Laws & Policies

The National Park Service carries out its responsibilities in parks and programs under the authority of federal laws, regulations, and Executive Orders, and in accordance with policies and Director's Orders established by the Director of the National Park Service and the Secretary of the Interior.

Law Enforcement - Division of Resource and Visitor Protection

Crater Lake National Park is an area of exclusive federal jurisdiction. All law enforcement functions within the park are carried out by commissioned park rangers within the Division of Resource and Visitor Protection who are duly appointed federal law enforcement officers. Their duties include law enforcement, emergency medical services, search and rescue, wildland and structural fire-fighting, as well as visitor safety, assistance, and information. Along with the federal laws, regulations, and policies listed, commissioned park rangers also have the authority to enforce applicable Oregon state criminal statutes and the Oregon state vehicle code.

Code of Federal Regulations/Federal Laws

Federal regulations that apply to all National Park Service sites can be found in the Code of Federal Regulations under Title 36. Among the federal laws that are enforced by commissioned park rangers are those within Title 16 of the United States Code (USC) that apply to the National Park System and other federal lands, federal criminal laws within Title 18 USC, and various federal drug laws within Title 21 USC.

Superintendent's Compendium

In the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), superintendents of each unit in the National Park System have the option to develop specific designations, closures, permit requirements, and other restrictions to address unique management needs in their particular unit. Within the CFR, superintendents are given the authority to amend, modify, relax, or make more stringent certain regulations. These park-specific regulations are incorporated into a document called the Superintendent's Compendium and are an extension of the CFR. These publications help direct the park's management efforts to best serve the mission of the National Park Service and the needs of visitors.

View and search the full Superintendent's Compendium for Crater Lake National Park.

Firearm Regulations

As of February 2010, federal law (Section 512 of the Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009, P.L. 111-24, 123 Stat. 1764-65) allows people who can legally possess firearms under applicable federal, state, and local laws to legally possess firearms in this park. It is the responsibility of visitors to understand and comply with all applicable state, local, and federal firearms laws before entering the park. Federal law (18 USC 930) also prohibits firearms in certain facilities in the park; those places are marked with signs indicating such at all public entrances.

Hunting Regulations

Hunting is prohibited in Crater Lake National Park.

Marijuana on Federal Lands

Recreational marijuana was legalized in the state of Oregon on July 1, 2015. That Oregon state law, however, as well as the previous state law that legalized marijuana for medical purposes, has no bearing on federal laws and regulations which continue to identify marijuana as a Schedule I illegal drug and prohibit its use. Possession or use of any amount of marijuana, even for medical purposes with a valid state medical marijuana card, is prohibited in Crater Lake National Park, its facilities, concessions, and campgrounds. Violations are punishable by a fine of not more than $5,000 for an individual or $10,000 for an organization, or imprisonment for not more than six months, or both (18 USC 3559 and 3571).

Remote-Controlled Aircraft

Launching, landing, or operating a drone or other remote-controlled aircraft from or on lands and waters administered by the National Park Service within the boundaries of Crater Lake National Park is prohibited except as approved in writing by the superintendent. Learn more here

Motor Vehicle Accident Report Request

With the "routine use exception" to the Privacy Act which is now in effect, all or most of an MVA report may be made available upon written request by parties designated in that routine use exception; for example, individuals involved, injured, or who suffered property damage in such incidents, their duly verified insurance companies, personal representatives, or attorneys. The revised NPS-19 provides that information on MVA reports may be released to parties designated in the routine use exception only when the release will not interfere with an on-going law enforcement proceeding, risk the health or safety of an individual, or reveal the identity of an informant or witness that received explicit assurance of confidentiality. Report requests will be filed with and become a permanent part of the original report.

The Motor Vehicle Accident Report request form must be completed and signed (be sure to include the supporting documentation), and then mailed, emailed, or faxed to:

Divison of Resource and Visitor Protection
Crater Lake National Park
PO Box 7
Crater Lake, OR 97604

Email: [e-mail]
Fax: [phone]

If you have any questions about park regulations, please contact the Ranger Station at 541-594-3060 or at the email address above.