Shooting At National Parks

Does anyone know the law regarding shooting in national parks? I've heard that as long as you're a certain distance from roads and campsites that you can target shoot. I'd like to do some outdoor shooting (as I'm sick of dank, noisy indoor ranges).

I've also heard there are some shooting clubs in Montgomery County. Can anyone tell me anything about them?

Thanks!

This spring the wife and I went across country for 59 days, visiting National Parks in 24 states. You can not legally shoot in most of them. Join the AGC, or one of the other 'ranges' in your area.

Good luck

Jerry

Negatory, discharging a firearm in a National Park is illegal.

For carry, the National Parks follow the laws of the states they are located in, but actual discharge is illegal in any park. For most parks you can carry a gun but if you have to use it, you will likely be charged for discharging it.

It's also important to note here that there are may different levels of protection of federal land and most people consider any federal land a National Park, when it is not. There is BLM Land, National Recreational Areas, National Forests, National Grasslands, National Seashores, National Monuments, National Historic Sites, National Park, National Wilderness Areas, and so on. A lot of the lesser-protected areas, like National Forests, MAY let you shoot, it depends on the specific area.

As an example, here's a list of all the different types of federal land in Colorado:

1 National Parks
2 National Monuments
3 National Recreation Areas
4 National Historic Sites
5 National Historic Trails
6 National Scenic Trail
7 National Forests
8 National Grasslands
9 National Wilderness Areas
10 National Conservation Areas
11 National Wildlife Refuges
12 National Recreation Trails
13 Other federal lands

National Parks
There are four National Parks within the state of Colorado:

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park near Montrose[1]
Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve near Mosca[1]
Mesa Verde National Park and UNESCO World Heritage Site near Cortez[1]
Rocky Mountain National Park near Estes Park and Grand Lake[1]

National Monuments
The eight National Monuments in the state of Colorado are:

Browns Canyon National Monument[2]
Canyons of the Ancients National Monument near Cortez[3]
Chimney Rock National Monument between Pagosa Springs and Durango[4]
Colorado National Monument between Grand Junction and Fruita[1]
Dinosaur National Monument near Dinosaur[1]
Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument near Florissant[1]
Hovenweep National Monument near Cortez[1]
Yucca House National Monument near Cortez[1]

National Recreation Areas
The two National Recreation Areas within the state of Colorado are:

Arapaho National Recreation Area near Granby[4]
Curecanti National Recreation Area near Gunnison[1]

National Historic Sites
The two National Historic Sites within the state of Colorado are:

Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site near La Junta[1]
Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site near Chivington[1]

National Historic Trails
The four National Historic Trails that pass through the state of Colorado are:

Old Spanish National Historic Trail through southwestern Colorado[1]
Oregon National Historic Trail through northeastern Colorado[1]
Pony Express National Historic Trail through northeastern Colorado[1]
Santa Fe National Historic Trail through southeastern Colorado[1]

National Scenic Trail
The National Scenic Trail that passes through the state of Colorado is:

Continental Divide National Scenic Trail along the Continental Divide of the Americas[5]

National Forests
The 11 National Forests within the state of Colorado are:

Arapaho National Forest[4]
Grand Mesa National Forest[4]
Gunnison National Forest[4]
Pike National Forest[4]
Rio Grande National Forest[4]
Roosevelt National Forest[4]
Routt National Forest[4]
San Isabel National Forest[4]
San Juan National Forest[4]
Uncompahgre National Forest[4]
White River National Forest[4]

National Grasslands
The two National Grasslands within the state of Colorado are:

Comanche National Grassland[4]
Pawnee National Grassland[4]

National Wilderness Areas
The 42 National Wilderness Areas within the state of Colorado are:

