Concealed carry in Yellowstone National Park

[sharpenit]

Just returned from 4 days in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. It now is legal to carry concealed in national parks as long as the state where the park is allows concealed carry and that this state recognizes your CHL. Most of Yellowstone is in Wyoming, where my CHL is recognized, so I was able to carry my CM9 there.

HOWEVER, just as in my home state, individual businesses can post signs banning guns on their premises. In Yellowstone, most of the lodgings, restaurants, gift shops and other amenities are run by a company called Xanterra Parks and Resorts, which holds a concession to do so from the National Park Service. At many of the facilities run by Xanterra, guns are prohibited by a sign at the entrances. So you can travel outdoors throughout the park carrying concealed, but the moment you enter one of the Yellowstone hotels or restaurants, you're expected to surrender your right to self defense.

Under federal law, the same applies in federal facilities in the parks, such as the various visitor centers.

The irony of this was particularly evident at the Visitor's Center at Mammoth Hot Springs. The familiar sign on the front door bans firearms, but inside, the exhibits lovingly display a variety of -- you guessed it -- guns! The exhibits are about the official expeditions that explored the park and include the equipment carried by members of the expeditions, including their weapons, such as these:

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/m590/sharpenit/Yellowstoneguns.jpg

Clearly, these are weapons of self-defense, and park officials believe that there is value in displaying them. Yet the point seems lost on them that self defense is as vital today as it was back then.

It is a crime that a company that works for U.S. taxpayers and accepts taxpayer money should be hostile to the right of those taxpayers to exercise their Second Amendment rights inside facilities that those taxpayers paid for and own.

[Yogi 117]

Crater Lake National Park here in Oregon has many facilities that post a "No Guns" sign on entrances, I ignore them & carry inside anyway. It is a shame, as a lot of business folks just don't get it! :)

[wyntrout]

There's no way I would ever visit one of those parks with all of the dangerous wildlife AND the 2-legged kind of predators, without carrying concealed... and a MAJOR caliber at that! I'll probably never get to Yellowstone before the mega-volcano blows and destroys half the country... any day now!

I don't like the long lines of vehicles, either! I get a lot of the outdoors whenever I visit SW Colorado.

Wynn:)

[QuercusMax]

Here is what I faced the last time I was in Yellowstone a few weeks ago. I'm not really sure that he would have been impressed with my Kahr, or anything else short of a .44 magnum, if the need had arisen.

[wyntrout]

I've always been amazed at the people who survived by playing dead while something like that was chewing on them... just unbelievable!

I think that I would have screamed like a little girl... after I had at least emptied my P40 or PM45! I KNOW that running just makes them want to eat you more!:eek:

Wynn:)

[7shot]

Yellowstone is definitely a park everyone should visit at least once in there lifetime. I've been fortunate to have been a few times and everyone of them have been awesome.

I've never CC'd at Yellowstone but I have in Big Bend NP in Texas and this was before you could do it legally. I used to go by myself on photography trips and their was no way in hell that I wasn't going to have "my little friend" (my 1911 at the time) along with me. IMO, sometimes common sense overrules the legal aspect of it.

[Bawanna]

I went through Yellowstone a few years ago on the way home from Cody, taking my daughter to school. At the time it wasn't legal but I carried anyhow. I saw the signs going into the park but ignored them, I didn't see the signs at the shops and stuff, maybe at that time they figured the signs at the entrance covered them.

I didn't see hardly a single car most of the way through the park till we hit the big gift shop, restaurant about half way through. Then they were everywhere.

I agree it's worth the trip, beautiful country, digged seeing real buffalo and all.

