Backcountry Recreation Management

Policy and Program Objectives

The NPS Management Policies states:

The NPS will encourage, allow, or not allow recreational activities according to the criteria [listed below]:

To provide for enjoyment of the parks, the National Park Service will encourage visitor activities that:

• Are appropriate to the purpose for which the park was established; and
• Are inspirational, educational, or healthful, and otherwise appropriate to the park environment; and
• Will foster an understanding of, and appreciation for, park resources and values, or will promote enjoyment through a direct association with, interaction with, or relation to park resources; and
• Can be sustained without causing unacceptable impacts to park resources or values.

The Service will allow other visitor uses that do not meet all the above criteria if they are appropriate to the purpose for which the park was established and they can be sustained without causing unacceptable impacts to park resources or values.

Unless mandated by statute, the Service will not allow visitors to conduct activities that:

• Would impair park resources or values;
• Create an unsafe or unhealthful environment for other visitors or employees;
• Are contrary to the purposes for which the park was established; or
• Unreasonably interfere with:
• The atmosphere of peace and tranquility, or the natural soundscape maintained in wilderness and natural, historic, or commemorative locations within the park;
• NPS interpretive, visitor service, administrative, or other activities;
• NPS concessioner or contractor operations or services; or
• Other existing, appropriate park use

Most of the recreational use in parks occurs in developed areas (e.g., along road corridors, day use areas, campgrounds). In the management of recreational activities, the NPS is guided by the following objectives:

1. Protect both natural and cultural park resources and natural processes, including prohibition of consumptive uses of park resources except where authorized by law or regulation.

2. Protect unique or important backcountry and/or wilderness recreational opportunities.

3. Provide a varied spectrum of backcountry and wilderness recreational uses as appropriate in the diverse NPS areas.

4. Avoid unacceptable levels of danger to the welfare and safety of the public, including recreational participants.

Limitations imposed on recreational uses should be the amount necessary to achieve park resource protection objectives. Decisions to allow use should be based on the results of research Before approving a proposed action or allowing a use in the backcountry that could lead to an impairment of park resources and values, NPS decisionmakers must consider the impacts of the proposed action and determine in writing that the activity will not lead to an impairment of park resources and values. If there would be an impairment, the action may not be approved (see section 1.4 of the NPS Management Policies for a discussion of impairment). Appropriate tools for managing recreational activities may include plans for backcountry, wilderness, river, cave, and other recreational uses; general or special regulations; education and information; permit and reservations systems; and local restrictions implemented under the discretionary authority of the superintendent. NPS offices are encouraged to work with adjoining federal, tribal, and state land managers in planning and management. "The Service will seek consistency in recreation management policies and procedures on both a Service- wide and interagency basis to the extent practicable." (Management Policies 8.2.2.1)

Because of extensive variation in both the physical environment and nature of recreational use across the National Park System, it is not envisioned that a single set of resource impact standards or use level standards can be established. Each superintendent should develop standards based on inventory information, research, and assessments and input received through the planning and environmental compliance processes. These standards should have some relevance to other parks with similar conditions. "The Service will seek to identify acceptable limits of impacts, monitor backcountry use levels and resource conditions, and take prompt corrective action when unacceptable impacts occur.." (Management Policies 8.2.2.4)