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16 U.S.C. §§ 21–24

8 sections in range

§21. Establishment; boundaries; trespassers

16 U.S.C. § 21

The tract of land in the States of Montana and Wyoming, lying near the headwaters of the Yellowstone River and described as follows, to wit, commencing at the junction of Gardiner’s River, with the Yellowstone River, and running east to the meridian passing ten miles to the eastward of the most eastern point of Yellowstone Lake; thence south along said meridian to the parallel of latitude passing ten miles south of the most southern point of Yellowstone Lake; thence west along said parallel to the meridian passing fifteen miles west of the most western point of Madison Lake; thence north along said meridian to the latitude of the junction of the Yellowstone and Gardiner’s Rivers; thence east to the place of beginning, is reserved and withdrawn from settlement, occupancy, or sale under the laws of the United States, and dedicated and set apart as a public park or pleasuring ground for the benefit and enjoyment of the people; and all persons who locate, or settle upon, or occupy any part of the land thus set apart as a public park, except as provided in section 22 of this title, shall be considered trespassers and removed therefrom.
Notes, amendments, and revision history

(R.S. § 2474.)

Editorial Notes

Codification

R.S. § 2474 derived from act Mar. 1, 1872, ch. 24, § 1, 17 Stat. 32.

§21a. Revision of boundaries; contiguous national forests; jurisdiction of forests

16 U.S.C. § 21a

The boundary of the Yellowstone National Park is changed so as to read as follows:

Beginning on the present north boundary line of Yellowstone National Park at its intersection with the hydrographic divide immediately north of Pebble Creek, approximately at park boundary monument 29 east; thence following said divide around the head of the drainage of Pebble Creek to its intersection with the present east boundary line of Yellowstone National Park, at a point near park boundary monument 54 north; thence southerly along said boundary line to its intersection with the hydrographic divide between Soda Butte and Cache Creeks, at a point near park boundary monument 51 north; thence easterly along said hydrographic divide to its intersection with the crest of the Absaroka Range; thence southerly along said crest to its intersection with the main hydrographic divide between Little Lamar River and the North Fork of Shoshone River, passing over Republic and Hoodoo Peaks; thence westerly along said divide passing over Notch Mountain to its intersection with the present east boundary line of Yellowstone National Park, at a point near park boundary monument 26 north; thence continuing westerly along said divide, now between the headwaters of Lamar River and Jones Creek; headwaters of Sedge, Bear, Cub, and Clear Creeks, and the headwaters of Jones and Crow Creeks, and between Crow Creek and Middle Creek, to its intersection with the present east boundary line of Yellowstone National Park, approximately at park boundary monument 18 north, passing over Pyramid and Cathedral Peaks, Mount Chittenden, and Avalanche Peak, thence southerly along said boundary line to its intersection with the hydrographic divide immediately south of Middle Creek, approximately at park boundary monument 15 north; thence westerly along said divide, now between a southern tributary of Middle Creek, headwaters of Beaverdam, Trappers, and Mountain Creeks, and the headwaters of Canfield and Eagle Creeks, to its intersection with the present east boundary line of Yellowstone National Park, at a point near park boundary monument 5 north, passing over Reservation and Atkins Peaks, Mount Schurz, Mount Humphreys, and Eagle Peak; and

Beginning on the present west boundary line of Yellowstone National Park at its intersection with the left bank of Gallatin River between park monuments 45 and 46 north; thence northwesterly along said bank to a point opposite the hydrographic divide between Daly and Tepee Creeks; thence northeasterly across the Gallatin River and along said divide, around the headwaters of Daly, Black Butte, Specimen, and Fan Creeks, to the intersection of said divide with the present north boundary line of Yellowstone National Park, at a point near park boundary monument 11 west.

All of those lands lying within the boundary lines above described and the present north, east, and west boundary lines are included in and made a part of the Yellowstone National Park; and all of those lands of the present Yellowstone National Park excluded from the park are included in and made a part of the contiguous national forests subject to all laws and regulations applicable to national forests, and upon acceptance thereof by appropriate action of the State, jurisdiction for all purposes whatsoever shall be, and is, ceded over the land excluded from the park to the State of Wyoming.

Notes, amendments, and revision history

(Mar. 1, 1929, ch. 437, § 1, 45 Stat. 1435; Apr. 19, 1930, ch. 190, 46 Stat. 220.)