As a side note but directly related. Wife and I visited Grand Coulee Dam yesterday. Went to the visitor center and they asked if we wanted to go on the tour, we assumed a walk through type deal, so we said ok.
Lady told the wife no purse, no bags, no camera, then added no pocket knives. I thought to myself, this isn't good.
I'd left my 1911 at the motel but had my PM45 on my ankle. Small sheath knife on my belt etc, so we go back to the van and unload.
Get back inside and they put me at the head of the line. Lady is talking again about going through a metal detector, just like TSA, prior to getting on a bus (wheelchair equipped) for a 2 minute ride to the damn. I told her I'm never gonna get past that. Then I remembered my leatherman tool so wife had to go back to the van again.
Should have just taken off my front and rear bags and been ok but didn't think of that. Forgot 3 little pocket knifes in the front bag and a mini baton in the rear.
Anyhow up to the two federal homeland security guys I go. They aren't sure what to do with me, kind of peaking in my rear bag, didn't notice the front and I finally just said hold on and showed my police ID. Told em I was a civillian office puke but the badge and ID were valid and they agreed that worked.

Wasn't worth it, didn't get to see hardly zip. Guards magically appeared the two places we were allowed. The one place inside where we could see the turbines, the guard had a sub gun, I think an MP5 but couldn't get close enough to tell and I think that's what the sub gun was for.

I won't be going there again.

[yqtszhj]

I'd left my 1911 at the motel
had my PM45 on my ankle.
Small sheath knife on my belt etc,
Then I remembered my leatherman tool
Forgot 3 little pocket knifes in the front bag
a mini baton in the rear.
I finally just said hold on and showed my police ID



Lesson for the day: Don't screw with Bawanna.:53::40::7:

[Bawanna]

Lesson for the day: Don't screw with Bawanna.:53::40::7:

I'm really not a mean person, I just like to have proper tools with me. The pocket knives are just little things. The belt knife is small too, not your basic Rambo Kukri samaurai blade, just a small damascus blade, bone handled knife I wear everyday. Got it from GB, most are much too large for my taste. Too many years in the boy scouts I guess.

My wife is really coming around too, she's finally been carrying her Smith 638 all the time. Before we left, she asked if I had her covered, she was gonna leave it home in the safe. I asked who had me covered? Seemed like a logical question.

Anyhow we survived once again.

[muggsy]

There's no way I would ever visit one of those parks with all of the dangerous wildlife AND the 4-legged kind of predators, without carrying concealed... and a MAJOR caliber at that! I'll probably never get to Yellowstone before the mega-volcano blows and destroys half the country... any day now!

I don't like the long lines of vehicles, either! I get a lot of the outdoors whenever I visit SW Colorado.

Wynn:)

There no worse that the two legged predators that you find in the inner city.

[wyntrout]

Dang! I meant to say 2-legged predators. They like preying on people who aren't armed, as most tourists used to be before we could legally carry concealed in the parks.

Wynn:)

[Gordion Gnat]

In Montana, posted "No Guns" signs have NO force of law re conceal carry. They can ask you to leave and you must if they do, but this is not a CCW violation.

You should check Wyoming law, but according to http://www.handgunlaw.us/ "No Guns" signs have force of law there.

[Sage]

There's no way I would ever visit one of those parks with all of the dangerous wildlife AND the 2-legged kind of predators, without carrying concealed... and a MAJOR caliber at that! I'll probably never get to Yellowstone before the mega-volcano blows and destroys half the country... any day now!

I don't like the long lines of vehicles, either! I get a lot of the outdoors whenever I visit SW Colorado.

Wynn:)

I have found many places in East Tennessee and North Georgia that are just as beautiful as the Smokey Mountain National Park with virtually no crowds. All of the people and crowded roads defeat the purpose of going to these parks in the first place. Like Yogi said: "Nobody goes there anymore. It's too crowded".

[Bawanna]

It seems like the less people the more beautiful it is no matter where you are.



:confused: Maybe I'm anti social?:ohmy:

[QuercusMax]

It seems like the less people the more beautiful it is no matter where you are.



:confused: Maybe I'm anti social?:ohmy:

+1000 (on the first part - I don't know about your 2nd statement :) )

That's one of the main reasons I like living in the Idaho mountains much of the year.

My "neighbors" (nearest one is 3 miles away) are all really nice people, but maybe because there are so few of them.

[headshrink]

If the hotel is run by a company that is contacted as the "official" hotel of a national park, will their sign have the same legal teeth as any regular 'private' buisiness?

