OC'd Two National Parks, One State Park...Moab area

I just got back from taking the family to Moab for Spring break. I OC'd virtually the entire time we were there and never had a single comment. To be fair, I was OCing in a leather flap holster, so maybe less obvious than some other set ups. And I didn't OC while at the pool. But otherwise, everyplace other than the visitor center in Canyonlands.

Three days at breakfast in the hotel, three evenings eating dinner at three different locations.

We spent most of one day hiking around Arches National Park. We skipped the visitor center.

We spent our second day at Canyonlands. I left the guns (OCd and BUG) in the car, but left the empty holster on my belt while we popped into the "Island in the Sky" visitor center to look around, and ask about how rough some of the "4-wheel drive" roads were. We then drove down Scafer Trail road and along Potash back into Moab, with a little side trip out to Musselman Arch. This is a gorgeous drive that I highly recommend.

We headed home our third day and made a side trip to Goblin Valley State park. Being State and not federal, I OC'd into the visitor center as well as running around "valley #1" with the family. We ate lunch at the picnic area overlooking valley #1 and chatted with the ranger about the best camp sites and times of the year to visit.

Made a stop both going and coming home in the Price area for the bio-breaks.

Not a single comment or even any evidence anyone noticed, the entire time. I'm not surprised really. But given the number of out-of-state "tree hugger" types in and around Moab (along with lots of ATVers, 4-wheelers, and other outdoor motor-enthusiasts) , I would not have been shocked at some comment somewhere. But not a thing. Entirely uneventful...just as it should be.

I hate to admit it, but having spent most of my life in Utah and having made many a trip through Moab, this was my first time to these three parks. I only made my first visit to Dead Horse Point State Park a couple of years ago as a quick side trip while traveling through Moab. I would avoid the heat of the summer, but these places should be on your must-see list. I'm going back soon..with the dirt bike this time.

Charles

I've always wanted to take the ol truck out to Moab with the fam. Sounds perfect! I'm curious, what were you driving?

The Truth said:

I've always wanted to take the ol truck out to Moab with the fam. Sounds perfect! I'm curious, what were you driving?

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Bone stock Suburban with factory towing/off-road package. Never shifted out of two-wheel drive. At least this year with no water at all, you don't need anything beyond slightly more ground clearance than you are going to get in a typical commuter-mobile, as long as as one is smart enough to take it easy when needed. I can't imagine any road-worthy truck (that hasn't been lowered) having any problems this year. There were a couple of spots I might think twice about in a wet year.

Charles

Sounds awesome. I'm always amazed when I oc here and utah and not a person cares. Even a lot of the local outdoors folks seem to not mind in my experience.

J_dazzle23 said:

Sounds awesome. I'm always amazed when I oc here and utah and not a person cares. Even a lot of the local outdoors folks seem to not mind in my experience.

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It is very nice.

I'm still in awe over being able to legally carry into national parks. For the majority of my life it was generally illegal to have a usable gun inside a national park. Some of my favorite areas growing up were adjacent to national parks. There was no fence line and often no markers of any kind. But step over a line on a map with a usable gun and you were committing a crime. To be able to legally OC in parks is great. It has opened up a land area in Utah to legal possession of firearms equal to the smallest State.

Still stupid that we can't carry into visitor centers. We clearly have a lot of work left. But we've made some real progress in the last few years.

I forgot to note that the park pamphlet at Goblin Valley State Park has a short paragraph about firearms regulations. There is a small error, but without picking nits, it notes that possession is legal, discharge in the park generally isn't. I saw one or two signs at Arches NP that along with lots of stuff about their subject, would have a single sentence about "no discharge of firearms" in the park down in the area where they had "No dogs on trails" kind of rules.

So all of the printed material I saw that had anything to say about guns, was correct in not banning possession.

Charles

Totally agreed on the federal parks! But I didn't know it was illegal to carry in the visitors center-

Oops [emoji14]

National Park Service (NPS) was brought on board via a rider to the Credit Card Act of 2009.

Essentially what changed was that NPS from then on would mirror the laws of the state in which the NPS land was located. A primary restriction is that guns cannot be carried into any facility where a federal employee normally works - Note: very obvious and clear signage must be posted near the door to that facility.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Credit_CARD_Act_of_2009

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/federal-eye/2009/05/national_parks_gun_law_take_ef.html

Grapeshot said:

A primary restriction is that guns cannot be carried into any facility where a federal employee normally works -

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And all joking of "federal 'business'" aside, stand alone toilet facilities do not count as places where federal employees normally work.

I left the flap holster on the belt and simply removed the gun and extra magazine before going into the visitor center in Canyonlands. Nobody blinked or said or word; this even though I spent a good ten minutes talking to one of the rangers about road conditions.

Question, Grape, does the ban on guns in buildings cover ammo? Or would I have been ok to leave the spare mag in the holster?

Charles

utbagpiper said:

--snipped--

Question, Grape, does the ban on guns in buildings cover ammo? Or would I have been ok to leave the spare mag in the holster?

Charles

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Have never seen where ammo was restricted; however, I have not reseached it in depth.

I would personally opt to be safe with no ammo in that circumstance, just like in other federal facilities/buildings.

Grapeshot said:

Have never seen where ammo was restricted; however, I have not reseached it in depth.

I would personally opt to be safe with no ammo in that circumstance, just like in other federal facilities/buildings.

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That was my thought at the moment as well. They can't arrest me for being too cautious. And without the gun, not like the ammo does any good. Just wondering how carefully one might need to pat himself down in such cases in case there was a loose round in a pocket or something.

Thanks.

Charles