Drug paraphernalia located at camp site (Arizona)

[OverlandDeparture]

So i never thought id ever see something like this at a popular camp site. Took the girlfriend out for a sunset night drive through a trail. Pulled over at a camp site to set up shop, didnt stay long once we saw the disgust that was left there. we were shocked that someone would just leave all of this here, especially when there was a family with small children at a camp site not even 50 yards away. We also saw some spoons and pipes as well. This incident took place in Tucson, AZ was reported to Forest Service law enforcement that was out on patrol in the area, they took over the scene and got more units out to clean up the site.

this is why trails are getting shut down, folks. this is disgusting and disrespectful to those who take care of this land and want to use it. There are families that are out in this area, using the nearby camp site as well as hiking trails and general use for recreational vehicles. I recently have been going out and cruising local trails to clean up camp sites, and clear large debris in the middle of some trails, but for obvious reasons, i was not going to touch this.

 

[OverlandDeparture]

yeah, that is really messed up and its one thing to pick up empty beer cans...but needles are a whole different thing. guess you would need someone with PPE and a Sharps box to handle that. i know park rangers didnt sign up for that kind of duty...
i can see shooting up if you lived in a alley in san francisco...but who the hell needs to shoot up when out in an awesome camp area? whoever left that must be a very empty person inside. very sad on many levels...

exactly. ive picked up the beer cans, bottles and other simple trash. even old brass from shooters coming and going but this was on another level. and just scattered all over out in the open like this. luckily these syringes seem to have retractable needles but still disgusting.

 

[KD7WCD]

So i never thought id ever see something like this at a popular camp site. Took the girlfriend out for a sunset night drive through a trail. Pulled over at a camp site to set up shop, didnt stay long once we saw the disgust that was left there. we were shocked that someone would just leave all of this here, especially when there was a family with small children at a camp site not even 50 yards away. We also saw some spoons and pipes as well. This incident took place in Tucson, AZ was reported to Forest Service law enforcement that was out on patrol in the area, they took over the scene and got more units out to clean up the site.

this is why trails are getting shut down, folks. this is disgusting and disrespectful to those who take care of this land and want to use it. There are families that are out in this area, using the nearby camp site as well as hiking trails and general use for recreational vehicles. I recently have been going out and cruising local trails to clean up camp sites, and clear large debris in the middle of some trails, but for obvious reasons, i was not going to touch this.

View attachment 200838View attachment 200839View attachment 200840

yeah, that is really messed up and its one thing to pick up empty beer cans...but needles are a whole different thing. guess you would need someone with PPE and a Sharps box to handle that. i know park rangers didnt sign up for that kind of duty...
i can see shooting up if you lived in a alley in san francisco...but who the hell needs to shoot up when out in an awesome camp area? whoever left that must be a very empty person inside. very sad on many levels...

The drug problem in this country isn't limited to the alleys in the big city. This hits square in the face that it is everywhere and it can affect us all. That looks like it was more than one person. Probably some sort of party.

Good job on reporting it here and to the authorities.

Be aware, be educated. Don't be silent.

 

[OverlandDeparture]

The drug problem in this country isn't limited to the alleys in the big city. This hits square in the face that it is everywhere and it can affect us all. That looks like it was more than one person. Probably some sort of party.

Good job on reporting it here and to the authorities.

Be aware, be educated. Don't be silent.

yea i guess imma have to be on the lookout for this kinda stuff now too. sad really but you're definitely not wrong.

 

[WilhelmB]

its in the smaller regional towns and cities that the drug problem is more visible. in some of the places i travel to for work they have notices in the hotel rooms to warn you from heading out at night and to not carry a lot of cash with you. car theft is also on the rise in these places and its the young teens that seem the most susceptible. these days (here anyway) drugs like ICE are cheaper and easier to get than alcohol. that plus poor parenting is a recipe for ruining a lot of futures.
mining towns are some of the worst.

 

[Boostpowered]

I'm suprised this is your first time seeing this type thing if you've done any camping or outdoor activity anywhere in the past 30 years.
For some reason the outdoors attracts junkies its very common at boat ramp areas and at city, state and national park areas also beaches.

Could possibly just be a disgusting diabetic dumping his needles too.

 

[Road]

State parks are less expensive than shacking up in a cheap motel to make deals or abuse drugs. What I've seen is shooters coming from surrounding towns to a site, then wandering to another in the dark to shoot up, leaving debris there.

 

[Flipper]

Last summer they found a body at a backpacking site in the Smoky Mtn NP. In the news it was reported a bear attack. Turns out the bear was just scavenging. Death was drug related, they killed the bear. Kept it out of the news because of bad publicity. We have come across several dirt bags while hiking there, the kind you can tell something is off and you get a bad vibe. A couple of them made a point of showing their faces little as possible. The one had a real attitude until he noticed my little friend on my hip then got real chummy and moved on. After they left my Wife said she got a really bad feeling about the one guy…… my thoughts exactly. POS!

 

[freak4life]

Last summer they found a body at a backpacking site in the Smoky Mtn NP. In the news it was reported a bear attack. Turns out the bear was just scavenging. Death was drug related, they killed the bear. Kept it out of the news because of bad publicity. We have come across several dirt bags while hiking there, the kind you can tell something is off and you get a bad vibe. A couple of them made a point of showing their faces little as possible. The one had a real attitude until he noticed my little friend on my hip then got real chummy and moved on. After they left my Wife said she got a really bad feeling about the one guy…… my thoughts exactly. POS!

That is why I open carry on hikes.

