Since February 2010, federal law states that you may carry firearms into national parks in all common outdoor areas such as your campsite, in your vehicle and on public trails, as long as you follow all state and local laws. Ranger stations, visitor centers, maintenance buildings and other “federal facilities” still do not allow the carry of firearms inside. National forests under control of the Department of Agriculture do not fall under this law. Further, the law did not change the legal use of firearms in a National Park—so no target shooting unless the national park you are in has a designated shooting area.
Similar to traveling with firearms, many state’s national parks allow you to conceal carry if the state you are camping in shares a reciprocity law with your state’s concealed carry permit or license. Please check the laws of the state you will be camping in for reciprocity agreements. As of January 2014, the following are exceptions to carrying concealed reciprocity in national parks.
Constitutional Carry
Anyone legally allowed to own a firearm may open or conceal carry without any permits.
- Alaska
- Vermont
- Arizona
Conceal Carry by Licensed Residents of the State Only
- Massachusetts
- Oregon
- Illinois
Guns Allowed, but Must be Unloaded, Cased and Kept in the Car or in the Campsite
- California
- Hawaii
- Rhode Island
- Firearms prohibited:
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Washington D.C.
- New Jersey
- Maryland
- New York
As always, double check local state laws for the legalities of carrying your gun open or concealed at any campsites you plan to visit.
Will you be camping in our country’s national parks this summer? Do concealed carry laws determine where you go? Tell us in the comment section.
[suzanne]
CONSTITUTIONAL REPUBLIC
MY BACK SIDE
But thanks for telling us which states are
NOT part of the United States
….and what’s the deal with BLM land? IIRC, didn’t the BLM recently prohibit hunting on BLM lands? This is a link published by the BLM, but it is not dated, so I have no idea if it is current or not. Anyone have any information? If not, I will contact BLM directly. BTW, they provide some excellent maps that show BLM and private property, but…..what is not shown is property that is leased by private owners, so it is always a good idea to check with private owners who might be in the area so as to prevent getting into a dispute.
Oooops…forgot the link:
http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/prog/recreation/hunting.html
Here is a link from the BLM dated April 1, 2014 (on Google). In it are listed California BLM lands that apparently were previously open to hunting, but are now restricted due to population increases in those areas. I would think that it would be prudent to check with BLM re any current BLM law changes prior to making any hunting plans, since it appears that BLM’s hunting areas are in a constant state of flux.
My visits to BLM offices have been very productive, and the personnel there have been very friendly and helpful.
http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/folsom/hunting.html
I know this is off topic, but I cringe every time I see articles like this that provide lists of states with their varying gun laws across our country; mainly because it can’t help but bring attention to the states that are abusing citizen’s Constitutional rights and those that are not. It is so painful to accept how this can be, when there is supposed to be all this equality throughout the freest country in the world.