Regulations

Agency Regulations

National Park Service Regulations

The National Park Service carries out its responsibilities in parks and programs under the authority of Federal laws, regulations, and Executive Orders, and in accord with policies established by the Director of the National Park Service and the Secretary of the Interior (nps.gov).

Regulations published in Chapter 1 of Title 36 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) (ecfr.gov), are mechanisms used by the National Park Service to preserve and protect the natural and cultural resources of the park, manage visitor use, provide for visitor safety, and protect property within the park. These regulations are applicable to all areas of the national park system except for Part 7 which contains special regulations for specific areas of the National Parks system (excluding Alaska) and Part 13 which contains special regulations specific to National Park System units in Alaska.

Some of the regulations included in 36 CFR grant discretionary authority to develop local rules and regulations through the park Superintendent’s Compendium, which is the summary of park specific rules and regulations that serves as public notice, identifies areas closed for public use, provides a list of activities requiring either a special use permit or reservation, and elaborates on public use and resource protection regulations pertaining specifically to the administration of the park. The Superintendent’s Compendium does not repeat regulations found in 36 CFR and other United States Code and CFR Titles, which are enforced without further elaboration at the park. The Superintendent’s Compendium is updated annually and may be found on individual park nps.gov websites.

The special provisions established in 36 CFR Part 13 are specific to National Park System Units in Alaska and may supersede certain regulations established in certain parts of 36 CFR. Additionally, special provisions regarding access to National Park System units in Alaska, including use of snowmachines, motorboats, nonmotorized surface transportation, aircraft, as well as off-road vehicle use, have been established in 43 CFR § 36.11 Special Access (ecfr.gov).

National Park Services rules and regulations that are most closely associated with the prohibited uses established in the Wilderness Act, § 4(c) are summarized below:

Wilderness Act, § 4(c) Prohibited Use		Associated Regulations
Commercial Enterprise		36 CFR 5.3 Business Operations 36 CFR 5.14 Prospecting, Mining, Mineral Leasing
Permanent or temporary road		36 CFR § 2.10 (b)(5) Preservation of natural, cultural and archeological resources 36 CFR § 13.35 Preservation of Natural Features (Alaska only)
Use of motor vehicles	36 CFR § 2.18 (c) Snowmobiles 36 CFR § 4.10 (a) Travel on park roads and designated routes 43 CFR § 36.11 Special access (Alaska only)
Use of motorized equipment or motorboats	36 CFR § 2.12 (a)(3) Audio Disturbances 36 CFR § 3.8 (3) What vessel operations are prohibited? 36 CFR § 13.460 Use of snowmobiles, motorboats, dog teams, and other forms of surface transportation traditionally employed by local rural residents engaged in subsistence uses. (Alaska only)
Landing of aircraft	36 CFR § 2.17 (a)(1) & (a)(3) Aircraft and Air Delivery 43 CFR § 36.11 Special access (Alaska only)
Other form of mechanical transport	36 CFR § 4.30 (h)(2) Bicycles 36 CFR § 4.30 (i)(4) Electric bicycles 36 CFR § 13.460 Use of snowmobiles, motorboats, dog teams, and other forms of surface transportation traditionally employed by local rural residents engaged in subsistence uses. (Alaska only)
Structure	36 CFR § 2.22 (a)(1) Property 36 CFR § 13.186 Cabins in wilderness areas (Alaska only)
Installation	36 CFR § 2.10 Camping and Food Storage 36 CFR § 2.22 (a)(1) Property 36 CFR § 13.45 Unattended and abandoned property (Alaska only)

NPS Wilderness managers and practitioners are encouraged to check with their park or regional law enforcement office to ensure appropriate understanding, interpretation, and application of the elements of each regulation.