Orphaned Park Wilderness: The National Park System Wilderness Laws

A. Laws establishing wilderness, in chronological order:

Statute #1

Craters of the Moon NM    Public Law 91-504 – 84 Stat. 1105 10/23/70

Petrified Forest NP    Public Law 91-504 – 84 Stat. 1106 10/23/70

Statute #2

Lava Beds NM    Public Law 92-493 – 86 Stat. 811 10/13/72

Statute #3

Lassen Volcanic NP    Public Law 92-510 – 86 Stat. 918 10/19/72

Statute #4

Point Reyes NS    Public Law 94-544 – 90 Stat. 2515 10/18/76

Public Law 94-567 – 90 Stat. 2693 10/20/76

[The fact that Congress established wilderness at Point Reyes twice in three days appears to have been an oversight.]

Statute # 5

Bandelier NM    Public Law 94-567 – 90 Stat. 2692 10/20/76

Black Canyon of the Gunnison NM    Public Law 94-567 – 90 Stat. 2692 10/20/76 (1)

Chiricahua NM    Public Law 94-567 – 90 Stat. 2692 10/20/76 (1)

Great Sand Dunes NM    Public Law 94-567 – 90 Stat. 2692 10/20/76

Haleakala NP    Public Law 94-567 – 90 Stat. 2692 10/20/76

Isle Royale NP    Public Law 94-567 – 90 Stat. 2692 10/20/76

Joshua Tree NM    Public Law 94-567 – 90 Stat. 2692 10/20/76 (1)

Mesa Verde NP    Public Law 94-567 – 90 Stat. 2693 10/20/76

Pinnacles NM    Public Law 94-567 – 90 Stat. 2693 10/20/76

Saguaro NM    Public Law 94-567 – 90 Stat. 2693 10/20/76

Badlands NM    Public Law 94-567 – 90 Stat. 2693 10/20/76

Shenandoah NP    Public Law 94-567 – 90 Stat. 2693 10/20/76

Statute #6

Buffalo NR    Public Law 95-625 – 92 Stat. 3489 11/10/78

Carlsbad Caverns NP    Public Law 95-625 – 92 Stat. 3489 11/10/78

Everglades NP    Public Law 95-625 – 92 Stat. 3490 11/10/78

Guadalupe NP    Public Law 95-625 – 92 Stat. 3490 11/10/78

Gulf Islands NS    Public Law 95-625 – 92 Stat. 3490 11/10/78

Hawaii Volcanoes NP    Public Law 95-625 – 92 Stat. 3490 11/10/78

Organ Pipe Cactus NM    Public Law 95-625 – 92 Stat. 3490 11/10/78

Theodore Roosevelt NP    Public Law 95-625 – 92 Stat. 3490 11/10/78

Statute #7

Denali NP    Public Law 96-487 – 94 Stat. 2417 12/02/80

Gates of the Arctic NP    Public Law 96-487 – 94 Stat. 2417 12/02/80

Glacier Bay NP    Public Law 96-487 – 94 Stat. 2417 12/02/80

Katmai NP    Public Law 96-487 – 94 Stat. 2417 12/02/80

Kobuk Valley NP    Public Law 96-487 – 94 Stat. 2417 12/02/80

Lake Clark NP    Public Law 96-487 – 94 Stat. 2417 12/02/80

Noatak NPres    Public Law 96-487 – 94 Stat. 2417 12/02/80

Wrangell-St.Elias NP    Public Law 96-487 – 94 Stat. 2417 12/02/80

Statute #8

Rocky Mountain NP    Public Law 96-560 – 94 Stat. 3271 12/22/80

Statute #9

Fire Island NS    Public Law 96-585 – 94 Stat. 3379 12/23/80

Statute #10

Cumberland Island NS    Public Law 97-250 – 96 Stat. 709 9/8/82

Statute #11

Chiricahua NM    Public Law 98-406 – 98 S tat. 1491 8/28/84 (2)

Statute #12

Devils Postpile NM    Public Law 98-425 – 98 Stat. 1622 9/28/84

Yosemite NP    Public Law 98-425 – 98 Stat. 1627 9/28/84

Sequoia-Kings Canyon NPs    Public Law 98-425 – 98 Stat. 1627 9/28/84

Statute #13

Congaree Swamp NM    Public Law 100-524 – 102 Stat. 2606 10/24/88

Statute #14

Olympic NP    Public Law 100-668 – 102 Stat. 3961 11/16/88

North Cascades NP    Public Law 100-668 – 102 Stat. 3963 11/16/88

Mt. Rainier NP    Public Law 100-668 – 102 Stat. 3965 11/16/88

Statute #15

Death Valley NP    Public Law 103-433 – 108 Stat. 4496 10/31/94

Joshua Tree NP    Public Law 103-433 – 108 Stat. 4496 10/31/94 (2)

Mojave NPres    Public Law 103-433 – 108 Stat. 4496 10/31/94

Statute #16

Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP    Public Law 106-76 – 113 Stat. 1129 10/21/99 (2)

Statute #17

Great Sand Dunes NP and Pres    Public Law 106-530 – 114 Stat. 2530 11/22/00 (2)

Statute #18

Lake Mead NRA    Public Law 107-282 – 116 Stat. 1999 11/06/02

Statute #19

Pinnacles NM (2)    Public Law 107-370 – 116 Stat. 3072 12/19/02

Statute #20

Apostle Island NL    Public Law 108-447 – 118 Stat. 3096 12/08/04

B. Other laws modifying or affecting wilderness, in chronological order:

1. Great Sand Dunes NM    Public Law 95-625 – 92 Stat. 3474 11/10/78

(See Technical Amendments of 10/12/79) P.L. 96-87 (93 Stat. 665)

Required the NPS to manage lands added by 1978 act in accordance with adjacent lands within the monument. The adjacent lands are wilderness.

2. Sleeping Bear Dunes NL    Public Law 97-361 – 96 Stat. 1724 10/22/82

Required the NPS to manage areas recommended as wilderness and potential wilderness in a January 1981 report “to maintain their presently existing wilderness character” until Congress determines otherwise.

3. Gates of the Arctic NP&Pres

Noatak NPres    Public Law 104-333 – 110 Stat. 4118 11/12/96

Revised boundaries of Gates of the Arctic wilderness as part of the Anaktuvuk Pass land exchange. Restated and adjusted number of wilderness acres in Noatak.

4. Katmai NP    Public Law 105-277 – 112 Stat. 2681-26 10/21/98

Revised wilderness boundary in connection with a minor (10-acre) land exchange.

5. Everglades NP    Public Law 105-313 – 112 Stat. 2964 10/30/98

Established a Miccosukee Reserved Area of several hundred acres in the park. The Senate Report accompanying the act (SR 105-361) states that the land designated as the Reserved Area should be construed as released from wilderness.

6. Glacier Bay NP    Public Law 105-317 – 112 Stat. 3002 10/30/98

Revised wilderness boundaries in connection with a land exchange to enable a hydropower project for the town of Gustavus, Alaska.

7. Cumberland Is. NS    Public Law 108-447 – 118 Stat. 3072 12/08/04

Adjusted wilderness boundaries to exclude certain dirt roads to allow for motor vehicle tours on the excluded roads. In June 2004 the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that such tours by the NPS violated the Wilderness Act.