Wilderness in the National Parks

A wilderness studies program has been underway in the National Park Service since 1964 when the Wilderness Act directed the service to study all roadless areas of 5,000 acres or more in the parks and other areas of the system that existed in 1964. This would include a total of 65 areas. Public hearings have been held on 43 and up through fiscal 1972, reports on 40 of these areas have been completed. Substantial progress on the balance has been made and completion by 1974 is anticipated. To date, Congress has created wilderness units in the Petrified Forest National Park and Craters of the Moon National Monument.