Black Canyon of the Gunnison Wilderness[1]
Black Ridge Canyons Wilderness[4]
Buffalo Peaks Wilderness[4]
Byers Peak Wilderness[4]
Cache La Poudre Wilderness[4]
Collegiate Peaks Wilderness[4]
Comanche Peak Wilderness[4]
Eagles Nest Wilderness[4]
Flat Tops Wilderness[4]
Fossil Ridge Wilderness[4]
Great Sand Dunes Wilderness[1]
Greenhorn Mountain Wilderness[4]
Gunnison Gorge Wilderness[4]
Holy Cross Wilderness[4]
Hunter-Fryingpan Wilderness[4]
Indian Peaks Wilderness[1][4]
James Peak Wilderness[4]
La Garita Wilderness[4]
Lizard Head Wilderness[4]
Lost Creek Wilderness[4]
Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness[4]
Mesa Verde Wilderness[1]
Mount Evans Wilderness[4]
Mount Massive Wilderness[4]
Mount Sneffels Wilderness[4]
Mount Zirkel Wilderness[4]
Neota Wilderness[4]
Never Summer Wilderness[4]
Platte River Wilderness[4]
Powderhorn Wilderness[4]
Ptarmigan Peak Wilderness[4]
Raggeds Wilderness[4]
Rawah Wilderness[4]
Rocky Mountain National Park Wilderness[1]
Sangre de Cristo Wilderness[4]
Sarvis Creek Wilderness[4]
South San Juan Wilderness[4]
Spanish Peaks Wilderness[4]
Uncompahgre Wilderness[4]
Vasquez Peak Wilderness[4]
Weminuche Wilderness[4]
West Elk Wilderness[4]

National Conservation Areas
The two National Conservation Areas within the state of Colorado are:

Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area[3]
McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area[3]

National Wildlife Refuges
The eight National Wildlife Refuges within the state of Colorado are:

Alamosa National Wildlife Refuge[6]
Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge[6]
Baca National Wildlife Refuge[6]
Browns Park National Wildlife Refuge[6]
Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge[6]
Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge[6]
Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge[6]
Two Ponds National Wildlife Refuge[6]

National Recreation Trails
The 28 federally designated National Recreation Trails in the state of Colorado are:

Apex National Recreation Trail near Golden[7]
Barr National Recreation Trail between Manitou Springs and Pikes Peak[4]
Bear Creek National Recreation Trail near Ouray[4]
Big Dry Creek National Recreation Trail through Westminster[8]
Calico National Recreation Trail near Dolores[4]
Crag Crest National Recreation Trail near Cedaredge[4]
Devils Head National Recreation Trail near Sedalia[4]
Fish Creek Falls National Recreation Trail near Steamboat Springs[4]
Grays Peak National Recreation Trail near Silver Plume[4]
Greyrock Mountain National Recreation Trail near Laporte[4]
Highline Canal National Recreation Trail through metropolitan Denver[9]
Highline Loop National Recreation Trail near Dolores[4]
Lake Fork National Recreation Trail near South Fork[4]
Mineral Belt National Recreation Trail near Leadville[10]
Mount Evans National Recreation Trail near Idaho Springs[4]
Mount McConnel National Recreation Trail near Laporte[4]
Petroglyph Point National Recreation Trail in Mesa Verde National Park[1]
Platte River Greenway National Recreation Trail through metropolitan Denver[9]
Poudre River National Recreation Trail between Greeley and Windsor[11]
Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Recreation Trails near Denver[6]
Round Mountain National Recreation Trail near Loveland[4]
Swamp Park National Recreation Trail near Steamboat Springs[4]
Two Elk National Recreation Trail near Vail[4]
Two Ponds National Recreation Trail in Arvada[6]
Vail Pass National Recreation Trail between Copper Mountain and Vail[4]
West Lost Trail Creek National Recreation Trail near Creede[4]
Wheeler Ten Mile National Recreation Trail between Frisco and Copper Mountain[4]
White House Ranch National Recreation Trail in Colorado Springs[12]

Other federal lands
The United States Bureau of Land Management manages the extensive federal land holdings in western Colorado not managed by other federal agencies.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_federal_lands_in_Colorado

Here's the list of federal lands in Maryland. Maryland has no National Forests, Parks, Wilderness, Monuments, etc.

