In the US, what is the difference between a national park and a national monument?

In the US, what is the difference between a national park and a national monument? - Woods Covered With Snow

Apparently Craters of the Moon National Monument wants to become a National "Park" instead of a monument. We know that a national forest is USDA vs. Interior, but what difference does it make if an area is a national monument instead of a national park? Is there any legal difference in ownership, use, or rules? In a national park, for example, I am restricted to camping in designated spots only. But in the national forests that surround it, I can usually boondock or do dispersed camping as I like.

Put another way, if I visit a national park, are there things I can't do if its only a monument, or vice versa?






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In the US, what is the difference between a national park and a national monument? - Granite statue of civil rights movement leader against overcast sky
In the US, what is the difference between a national park and a national monument? - Newspaper rock with ancient symbols and petroglyphs with white paint on shabby stone blue wall with uneven surface in national park
In the US, what is the difference between a national park and a national monument? - Fragment of Bethesda Fountain statue of Angel of the Waters against colorful trees placed in autumn Central Park in New York City in sunny day



What is the difference between a national park and national?

National monuments are proclaimed by the President of the United States as established by the Antiquities Act of 1906. National Parks are established by an act of Congress.

What makes a national monument?

A: A national monument is a land or historic area that has been given permanent protection by Congress or by the president through the use of the Antiquities Act. National monuments include wild places and historic places like Canyon of the Ancients National Monument in Colorado and the Statue of Liberty in New York.

What classifies as a national park?

A national park is an area set aside by a national government for the preservation of the natural environment. A national park may be set aside for public recreation and enjoyment or for its historical or scientific interest while keeping most landscapes and their accompanying plants and animals in their natural state.

Can a statue be a national monument?

Are national monuments statues or buildings? No. Although many national monuments contain memorials or historic structures, these sites protect areas of land and/or water, similar to other kinds of national park sites, and are not individual statues.



National Monuments vs. National Parks




Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Images: Mikhail Nilov, Gotta Be Worth It, Dziana Hasanbekava, Marta Wave