Paragon Off-Road Park closing.

[Trailhead00]

http://www.topix.net/content/kri/0223734758092035090637627965050873780507

Didn't really want to turn this into an off-road vehicle thread but does anybody think this will have an impact on the Pines? Do you think this will cause more people to make the trek to the Pines to do some off-roading? This along with the closing of the park in Chatsworth in September of 2008 I think will cause more OHV traffic in the Pine Barrens.

 

[Ben Ruset]

It certainly can't be good for the Pines.

I've always looked at Paragon as sort of the perfect solution for ORV enthusiasts. Give people a fun, safe place to ride and they will go and PAY for it. Pretty amazing that they get an average of $100 per rider and pull in $500k in profit each year.

 

[entropysedge]

Unfortunately 500K is small potatoes compared with what the land owner could get if he sold the property for housing or other development.

 

[james ungehajer]

Paragon Off-Road Park Closing

With that news,in my opinion,we are looking at the calm before the storm!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Broke Jeep Joe]

I'm sure we may see an increase of traffic in the pines, however, having been to PAP I can say that most of the vehicles that I have seen there are not registered nor could be in the great state of NJ with the way our lift and tire limitations are as of current. I'm not sure what restrictions are held to out of state vehicles, but I do know it must be registered and insured to run in the pines. I would think anything that is registered out of state and is in the pines would be subject to scrutiny, especially if the driver is doing something he or she shouldn't be, or in an area they should not be in.

 

[Badfish740]

I don't know if I'm ready to sound the alarm just yet. I've never been to Paragon, only read about it, but if someone is willing to pay the fees to go there and follow the rules, I'd venture to say that they're probably relatively responsible individuals. That being said I think that rangers, park police, game wardens, etc...should still be vigilant without being oppressive and harsh.

 

[Teegate]

I am constantly going down Carranza road at the tracks and there are often people there with bikes that are unregistered. There is no evidence of a approved rally of any kind, just people driving their bikes unregistered. And one week I was on the Lee and Parker Preserve border near the clear cut south of Pine Crest and there were a group of riders riding the Lee and Parker Preserve border that were unregistered.

Unregistered riding is in my opinion is going on quite frequently.


Guy

 

[00xj54]

Paragon is completely different from the Pines.

 

[woodjin]

Unregistered riding is in my opinion is going on quite frequently.

Guy

I would agree and state it more as fact than opinion but the alternative is more policing and that could be the greater of the two evils.

Jeff

 

[kingofthepines]

The park appears to have exhausted its appeals, and was ordered on January 31st to be off the premises by 5pm on Feb 5th. Paragon as we knew it is now dead. I've been deluged with new members on my site since Kyle Knosp, the former owner of Paragon Action Park went public with the news of the impeding closure on January 19th. This isn't good news for the pinelands.

 

[this_is_nascar]

I have no issues if this means the Pines will start to see more traffic, as long as these folks don't decide to tear the place up. My fear is that these huge vehicles will be coming down and really ripping things up, whereas they become unuseable for "normal" vehicles.

 

[woodjin]

More traffic is always a bad thing.

 

[Ben Ruset]

I think the majority of people who would go to Paragon would be bored with the flat topography of the Pines.

I also think that the type of person who would go to a place like Paragon would be more mindful of land use than the average yahoo with a truck around here.

I wouldn't be concerned.

 

[this_is_nascar]

Time will tell, that's for sure.

 

[Badfish740]

I think the majority of people who would go to Paragon would be bored with the flat topography of the Pines.

Ditto. A long time ago when I still had my FJ I took some guys out who were used to places like upstate New York and Pennsylvania. They enjoyed the scenery but commented that the Pines ain't exactly the Rubicon. That's just fine with me.

 

[jeepinjp]

http://www.topix.net/content/kri/0223734758092035090637627965050873780507

Didn't really want to turn this into an off-road vehicle thread but does anybody think this will have an impact on the Pines? Do you think this will cause more people to make the trek to the Pines to do some off-roading? This along with the closing of the park in Chatsworth in September of 2008 I think will cause more OHV traffic in the Pine Barrens.

I dont think it will lead to a great increase in traffic to the pines and the main increase will be from locals who now do not have PAP to go to anymore. But OHV use in growing quickly in NJ and the state had better look to lighten the burden so protected areas do not get affected...