except where authorized by the commission and posted to specifically or conditionally permit such activity.
(3) Horses, llamas, sled dogs or similar animals used for recreation shall not be permitted in any designated swimming areas, campgrounds - except designated horse or pack-oriented camping areas - or picnic areas, nor within a natural area preserve.
(4) Horses, llamas, sled dogs or similar animals used for recreation shall not be permitted within natural areas or natural forest areas, except that relocation of existing equestrian or other similar trails into natural areas or natural forest areas may be permitted upon a finding by the director or designee that such relocation is for the purpose of reducing overall resource impacts to a state park area.
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/wac/default.aspx?cite=352-32-070


I'm assuming the average person would say goats fall under "similar animals", even if we know better. That means we can't use National OR State parks. Am I freaking out about something everyone else knows about already? I've emailed the Parks and Rec Commission and several legislators to see if I can get goats specifically exempt. I realize most people see goats as troublesome animals that eat and stomp everything but, as we all know, goats. are. not. like. sheep. llamas. horses. or any other domestic animals. They tread lightly on this earth (intensive operations aside). Goats are like deer!

[GoldenTreePackGoats]

That is the same information we are aware of, which we dislike and disagree with. We choose to interpret it as stay on the equestrian trails and have never been given any trouble yet. Let us know if you find anything new.

[Charlie Horse]

They're worried about vicious llama attacks on children.  Its called "Male Berzerk Syndrome".  It happens with llamas that are too socialized with humans when they're young and they don't see humans as superiors.  The death toll was in the 350s last year, and the goal this year is to reduce that further to perhaps 340 children dead.  Also, innocent elk, moose, and bears have been blinded by acidic llama spit wads, stomach acids, bile blobs, and vomit bombs. 

The entire group of tourists in the following video clip from "Faces of Death Part 18" were later found dead.  



Its one thing that sucks about Moab and Arches etc down this way.  No dogs.  No horses.  No goats.  Capital Reef has started allowing llamas, so I could probably try that out someday, but I have tons of BLM land to explore nearby first. 

In the end the government has our best interests at heart and are doing what needs to be done to protect us from berzerker llamas in public places.  Thanks, Obama!

[Nanno]

^ HAHAHA!!!

@ GoldenTreePackgoats - Yeah, when we were in Arkansas we stayed on horse trails with our goats. They had a lot of rules about which animals were allowed where. They did not allow dogs on trails with horses or other pack stock, and some trails did not allow any animals at all--people only. We stuck to the horse trails except once by accident when we ended up on a "people and dogs only" trail, which incidentally looked like it was the one most heavily used by horse traffic - go figure!

[GoldenTreePackGoats]

Haha! Killer Llamas!

There is a lot of beautiful forest service (Fed) land in WA available to goats and stock, the Cascades are full of it from the North to South border.

@Nanno - I'm not surprised in the slightest... We have a close natural preserve with trails and they had to put up fenced gates so that only hikers go on certain trails and not horses.

[Deborah Haney]

I've emailed the representatives and senator for my district, the parks and rec commission, and the governor about how to change the code to specifically exclude pack goats from this group. I really can't imagine them insisting that goats should be prohibited but I've been wrong before.

[Deborah Haney]

ISO campgrounds that allow pack goats in Washington State. I'm waiting on a call back from a couple ranger districts in National Forests (and emails from legislators re: State Parks) but I'm wondering if anyone has taken their pack goats to an organized campground in WA National Forests before with no problems?

[Kat]

I'm also in WA, have been regularly hiking urban equestrian trails in a WA state park this winter with my goats. The only "organized" state park campgrounds I've stayed at with goats was actually down in OR last March, I emailed in advance for both OR state parks and got the OK as long as I kept them leashed when walking. I also informed them the goats were sleeping in the horse trailer - don't think that was a requirement tho.

It is a bit of a problem to find camping (particularly in the winter), the capitolriders.org web site with horse campground map is a help.  Last summer we stuck to USFS dispersed camping if we needed to camp at a trailhead before a trip due to a long drive.

I'm also a bit frustrated by the ban on pack goats in all of North Cascades National Park, would like to backpack the Ross Lake trails with them - I'm unclear why they should be banned there.

Keep us posted on what you hear back from your inquiry. I think I'll email the same folks you did to add my voice

[GoldenTreePackGoats]

We also did USFS dispersed camping, and then on the trial horse camps.

We would also love to take our goats up to North Cascades National Park.

[Perry]

My general experience is that the National Forest allows goats in stock campgrounds; usually, not in regular campgrounds.  However, sometimes I’ve asked a campground host if it’s OK to camp, and they’ve said yes.

My experience with Washington state parks, is that it depends on the park…ask the park ranger.  Usually where they allow horses, they’re fine with goats.

I think the regulations you reference are a ‘general’ rule, then the individual parks have excepts, perhaps on a trail by trail basis.  They tend to do that with all kinds of uses.