Rangers caught between the law and newly needy

To find campers living in the forest, just go to the outskirts of cities like Flagstaff and Prescott. The proximity makes it convenient for people living in their RVs to reach jobs, groceries or doctor appointments, or to pick up mail they've forwarded to a post office. The camping areas are well-known by forest rangers. "Little communities develop where these people group together," said Jon Nelson, patrol captain for the Coconino, Kaibab and Prescott national forests. Technically, it's illegal to live in the forest for even a day, whether in a motorhome, a camp trailer or a tent. "It doesn't matter how many days you stay on the national forest -- you can't use it for residential use," Nelson said. But it's also tough to prove that a person is living in a recreational vehicle in the forest, as opposed to just staying there as a temporary camper. The Prescott National Forest, in particular, has a number of elderly campers who have medical problems and are camping out near the hospital for veterans, Nelson said...more