Can You Carry a Gun in a National Park?

The short history: what changed in 2010

For decades, federal regulations largely barred loaded, accessible firearms in national parks. That changed through an unlikely vehicle: the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009, better known as the Credit CARD Act. According to Wikipedia's summary, Senate gun-rights supporters led by Tom Coburn attached a rider that prevents the Secretary of the Interior from enforcing regulations barring firearm possession in units of the National Park System or the National Wildlife Refuge System. The act took effect on February 22, 2010.

The provision now sits in the U.S. Code at 54 U.S.C. § 104906, recodified in 2014. Its operative part says the Secretary may not issue or enforce a regulation that prohibits an individual from possessing a firearm in a park unit if two conditions are met:

1. the individual is not otherwise prohibited by law from possessing the firearm, and
2. the possession complies with the law of the state where the park unit is located.

That second condition is the whole game. The federal law didn't create a national park carry permit. It handed the question to the states.

Rule one: the state's law follows you into the park

Because park carry depends on state law, the question "can I carry in Yellowstone?" is really "can I carry in Wyoming, Montana or Idaho, wherever I'm standing?" A few practical points follow from that:

• Your permit has to be valid in that state. If the state honors your home permit, or allows permitless carry for non-residents who meet its rules, you can generally carry in the park on the same terms. If it doesn't, you can't.
• Parks that cross state lines change rules at the line. Several large parks span two or more states. The law can change mid-hike.
• The state's carry details still apply. Open vs concealed, vehicle rules, alcohol rules, and any duty to inform an officer all come from the state.

Start with our state carry-law hub for an overview of each state, then confirm against the state's current statute or attorney general guidance. Our permitless carry explainer covers what "no permit needed" does and doesn't mean for visitors.

Rule two: federal buildings are a separate law

This is where well-meaning carriers get caught. The 2010 change only stops the Park Service from enforcing its own gun regulations. It didn't touch 18 U.S.C. § 930, the federal statute that makes it an offense to knowingly possess a firearm in a federal facility.

The statute defines a federal facility as a building or part of a building owned or leased by the federal government "where Federal employees are regularly present for the purpose of performing their official duties." In a national park, that typically means:

• visitor centers and museums staffed by park employees
• ranger stations and park headquarters
• administrative and maintenance offices

Wikipedia's summary of U.S. concealed carry also notes that carry into restrooms or other buildings within federal parks is illegal, and carry into caves in federal parks is illegal. Read that as a reason to be cautious about any structure, not just the obvious ones.

Section 930 also requires notice of the prohibition to be posted conspicuously at each public entrance to a federal facility, and the statute generally bars a conviction for a facility where notice wasn't posted unless the person actually knew of it. Don't build a plan around that exception. Look for the sign, and treat any staffed federal building as off-limits.

The visitor-center trap

Picture a typical day trip. You park at the trailhead, which happens to sit next to a visitor center. You're carrying legally under state law. You want to use the restroom, fill a water bottle or ask a ranger about trail conditions. The moment you walk through those doors with your gun, you may be committing a federal offense.

The fix is planning, not improvisation:

1. Know where the federal buildings are on your route before you leave home.
2. Decide in advance whether you'll go inside. If you will, the gun has to be secured somewhere lawful before you do.
3. Secure it properly. A lockable container in a locked vehicle is the usual approach. Check that the state allows a firearm in a vehicle the way you plan to store it.
4. Never unholster in a parking lot crowd. If you'll be leaving the gun in the car, secure it before you arrive, out of sight.

Other things that can change the answer

The park rule is only one layer. Several others can apply on the same trip:

• Not every federal land is a national park. The 2010 change covers units of the National Park System and the National Wildlife Refuge System. National forests, Army Corps of Engineers sites and military land each have their own rules.
• Discharging a firearm is a different question. Being allowed to carry doesn't mean you can shoot. Hunting, target shooting and other discharge are governed by separate rules. Self-defense law is still the state's.
• Getting there. If you'll cross states that don't recognize your permit, read our FOPA travel guide on transporting a handgun through them.
• Driving in the park. Vehicle carry rules come from the state; our carry while driving guide covers the practical side.

A quick pre-trip checklist

1. Which state or states is the park in?
2. Is your permit honored there, or do you qualify to carry without one as a visitor?
3. What are that state's rules on open vs concealed carry, vehicles and alcohol?
4. Where are the visitor centers, ranger stations and other staffed buildings you might enter?
5. Where will the gun go when you go inside, and is that storage lawful in that state?
6. Will you pass through states on the way that don't honor your permit?

On gear: hiking with a gun is easier with a holster that rides well under a pack belt. A compact that disappears on the belt in town can dig in under a hip belt, so try your setup on a short walk before a long hike. Ammunition Depot's holster section lists belt, IWB and chest holsters, and its subcompact pistol section covers lighter guns if weight is the problem.

Common misconceptions

"National parks are federal, so state permits don't matter." It's the reverse. The federal law makes the state's law the test. A valid carry under state law is what makes park carry lawful.

"If the trail is legal, the whole park is legal." Buildings where federal employees regularly work are covered by a separate federal statute. The parking lot and the trail can be lawful while the building next to them is not.

"No sign means no problem." Section 930 does require posted notice, but relying on a missing sign is a poor plan. If you know a building is a staffed federal facility, treat it as off-limits.

"The 2010 law covers all federal land." It covers the National Park System and National Wildlife Refuge System. Other federal lands follow their own rules, so check each agency you'll pass through.

"Carrying means I can shoot if I see a threat from wildlife." Self-defense law, including defense against animals where a state addresses it, comes from the state and from the specific facts. Learn the park's guidance on wildlife and keep your distance first.

The bottom line

Editorial note: This is an independent editorial overview built from manufacturer specifications, retailer listings and published sources. We have not performed hands-on testing of the products discussed, and nothing here is a performance guarantee. Verify specifications, compatibility and the law where you live.

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