Title 23, Title 23

(1) (a) The department may levy and collect reasonable fees or other charges for the use of privileges and conveniences that may be provided and to grant concessions that it considers advisable, except as provided in subsections (2) and (6). (b) There must be deposited into a sta…

(1) The department and the board may make rules governing the use, occupancy, and protection of the property under their control. (2) A person who violates subsection (3) or a rule established pursuant to this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be fined not more than $5…

In carrying out the provisions of this part, the department may seek and accept the cooperation of other state and local agencies and the agencies of the federal government and may assist and cooperate with other state agencies, political subdivisions of the state, with neighbori…

(1) Any person, association, or representative of a governing unit may submit a proposal for the acquisition of a site or area described in 23-1-102 from the income of the trust fund created in 15-35-108 to the department by July 1 of the year preceding the convening of a legisla…

There is a Montana agricultural center and museum of the Northern Great Plains located in Fort Benton. The department of fish, wildlife, and parks shall acquire the center and museum, but the department may lease the facility to a qualified local government entity or nonprofit co…

(1) Any proposed improvement or development of a state park or fishing access site that significantly changes park or fishing access site features or use patterns is subject to notice of proposed modifications, both statewide and locally, and to opportunity for a public meeting a…

(1) Except as provided in subsection (2), for state parks, primitive parks, state recreational areas, public camping grounds, state historic sites, state monuments, and other heritage and recreational resources, land, and water administered pursuant to Title 23, chapter 1, and Ti…

Sections 23-1-115 through 23-1-118 may be cited as the "Montana Primitive Parks Act".

Because of their unique and primarily undeveloped character, the following state parks and management areas are designated as primitive parks and are subject to the provisions of 23-1-115 through 23-1-118: (1) Wild Horse Island state park; (2) Big Pine management area; (3) Sluice…

(1) The only development allowed in primitive parks designated in 23-1-116 is: (a) necessary improvements required to meet minimum public health standards regarding sanitation, which may include necessary access to outhouses, septic vaults, and water; (b) improvements necessary t…

(1) In recognition of the right of Montana residents to use primitive parks without regard to their ability to pay, a Montana resident is not required to pay a user fee for the use of any primitive park designated in 23-1-116. (2) A nonresident who wishes to use a primitive park …

(1) The department is authorized to establish a corps of park rangers and to select and appoint park rangers who must be qualified by their experience, training, skill, and interest in the protection, conservation, and stewardship of the natural and cultural resources and parks a…

(1) Park rangers appointed pursuant to 23-1-121 and fish and game wardens appointed pursuant to 87-1-501 are authorized officers with the authority to enforce the laws and adopted rules relating to parks and outdoor recreation contained in chapters 1 and 2 of this title, except c…

(1) The use of exploding targets on properties managed pursuant to this title is prohibited when the department of natural resources and conservation determines that fire danger is high, very high, or extreme. (2) For the purposes of this section, "exploding targets" means commer…

(1) The good neighbor policy of public land use, as applied to public recreational lands, seeks a goal of no impact upon adjoining private and public lands by preventing impact on those adjoining lands from noxious weeds, trespass, litter, noise and light pollution, streambank er…

With regard to state parks and fishing access sites, implementation of the good neighbor policy requires that priority is to be given to maintenance of existing facilities, rather than to development or improvement. For purposes of 23-1-126 and this section, "maintenance" means: …

(1) In order to protect riparian vegetation, provide for stable streambanks, reduce erosion, and provide for nutrient barriers to protect the quality of rivers and streams, camping in a motor vehicle, as defined in 61-1-101, is discouraged within 25 feet of a river or stream in s…

(1) Except as provided in subsection (3), no more than 80% of all available campsites may be reserved in a state park, recreational area, or public camping ground with overnight camping. (2) This section applies to all state parks, recreational areas, and public camping grounds u…

In order to preserve and protect the biological station grounds hereafter referred to and to remove fire hazards and the danger of other encroachments tending to detract from the scientific values and uses thereof, the department is authorized to maintain a state scientific and r…

The department shall make such rules governing the park's use, occupancy, and the protection of the remaining lands of the grant as necessary to promote and continue the use of all of the lands for biological station purposes. The park itself shall be so maintained as to develop …