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1930—Act Apr. 19, 1930, struck out “Provided, That whereas it is the purpose and intent of Congress to retain the areas hereby added to the park in its original wilderness character, therefore, no new roads shall be constructed and no hotels or permanent camps shall be authorized or permitted to be maintained on such lands”.

§21b. Extension of certain laws to park

16 U.S.C. § 21b

The provisions of the Act of March 1, 1872,1 reserving lands for park purposes, the Act of July 10, 1890,1 admitting the State of Wyoming into the Union, the Act of May 7, 1894, entitled “An Act to protect the birds and animals in the Yellowstone National Park and to punish crimes in said park, and for other purposes,”1 the Act of August 25, 1916, entitled “An Act to establish a National Park Service, and for other purposes,”1 and all Acts supplementary to and amendatory of said Acts are made applicable to and extended over the lands added to the park: Provided, That the provisions of the Federal Power Act [16 U.S.C. 791a et seq.] shall not apply to or extend over such lands.

Footnotes

  1. 1 See References in Text note below.
Notes, amendments, and revision history

(Mar. 1, 1929, ch. 437, § 2, 45 Stat. 1436.)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Act of March 1, 1872, referred to in text, is act Mar. 1, 1872, ch. 24, 17 Stat. 32. That Act was incorporated into the Revised Statutes as R.S. §§ 2474 and 2475 which are classified to sections 21 and 22, respectively, of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Tables.

The Act of July 10, 1890, referred to in text, is act July 10, 1890, ch. 664, 26 Stat. 222. The Act was classified to sections 481 and 490 of former Title 28, Judicial Code and Judiciary, which were repealed and reenacted in sections 501 and 541 of Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure, by act June 25, 1948, ch. 646, §§ 1, 39, 62 Stat. 869, 992. See section 541 of Title 28.

The Act of May 7, 1894, entitled “An Act to protect the birds and animals in the Yellowstone National Park and to punish crimes in said park, and for other purposes,”, referred to in text, is act May 7, 1894, ch. 72, 28 Stat. 73, which is classified to sections 24 to 30a of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Tables.

The Act of August 25, 1916, entitled “An Act to establish a National Park Service, and for other purposes,”, referred to in text, is act Aug. 25, 1916, ch. 408, 39 Stat. 535, known as the National Park Service Organic Act, which enacted sections 1, 2, 3, and 4 of this title and provisions set out as a note under section 100101 of Title 54, National Park Service and Related Programs. Sections 1 to 4 of the Act were repealed and restated as section 1865(a) of Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure, and section 100101(a), chapter 1003, and sections 100751(a), 100752, 100753, and 102101 of Title 54 by Pub. L. 113–287, §§ 3, 4(a)(1), 7, Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 3094, 3260, 3272. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Tables. For disposition of former sections of this title, see Disposition Table preceding section 100101 of Title 54.

The Federal Power Act, referred to in text, was in the original the “Act of June 10, 1920, entitled ‘An Act to create a Federal Power Commission, to provide for the improvement of navigation, the development of water power, the use of the public lands in relation thereto, and to repeal section 18 of the River and Harbor Appropriation Act, approved August 8, 1917, and for other purposes,’ ” and was redesignated the Federal Power Act by section 791a of this title. The Federal Power Act is act June 10, 1920, ch. 285, 41 Stat. 1063, and is classified generally to chapter 12 (§ 791a et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 791a of this title and Tables.

§21c. Section 485 as extending to revised boundaries; lands acquired by exchange

16 U.S.C. § 21c

The provisions of section 485 of this title shall continue to be applicable to the areas included within the Yellowstone National Park by section 21a of this title, and any lands within such areas acquired by exchange thereunder shall thereupon become a part of the Yellowstone National Park.
Notes, amendments, and revision history

(Mar. 1, 1929, ch. 437, § 3, 45 Stat. 1436.)

§21d. Existing claims, locations, and entries as affected by revised boundaries

16 U.S.C. § 21d

Nothing herein contained shall affect any valid existing claim, location, or entry under the land laws of the United States, whether for homestead, mineral right of way, or any other purposes whatsoever, or shall affect the right of any such claimant, locator, or entryman to the full use and enjoyment of his land.
Notes, amendments, and revision history

(Mar. 1, 1929, ch. 437, § 4, 45 Stat. 1436.)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Herein, referred to in text, means act Mar. 1, 1929, which is classified to sections 21a to 21d of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Tables.

