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In National Parks
Board: Letterbox Chatter
Oct 31, 2018 2:13pm
Thread (disabled) Board
According to "The Letterboxer's Companion" by Randy Hall, letterboxes are against regulations to placed in National Parks. Yet, I have found them there and wonder if actually, I should ignore them if they are not legally supposed to be there. What do others say?
Re: In National Parks
Board: Letterbox Chatter
Reply to: #967637 by butterfly jane
Oct 31, 2018 4:33pm
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I have heard that also. I am interested to see if anyone else has input. Good question!
Re: In National Parks
Board: Letterbox Chatter
Reply to: #967637 by butterfly jane
Oct 31, 2018 5:05pm
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When Randy wrote that book in 2004 that was true. Now there are policies that can allow for them to be planted.
Re: In National Parks
Board: Letterbox Chatter
Reply to: #967651 by Eidolon
Oct 31, 2018 5:27pm
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Do you (or anyone) know what the polices are?
Re: In National Parks
Board: Letterbox Chatter
Reply to: #967652 by Oberon_Kenobi
Oct 31, 2018 5:44pm
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Start here.

"Because of the diversity of GPSRA and the variations in the way they are (or can be) managed, the Service does not have a policy explicitly allowing or prohibiting any of these activities."

I stopped reading at that point since that answers the question that people always ask.
Re: In National Parks
Board: Letterbox Chatter
Reply to: #967656 by Eidolon
Oct 31, 2018 6:50pm
Thread (disabled) Board
Hate i didnt know this in June! Went from Alabama to Wyoming & through a lot of National Parks & Forests.

Oh well, ready for next year!
Re: In National Parks
Board: Letterbox Chatter
Reply to: #967656 by Eidolon
Oct 31, 2018 7:32pm
Thread (disabled) Board
From the NPS link:

Letterboxing involves the placement of a cache containing a stamp and an inkpad that enables participants to document that they found the specific location. Participants find the location by following “clues.” Clues often involve map coordinates or compass bearings, but most letterboxes currently in existence do not require the use of a GPS device. Although letterboxing is intended to be environmentally friendly, if the “box” is buried or concealed by manipulated vegetation or rocks, or will cause participants to create social trails or traverse sensitive or dangerous locations, the impacts will likely be unacceptable. However, it is entirely possible that some parks, particularly those with a vast expanse of backcountry, will have locations where a letterbox could be concealed and sought out without causing unacceptable impacts. In those cases, the superintendent has the option to designate locations where, or establish conditions under which, the cache could be left unattended—for example, in the same location as an NPS- sponsored summit log.

So the answer to the OP seems to be no, don’t automatically assume a letterbox in a National Forest is placed illegally.
Re: In National Parks
Board: Letterbox Chatter
Reply to: #967663 by DarkZen and Evil Cow Pie
Oct 31, 2018 8:53pm
Thread (disabled) Board
So the answer to the OP seems to be no, don’t automatically assume a letterbox in a National Forest is placed illegally.

Actually this link and your quote only applies to National Parks. Department of the Interior.

National Forests are Department of Agriculture which has never had a ban.

But essentially it is like many other state and local parks, whether the box is allowed is officially up to the park manager, if you choose to ask them.
Re: In National Parks
Board: Letterbox Chatter
Reply to: #967637 by butterfly jane
Oct 31, 2018 10:06pm
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As a general rule in my travels is I do not plant on NP property, though as some of you who have found my NP themed boxes they may be right over the boundary line (Zion, Bryce, Capitol reef, fossil butte) and some of those you have to drive through he NP to get to non-NP public land. I have found a few boxes on NP property but I doubt they were placed there with permission. Only one in CO, was at the visitor center and you had to ask a ranger. As eidolon said, you would need permission from the park manager otherwise.

I did not find this to be the same in Canada parks though.
Re: In National Parks
Board: Letterbox Chatter
Reply to: #967671 by Dawgdok
Nov 1, 2018 6:27am
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What are Canadian rules?
Re: In National Parks
Board: Letterbox Chatter
Reply to: #967681 by All 4 Bama
Nov 1, 2018 8:32am
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So I couldn’t find anything specific to letterboxing but here are the geocaching rules. Similar, but in my opinion a little more liberal than the US National Park regulations, or that just may be my interpretation, but I’m not a lawyer, I’m a dawgdok.

https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/docs/pc/guide/geocache
Re: In National Parks
Board: Letterbox Chatter
Reply to: #967637 by butterfly jane
Nov 1, 2018 1:34pm
Thread (disabled) Board
I've been boxing for 12 years, and have always gone by the philosophy of "what they don't know wont hurt them."

As long as the box was just off a trail, or in a safe area I would look for it . . . heck, I'd even plant one there (have to make sure the clues are cryptic enough not to pop up on their searches).

However, if a box is WAY off the path, in an unsafe/fragile area, I'd stay away.

hx6
Re: In National Parks
Board: Letterbox Chatter
Reply to: #967691 by Dawgdok
Nov 1, 2018 6:58pm
Thread (disabled) Board
Thanks! This is a very educational topic!