As a sitting member of the current Devils River Working Group, this was forwarded to me by the Deputy Director of Parks.
Trespassers' Devils River photos (whole slide show)
Photo #50 clearly self-incriminates this party for trespassing in early March 2013.


This kind of activity makes it very difficult to negotiate with landowners, even as we attempt to begin to work out a designated camp site program. What will it take? There are already a thousand No Trespass signs there.

Here is the text of the Deputy Director's email: "Paddlers, Understandably, pictures and trespass like this make it hard to get any landowner to even consider a campsite on private property or to want to cooperate with the paddling community. Any ideas on how to get the word out that this is not only �not cool�, it�s illegal and makes it almost impossible to find common ground with landowners and paddlers�even law abiding paddlers. If I was the landowner here I would be royally upset (I�m not the land owner and I�m upset by this)�can you imagine someone�s dog pissing on your rock art?"

PS. I just talked to Gerald Bailey. He told me that a group today paddled past the Devils Back (Mile 29) takeout and made it another 2-3 miles to the weir dam. Although it is marked, apparently it needs to be decorously flagged. GB told them via cell phone they would have to paddle back upstream. GB has no access to the road to weir dam.

I, in no way condone their trespassing, but those are some amazing photos.

Those pics are amazing and still don't do the river justice. I've got to get down there again. Keep hoping the states going to make it a little easier for me next time to enjoy this resource! No I do not own property along the river and yes the river itself is owned by all of us and yes I do see both sides. I've been several times, just want to do it legally!

Agreed. That place looks awesome for sure. WOW!

Amazing adventure, all things considered.
TEXAS, what a grand state. Thanks for sharing. Hope they go easy on these guys, surely the land owners wouldn't want to press charges on them. I know, I know it's the regs.

I dare say that 50% or more trespass. There are no real islands between bakers and blue sage. Most people make that run in 2 or 3 nights when it should be one at the natural site.

I wonder if it would be safe to drink the water? Sure looks pure to me.

a lot of people dont respect private property rights of others if its marked private they have no legal reason to be there when they prosecute some of the trespassers they will learn.

On my bucket list. Close to the top at that. But I'm gonna get some landowner permission first.


What is that in the tree?

I can't see that it would hurt any of the land owners to have a couple of places set up for people to camp at. They could even put up honor boxes and charge a fair amount for camping there. Most people that enjoy wild country would be very respectful of not trashing up an area. Carry out more than you bring in.

Nice Pic's!

Why don't they complain about all the illegals crossing on their land?
Id be more worried about that

it is simple everyone illegal or not it its not public property an you are not invited stay out.

Pretty sure dogs and 'yotes have been using that rock and lots of others as their marking spots since before anyone thougt of owning it. No excuse for the 2 leggers being there though!

No excuses is right!
What good would honor boxes or designated campsites do when people don't even honor posted signs?
It's the mentality that those rules are for the other guys and not meant for me, since "I'm just looking and not harming anything."
What the poster is saying is this is why it's hard to have any kind of arguement about why access should be granted, when the landowner knows what people say they will do, is a lot different from what they really do.

quote:"This kind of activity makes it very difficult to negotiate with landowners, even as we attempt to begin to work out a designated camp site program. What will it take? There are already a thousand No Trespass signs there."