 

[Shakes355]

Drug addiction is a disease. One that starts off easy to hide. It affects every class, age and wage group in the US and is not limited to any personality type, life event, mental state or otherwise. Parenting has nothing to do with it. Nor does social status.

I work at a shop that services a wealthy lake-side community. Church goers, local politicians and police, business owners and developers. I have seen first hand that addiction does not discriminate and to what lengths folks go to in order to hide their affliction.

Now, I'm certainly not going to defend any user(s) who ditches paraphernalia in a public setting, nor will I defend anyone who is responsible for the trashed campsites or piles of garbage on the sides of trails. But neither of these is a new problem nor are they going away. And quite frankly the folks who do it don't give two splits about what you or I think.

My advice is to be prepared and if you plan to pick up trash trailside, bring the proper protective equipment to prevent any unfortunate accidents.

 

[seawolf156]

A sad state of affairs for our great State of Arizona, I am sorry you found that, but honestly not surprised, the drug problem is only getting worse......

 

[Flipper]

That is why I open carry on hikes.

Yeah, we have some real winners down here in Ocala National Forest, Fl. they are called the Rainbow Tribe. That’s why we won’t boondock there.

 

[freak4life]

Haha. I went to Ocala just because of all of the legendary weirdness in those woods. Every single person concealed carried the whole time. Permit, no permit, didn't care.

Sounds like AZ is getting more and more CA folk to their parks. Don't worry, fent'll will wipe most of them out soon enough.

Every time there is a fire or an earthquake in Cali we have more move in, oh well, that is part of the beauty of a free country.

 

[freak4life]

Drug addiction is a disease. One that starts off easy to hide. It affects every class, age and wage group in the US and is not limited to any personality type, life event, mental state or otherwise. Parenting has nothing to do with it. Nor does social status.

I work at a shop that services a wealthy lake-side community. Church goers, local politicians and police, business owners and developers. I have seen first hand that addiction does not discriminate and to what lengths folks go to in order to hide their affliction.

Now, I'm certainly not going to defend any user(s) who ditches paraphernalia in a public setting, nor will I defend anyone who is responsible for the trashed campsites or piles of garbage on the sides of trails. But neither of these is a new problem nor are they going away. And quite frankly the folks who do it don't give two splits about what you or I think.

My advice is to be prepared and if you plan to pick up trash trailside, bring the proper protective equipment to prevent any unfortunate accidents.

Well, I agree with most of what you are saying, but a disease, no, it is a choice. I do not believe even a little that a drug addict is not capable saying no.

 

[Boostpowered]

Still may have been a diabetic dumpsite though. There are trashy people out there that don't need drugs to be trashy.

 

[OverlandDeparture]

A sad state of affairs for our great State of Arizona, I am sorry you found that, but honestly not surprised, the drug problem is only getting worse......

Exactly. It’s very unfortunate.

 

[OverlandDeparture]

I'm suprised this is your first time seeing this type thing if you've done any camping or outdoor activity anywhere in the past 30 years.
For some reason the outdoors attracts junkies its very common at boat ramp areas and at city, state and national park areas also beaches.

Could possibly just be a disgusting diabetic dumping his needles too.

Yea of all campsites I’ve been too all over the state, this is the first time I’ve happened upon drugs. It’s usually cans, bottles, diapers, brass, nothing too crazy but that’s a first for me.

 

[WAYAWAY]

So i never thought id ever see something like this at a popular camp site. Took the girlfriend out for a sunset night drive through a trail. Pulled over at a camp site to set up shop, didnt stay long once we saw the disgust that was left there. we were shocked that someone would just leave all of this here, especially when there was a family with small children at a camp site not even 50 yards away. We also saw some spoons and pipes as well. This incident took place in Tucson, AZ was reported to Forest Service law enforcement that was out on patrol in the area, they took over the scene and got more units out to clean up the site.

this is why trails are getting shut down, folks. this is disgusting and disrespectful to those who take care of this land and want to use it. There are families that are out in this area, using the nearby camp site as well as hiking trails and general use for recreational vehicles. I recently have been going out and cruising local trails to clean up camp sites, and clear large debris in the middle of some trails, but for obvious reasons, i was not going to touch this.

View attachment 200838View attachment 200839View attachment 200840

Holy hell.
Not even with a shovel.

 

[OverlandDeparture]

So i never thought id ever see something like this at a popular camp site. Took the girlfriend out for a sunset night drive through a trail. Pulled over at a camp site to set up shop, didnt stay long once we saw the disgust that was left there. we were shocked that someone would just leave all of this here, especially when there was a family with small children at a camp site not even 50 yards away. We also saw some spoons and pipes as well. This incident took place in Tucson, AZ was reported to Forest Service law enforcement that was out on patrol in the area, they took over the scene and got more units out to clean up the site.

this is why trails are getting shut down, folks. this is disgusting and disrespectful to those who take care of this land and want to use it. There are families that are out in this area, using the nearby camp site as well as hiking trails and general use for recreational vehicles. I recently have been going out and cruising local trails to clean up camp sites, and clear large debris in the middle of some trails, but for obvious reasons, i was not going to touch this.

View attachment 200838View attachment 200839View attachment 200840

Holy hell.
Not even with a shovel.

It’s not worth the risk to touch any of it. And I’d have no where safe to dispose of it.

 

[WAYAWAY]

Haha. I went to Ocala just because of all of the legendary weirdness in those woods. Every single person concealed carried the whole time. Permit, no permit, didn't care.

Sounds like AZ is getting more and more CA folk to their parks. Don't worry, fent'll will wipe most of them out soon enough.

The California bashing is getting old.