National Park Service A Study of the Park and Recreation Problem of the United States

NEARLY TWO-THIRDS of the people live in sparsely populated rural sections. The urban population is concentrated largely within or along the edge of the mountain districts. Outside of the mountains settlements occur principally along the great east-west railways and the Missouri and Yellowstone Rivers and their tributaries.

The large Federal holdings of park, forest, and other recreational lands offer exceptional opportunities for vacation use and to a more limited extent, local day use. Morrison Cave State Park, near Butte, and about a half million acres of forest land constitute the principal State-owned acreage. The development of municipal parks has been greatly accelerated through emergency relief projects.

State recreation areas are needed throughout the State, especially in the eastern section. Except for a few municipal parks, an area of about the size of North Dakota in the eastern section of the State is practically devoid of recreational facilities. The advisibility of counties leasing recreation sites on forest land should be considered. Another important need is the preservation of tracts of virgin timber along the highways.

It is recommended that a comprehensive park and recreation study be undertaken at an early date.

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¹ Area under Federal administration June 1938.

² Acreage being developed for recreation.

³ Total acreage figure,520,000,from U. S. D. A. Statistics, "P." December 1938, Status of State forests and certain other State-, county-, and town-owned forest areas from data supplied by State foresters.