Federal agencies seek public comment on future of climbing management in Wilderness
On June 15, 2026, the U.S. Department of the Interior and U.S. Department of Agriculture released draft climbing management guidance that will help determine how climbing is managed on federal public lands for decades to come.
The draft documents and comment portal are available through the Federal eRulemaking Portal here. Comments on the draft guidance must be submitted by August 14, 2026.
The guidance, required by Section 122 of the EXPLORE Act—better known as the Protecting America’s Rock Climbing (PARC) Act—is now open for public comment. The National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Fish and Wildlife Service, and U.S. Forest Service are seeking input from climbers, local communities, Tribes, land managers, and other stakeholders before finalizing the policies.
For climbers in the Tetons, this is an important opportunity to help shape how climbing, fixed anchors, and route stewardship will be managed in Wilderness areas in the future.
The National Park Service notes that climbing has long been recognized as a traditional and historically significant Wilderness activity. At the same time, the agency is tasked with preserving wilderness character while providing opportunities for recreational climbing. The new guidance is intended to clarify how those goals can coexist under the requirements of the PARC Act.
According to the Access Fund, the draft policies contain several important advances. They recognize climbing as an appropriate Wilderness activity, acknowledge that fixed anchors are allowable components of the climbing safety system, protect routes established before January 4, 2025, and allow climbers to place or replace fixed anchors during emergencies without permits.
Access Fund (AF) Director of Policy and Advocacy Erik Murdock has described the draft guidance as a significant improvement over previous proposals that raised concerns about climbing access and fixed-anchor management.
AF supports:
– The guidance recognizes climbing as an appropriate activity in Wilderness,
– Fixed anchors, critical pieces of the climbing safety system, are allowable in Wilderness,
– Climbing routes established before January 4, 2025 are permanently protected,
– Climbers can place or replace fixed anchors in emergency situations without permits.
At the same time, Access Fund has identified several areas where the guidance can be strengthened, including improving processes for anchor replacement and reducing unnecessary administrative barriers to responsible climbing stewardship.
Areas for Improvement
– Improve policies to expedite timely replacement of fixed anchors in order to avoid unnecessary barriers to climber safety.
– The authorization process for new climbing routes that require fixed anchors should be easier to navigate.
– A clear path is needed for programmatic authorization, or preauthorization, at climbing areas that do not necessitate case-by-case special use permits.
The Teton Climbers’ Coalition encourages local climbers to participate in the public comment process. Whether you climb in Grand Teton National Park, the Bridger-Teton National Forest, the Winds, or elsewhere across the region, your perspective can help ensure that final policies support both Wilderness stewardship and sustainable climbing access.
How to Participate
Comments must be submitted through Regulations.gov. Comments submitted by email, fax, or other methods will not be accepted.
Suggested Comment Themes
Thoughtful, constructive comments from climbers played a critical role in shaping the PARC Act. They can help shape its implementation as well. Suggested comment themes include:
- Support recognition of climbing as an appropriate Wilderness activity.
- Support recognition of fixed anchors as allowable components of the climbing safety system.
- Support efficient replacement of aging anchors.
- Support practical, streamlined management approaches that avoid unnecessary administrative burdens.
- Support the long-term preservation of historic climbing routes and access opportunities.
- Share your own experiences with climbing, stewardship, guiding, conservation, or volunteer work.