OK; it has been about 10+ years ago when living in SE Missouri, we had just bought a pick-up slide in camper and I made a scouting trip to LBL. The entry visitors center was closed so I had to go to the first campground to get my "back-country camping permit". It was busy and I was waiting in line, 2 guys approached to get my info to speed up the process when I got to the window. One was at the drivers window and one went to the rear to get the license plate number and the fallowing took place;
Guy at rear> Steve come here
Guy at window> Just give me the plate number
gar> no you have to come here
Steve> Oh OK (starts to rear)
me> I have the same plate on the front
Steve> (goes to front and bends over to see the license plate number "GLOCK9" comes back to window) That's quite a plate; you don't have any guns in there with you do you?
me> OH no sir. That would be against the regulations
Steve> (gives me one of those little smiles that says "I know you're lying and you know I know you're lying" but says nothing else and I proceed to get my camping permit)
The next day while checking out a lake side camping spot and talking to a couple camping there an armed Forest Service Ranger stopped by and we talked for a while. As he was getting ready to leave I asked..
me> Am I really supposed to bring my wife out here in the middle of nowhere, where no one could hear you yell and there is no cell phone signal unarmed?
Ranger> Only if you're stupid. I know that guy there (the camper we were talking to) has a 12 ga shotgun and a 357 in the camper. We're not going to go around searching people for weapons, we only use that as an enhancement charge for someone causing trouble.
I wouldn't OC, but I wouldn't be unarmed either if that sign is still there. I know LBL is a "National Recreation Area" but does it not fall into the same firearms authorization as National Parks as they are under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service??
I found this under Glen Canyon National Recreation Area but haven't found anything specific to LBL...
Firearm Regulations
As of February 22, 2010, a new federal law allows people who can legally posess firearms under applicable federal, state, and local laws, to legally posess firearms in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and all other National Park Service units.
It is the responsibility of visitors to understand and comply with all applicable state, local, and federal firearms laws before entering this park. If you plan on being in Utah, please visit this site. If you plan on being in Arizona, please visit this site.
Federal law also prohibits firearms in certain facilities in this park (such as the Carl Hayden Visitor Center); those places are marked with signs at all public entrances.
We have the Colorado National Monument just a couple miles away and I OC there all the time, even talking to NPS personnel, including NPS Police without a problem.