Antietam National Battlefield
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Assateague Island National Seashore
Baltimore-Washington Parkway
Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail
Catoctin Mountain Park
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park
Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network
Clara Barton National Historic Site
Fort Foote Park
Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine
Fort Washington Park
George Washington Memorial Parkway
Greenbelt Park[A]
Hampton National Historic Site
Harmony Hall
Monocacy National Battlefield
Oxon Cove Park and Oxon Hill Farm
Piscataway Park
Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail
Suitland Parkway
Thomas Stone National Historic Site

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_National_Park_System_areas_in_Maryland

CrazySanMan said:

Negatory, discharging a firearm in a National Park is illegal.

For carry, the National Parks follow the laws of the states they are located in, but actual discharge is illegal in any park. For most parks you can carry a gun but if you have to use it, you will likely be charged for discharging it.

It's also important to note here that there are may different levels of protection of federal land and most people consider any federal land a National Park, when it is not. There is BLM Land, National Recreational Areas, National Forests, National Grasslands, National Seashores, National Monuments, National Historic Sites, National Park, National Wilderness Areas, and so on. A lot of the lesser-protected areas, like National Forests, MAY let you shoot, it depends on the specific area.

Click to expand...

All correct. One case to challenge the discharging ban for cases of self defense is the case involving Raphael Bresselsmith vs. an elk in Rocky Mtn. NP. According to online records the bench trial was set for 12/15/2016. I found a news article saying he was acquitted. It also reported the charges which did not include illegal discharge of a firearm. Here is a link.
http://www.fortmorgantimes.com/fort-morgan-local-news/ci_31344200/fort-collins-man-acquitted-2015-shooting-aggressive-elk

Each Nat'l Forest has its own regulations . Of quasi nearby ones, GWNF is target shooting only on specified ranges. Monongahela encourages the use of ranges, but target shooting is allowed wherever is safe , other than specific recreational facilities where prohibited .

Thanks for the information, my friends! It would be nice if the parks would set aside some land for shooting. If you can start a fire in a national park, it seems like you should be able to shoot a firearm. The Obama and Clinton administrations (and probably Bush) seemed to snap up land from states every time you turned around. Shameful. All that land and one can't [legally] shoot on it.

I have a friend in Utah who had to shoot a cougar that dropped from a tree and charged him. It was on his father-in-law's land and he was inspecting fence posts. Fortunately for him, he had a .357 Dan Wesson in his holster and he drew it and dropped it in one shot. "It was the most beautiful animal I've ever seen in the wild," he told me. Later he donned gloves and cut its head off. A few days after sending it to the Center for Disease Control in Denver, he got the news back. It was rabid. But he was glad he was wearing the gun. At the time it happened, possessing a gun in a national park could land you in a world of hurt. People who carried guns for self defense in national parks frequently got away with it because of sympathetic park rangers.

I see there's an Izaak Walton League in Germantown. Looks like a nice place to check out.

Thanks, again!

Yeah i’ve gone shooting in Monongahela National Forest. We confirmed with the people in the Park office that we could in fact target shoot in the forest. Very few rules. 150 or whatever yards from road, no shooting across rivers, may have been one or two more. Very laid back though. Saw what looked like a Park Ranger roll pastand check out our parked vehicle at one point, and then he continued on. I’ve taken two trips out to that National Forest to shoot. No issues either time. Just be smart and try your best to seclude yourself from anyone else out there. It’s kinda difficult to find a good place too shoot in that forest with all the mountains and occasional homes.

nedsurf said:

One case to challenge the discharging ban for cases of self defense is the case involving Raphael Bresselsmith vs. an elk in Rocky Mtn. NP. According to online records the bench trial was set for 12/15/2016. I found a news article saying he was acquitted.

Click to expand...

Yes, but I hear the elk's family is suing Bresselsmith for wrongful death. Fortunately, the elk has a long criminal record for threatening park visitors. This thing could drag on for years!

Cold Steel said:

Does anyone know the law regarding shooting in national parks? I've heard that as long as you're a certain distance from roads and campsites that you can target shoot. I'd like to do some outdoor shooting (as I'm sick of dank, noisy indoor ranges).

I've also heard there are some shooting clubs in Montgomery County. Can anyone tell me anything about them?

Thanks!

Click to expand...

Did you check out the ranges listed here?
https://www.mdshooters.com/showpost.php?p=693054&postcount=1

Click on the Maryland Ranges link.