[pikdiesel]

Question about Nat'l Park CC?

I heard from a firearms CCW permit instructor that, you have to have a permit in the state that the Nat'l Park is in to legally carry. I have looked and tried to find something more specific that clarifies this, and I cannot.

I live in Maryland with a CCW permit issued from Utah.

If I visit a Nat'l park and the state that the park is in honors Utah's permit, can I carry, or do I have to have a permit issued from the state that the park is in?

Thanks in advance for any answers.

[chrish]

You first need to check if MD honors a non-resident permit. Are you saying you were a Utah resident now in MD, or a resident of another state, with a Utah permit, now living in MD? Each state has it's own rules about honoring (or not) non-resident permits. Many also have restrictions about honoring non-resident permits from another state...i.e. you are a legal resident of state A, you have a permit there. You also have a non-resident permit for state B, and then you travel to state C that honors B permits and not A permits. They may or may not honor your B permit since you are not an actual resident of that state. It's complicated.

USACarry.com has an interactive map that is quite helpful.

Last, regarding your park question. If you are legal to carry concealed in a state, for whatever reason (no permit required, you have a resident or non-resident permit that they honor, whatever)...AND that state's regs permit you to carry in a national park, then you are good.

In the end, you are going to be best served to contact the state police in MD and give them your specific scenario. Let them answer it.

I am not a lawyer.

[Bawanna]

Or just keep it under your shirt and drive. So far they still are not doing body cavity searches or making you walk thru a metal detector to enter a National Park, they'll probably see this and make plans for that but for now your ok.

Per SWMBO, I'm driving to Reno in June cause she wants me too. Due to time restraints I have to go through Oregon, the top corner of California and then into Nevada. I'd planned to go east and down the central route avoiding California all together.
I won't be changing a single thing in my normal attire.
No plans to stop and chat with the CHIPS, or local LE. I think I'm ok in Oregon, no idea in Nevada and I really don't care to be honest.

If bad things happen and I have to defend myself or SWMBO somebody send me a cake with a hacksaw blade inside.

[pikdiesel]

You first need to check if MD honors a non-resident permit. Are you saying you were a Utah resident now in MD, or a resident of another state, with a Utah permit, now living in MD? Each state has it's own rules about honoring (or not) non-resident permits. Many also have restrictions about honoring non-resident permits from another state...i.e. you are a legal resident of state A, you have a permit there. You also have a non-resident permit for state B, and then you travel to state C that honors B permits and not A permits. They may or may not honor your B permit since you are not an actual resident of that state. It's complicated.

USACarry.com has an interactive map that is quite helpful.

Last, regarding your park question. If you are legal to carry concealed in a state, for whatever reason (no permit required, you have a resident or non-resident permit that they honor, whatever)...AND that state's regs permit you to carry in a national park, then you are good.

In the end, you are going to be best served to contact the state police in MD and give them your specific scenario. Let them answer it.

I am not a lawyer.

Thanks for the quick response....I am now a MD resident. MD does have CCW permits, but it is very difficult to get one. They are a "may grant" state and you have to fall under specific circumstances to be considered.
I recently acquired a permit from Utah as a non resident.

Say I travel to a Nat'l park in Virginia, who honors Utah's permit, will I be able to carry concealed in that park?

Utah has recognition and/or reciprocity with 34 other states. After going to handgunlawus, it looks like my Utah permit will suffice. If the state that the park is in, honors Utah's permit, I should be legal.
Am I wrong in thinking this?

[AIRret]

Another item that is legal to carry in Yellowstone and in many, many other places it "BEAR spray". Last summer when I was out west I carried one or two guns as much as possible,
but I always (99.9%) carried my bear spray in a holster (it came with the bear spray) on my belt.
Believe it or not, you can carry bear spray in Canada!! ------ Yet when we crossed the Blue Water bridge into Canada from Port Huron MI we got delayed by almost an hour because we had pepper spray on the truck council (we keep it with us when walking the dog, just in case we run into a stray dog)!!!!!!! CRAZY!