§22. Control of park by Secretary of the Interior; removal of trespassers

16 U.S.C. § 22

The Yellowstone National Park shall be under the exclusive control of the Secretary of the Interior, whose duty it shall be, as soon as practicable, to make and publish such regulations as he may deem necessary or proper for the care and management of the same. Such regulations shall provide for the preservation, from injury or spoliation, of all timber, mineral deposits, natural curiosities, or wonders, within the park, and their retention in their natural condition. The Secretary may, in his discretion, grant leases for building purposes for terms not exceeding ten years, of small parcels of ground, at such places in the park as may require the erection of buildings for the accommodation of visitors; all of the proceeds of such leases, and all other revenues that may be derived from any source connected with the park, to be expended under his direction in the management of the same, and the construction of roads and bridle-paths therein. He shall provide against the wanton destruction of the fish and game found within the park, and against their capture or destruction for the purposes of merchandise or profit. He shall also cause all persons trespassing upon the same to be removed therefrom, and generally is authorized to take all such measures as may be necessary or proper to fully carry out the objects and purposes of this section.
Notes, amendments, and revision history

(R.S. § 2475.)

Editorial Notes

Codification

R.S. § 2475 derived from act Mar. 1, 1872, ch. 24, § 2, 17 Stat. 33.

§23. Detail of troops for protection of park

16 U.S.C. § 23

The Secretary of the Army, upon the request of the Secretary of the Interior, is authorized and directed to make the necessary details of troops to prevent trespassers or intruders from entering the park for the purpose of destroying the game or objects of curiosity therein, or for any other purpose prohibited by law, and to remove such persons from the park if found therein.
Notes, amendments, and revision history

(Mar. 3, 1883, ch. 143, 22 Stat. 627; July 26, 1947, ch. 343, title II, § 205(a), 61 Stat. 501.)

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

Department of War designated Department of the Army and title of Secretary of War changed to Secretary of the Army by section 205(a) of act July 26, 1947, ch. 343, title II, 61 Stat. 501. Section 205(a) of act July 26, 1947, was repealed by section 53 of act Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 641. Section 1 of act Aug. 10, 1956, enacted “Title 10, Armed Forces” which in sections 3010 to 3013 continued military Department of the Army under administrative supervision of Secretary of the Army.

§24. Jurisdiction over park; fugitives from justice

16 U.S.C. § 24

The Yellowstone National Park, as its boundaries now are defined, or as they may be hereafter defined or extended, shall be under the sole and exclusive jurisdiction of the United States. All the laws applicable to places under the sole and exclusive jurisdiction of the United States, shall have force and effect in said park. Nothing in this Act shall be construed to forbid the service in the park of any civil or criminal process of any court having jurisdiction in the States of Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. All fugitives from justice taking refuge in said park shall be subject to the same laws as refugees from justice found in the State of Wyoming.
Notes, amendments, and revision history

(May 7, 1894, ch. 72, § 1, 28 Stat. 73.)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

This Act, referred to in text, is act May 7, 1894, which is classified to sections 24 to 30a of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Tables.

Codification

Section 2 of act May 7, 1894, provided that the Yellowstone National Park should be part of the judicial district of Wyoming, and that the courts of the United States for the district should have jurisdiction of all offenses committed within the park. It was superseded by act Mar. 3, 1911, ch. 231, § 115, 36 Stat. 1130, constituting the State of Wyoming and Yellowstone National Park the judicial district of Wyoming, that section being in turn superseded by act June 5, 1924, ch. 260, 43 Stat. 388. Provisions of that act are covered by section 131 of Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Wyoming: Jurisdiction Over Park

The act admitting the State of Wyoming into the Union, act July 10, 1890, ch. 664, 26 Stat. 222, contained a proviso annexed to the description of the boundaries of the State, in section 2 of the act, as follows: “That nothing in this act contained shall repeal or affect any act of Congress relating to the Yellowstone National Park, or the reservation of the Park as now defined, or as may be hereafter defined or extended, or the power of the United States over it; and nothing contained in this act shall interfere with the right and ownership of the United States in said park and reservation as it now is or may hereafter be defined or extended by law; but exclusive legislation, in all cases whatsoever, shall be exercised by the United States, which shall have exclusive control and jurisdiction over the same; but nothing in this proviso contained shall be construed to prevent the service within said park of civil and criminal process lawfully issued by the authority of said State.”