2024 National Wilderness Month Proclamation

America’s beautiful natural landscapes are part of our Nation’s identity, history, and heritage. One century ago, the Gila Wilderness was established as our country’s first designated wilderness area, protecting this national treasure and beginning a new era of Federal conservation. Across our Nation, designated wilderness areas protect some of our most precious sites — soaring mountains, winding rivers, expansive deserts, and lush forests. These special places unite us, inspire us, and connect us to something bigger than ourselves. During National Wilderness Month, we recommit to the essential work of protecting our Earth, celebrate our country’s natural places, and continue our work to ensure that every community has access to nature’s gifts.

-- President Biden

The Wrangell-St. Elias Wilderness is the largest federal wilderness area in the whole country, protecting over nine million acres of public land.

NPS/J. Frank

The Wilderness Act established the National Wilderness Preservation System, a national network of more than 800 federally-designated wilderness areas. Federal wilderness areas are designated by an act of Congress and this designation established our responsibility to preserve wilderness character and provides the highest level of legal protection for our federal public lands in the United States. Wilderness areas are managed by the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and US Forest Service.

Wilderness is more than just forested mountains - National Park Service (NPS) wilderness protects deserts, alpine meadows, tundra, lava beds, sand dunes, swamps, and coasts. Much of this diverse wilderness also reflects thousands of years of human residence and homeland, further strengthening our connection to these special places. Wilderness stewardship builds upon the legacy of shared connections between people and the land. Existing long before national parks and federal wilderness areas, the rich cultural traditions of Indigenous people and later residents with lands now managed as wilderness is important to recognize and respect.

National Wilderness Month marks the 60th anniversary of the Wilderness Act

Did you know over 80 percent of all NPS lands are managed as wilderness? President Biden has proclaimed September 2024 as National Wilderness Month and the NPS is joining in recognizing this important month! Throughout September, we will celebrate our federal wilderness areas and the 60th anniversary of the Wilderness Act.

The NPS invites everyone to celebrate National Wilderness Month with us this year. To learn more about wilderness, including a variety of wilderness-specific benefits, visit NPS.gov/wilderness.

In the mood to virtually visit a wilderness area right now? Check out our America's Wilderness webisode series to visit the wilderness of a national park near or far! And remember, if you're able to get out and explore a wilderness area, help ensure that everyone has a positive and inspiring experience by Recreating Responsibly and practicing Leave No Trace.