Don't forget that the NPS isn't the only agency responsible for managing
National Parks.  The Ironwood Forest National Monument is one 'National
Park' managed by BLM.  Others are Parashant NM, Sonoran Desert NM, Agua Fria
NM and Vermilion Cliffs NM...and these are just the Arizona ones.

http://www.az.blm.gov:80/natmon5.htm

Now...the question is whether BLM policies or NPS policies will prevail in
those areas.  Take a look at some of these areas and you'll see that there
are caches in every one of them.

The names "National Park", "National Monument", "National Historic Site"
etc. seem to be more of an 'internal' label that the government uses to
classify the different locations.  I had heard one time, from an NPS
employee, that it depends on how the park was created.  If Congress creates
it, it is one category, if the President creates it (like the above
mentioned BLM NMs), it is a different category.  Personally, I'm not so sure
of that because I know parks change designations.

And, this gives me a chance to plug my travelbug, National Park Passport
(http://www.geocaching.com/track/details.aspx?id=5406), which has just
resurfaced after being missing for nearly two years!!

LazyK - Dan
 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: az-geocaching-admin@listserv.azgeocaching.com 
> [mailto:az-geocaching-admin@listserv.azgeocaching.com] On 
> Behalf Of Team Tierra Buena
> Sent: Wednesday, July 07, 2004 6:56 AM
> To: listserv@azgeocaching.com
> Subject: RE: [Az-Geocaching] Mad Park Ranger
> 
> 
> > Is a "National Monument" exactly the same as a "National Park"?

> It's not the designation that matters, it's the responsible land
> management agency. Coronado National Memorial is managed by 
> NPS, and as
> such is off-limits to physical caches.
> Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge is managed by the US Fish and
> Wildlife Service (USFWS). At the time the "El Camino del Diablo Strike
> Force" hit the caches there, the USFWS had no policy on Geocaching. As
> of November, 2003, they banned Geocaching on USFWS lands as well.
> Not all of the caches along El Camino del Diablo were within 
> the Refuge
> boundary, either. Those outside the Refuge were on the 
> Goldwater Gunnery
> Range, which is jointly managed by BLM and the military. Caches there,
> to the best of my knowledge, are still not subject to anything other
> than the standard BLM policy, which does permit caching with certain
> restrictions.
> Steve
> Team Tierra Buena 
> 
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