Compendium of designations, closures, permit requirements and other restrictions imposed under the park Superintendent's discretionary authority.

On August 25, 1916, the United States Congress created the National Park Service to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wildlife therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them (parks, monuments and reservations) unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations.

In accordance with those regulations and the delegated authority provided in Title 36, Code of Federal Regulations, Chapter 1, Parts 1 through 7, authorized by Title 16, United States Code, Section 3, the following regulatory provisions are established for the proper management protection. government and public use of the Ocmulgee National Monument.

Unless otherwise noted, these orders apply in addition to the provisions contained in Parts 1-7.

James S. David

Superintendent, Ocmulgee National Monument

May 20, 2000

         (a) (1)   To protect and preserve the natural and cultural resources of Ocmulgee National Monument, the park uses controlled accessibility. All visitors and service representatives are required to enter through the signed park gate located at 1207 Emery Highway.

The park is open daily to public use from 9:00am to 5:00pm. The park is closed to public use and entry from 5:00pm to 9:00am. Park operating hours are subject to change dependent upon seasonal visitor demands and special programs.

The park is closed to public use on Christmas Day and New Years Day.

The Lamar Site, a separated forty (40) acre archeological preserve under the jurisdiction of Ocmulgee NM is closed to public visitation year round unless the visitor has been issued a permit by the Superintendent or his representative. The entire site is encompassed by boundary signs and closure signs.

The marsh/pond area directly to the south of the railroad overpass and across the park road known as the railroad tunnel pond (or the turtle pond) is closed to public use, i.e. fishing, wading, trapping. boats. The section of Walnut Creek lying within Ocmulgee National Monument is closed to all boating.

Ocmulgee National Monument's residential and maintenance area is signed as closed to unauthorized entry, and should not be entered by the visiting public. 

The lawn area immediately surrounding the Visitor Center, as shown on the location map available at the Visitor Center, is hereby designated as an area open to passive and active recreational activities such as sun bathing and ball throwing. The Indian Mounds, Indian Village areas, as well as other open areas surrounding these sites are closed to recreational uses that interfere with the preservation of scenic and cultural values at sites considered sacred by Native Americans.  

The entire Park is closed to kite flying. 

         (a) (2)  Fishing is permitted within park boundaries along the Ocmulgee River, Walnut Creek and the Clay Hole pond adjacent to the Great Temple Mound.  All fishermen are responsible for compliance with Georgia state fishing regulations. Anyone sixteen (16) and over required to have a valid State license. In addition to State regulations, fishing must be conducted

       (c)        Permits are required for the following activities:

                --Exceptions to Closures and Public Use Limits (1.5)

                --Research Specimens (2.5)

                --Noncommercial Soliciting (2.37)

                --Special Events (2.50)

                --Public Assemblies and Meetings (2.51)

                --Sale or Distribution of Printed Matter (2.52)

                --Residing on Federal Lands (2.61)

                --Memorialization (2.62)

                --Business Operations (5.3)

                --Commercial Photography (5.5)

An NPS representative will explain the regulations and administrative policies. Applications for Permit to execute such activities may be obtained in the administrative offices of the Visitor Center.

2.1    Preservation of Natural, Cultural, and Archeological Resources

          (c) (1)    Reasonable quantities of the following may be gathered for personal use and consumption: pine cones, fruits, pine straw, berries, nuts

        (a) Camping is not allowed anywhere within the park.

Visitors to the park may picnic at the tables maintained for that purpose located in front of the Visitor Center. Picnic tables should not be moved from their original position.

Park residents may keep pets in accordance with the Superintendent's Directive concerning this subject.

Use of roller skates, skateboards, coasting vehicles, or similar devices is permitted only by

park residents and their guests in the residential area and on park roads after the park is closed to the public.

2.21  Smoking                

Smoking is prohibited inside all buildings except within designated smoking areas.  Visitors are encouraged to be aware of the fire danger of smoking along park trails and walkways.

         (a) (2)  Property, particularly vehicles, left within the park after closing hours and after an NPS official has attempted to locate the owner will be determined to be abandoned. Following this determination, a vehicle will be towed at the owners expense and the owner held  responsible for reclaiming their property. Other property will be recorded under lost and found procedures and held for sixty (60) days. 

          (a) (3)  Alcoholic beverages may be consumed at picnic tables within the established picnic area  and within the curtilege of park residences.  All other areas including the Visitor Center/Museum, mounds, and earth lodge are closed to the consumption and/or possession of alcoholic beverages.

          (b) Unless otherwise posted, the maximum speed limit is twenty all park roads; except that the maximum speed limit is fifteen (15) miles per hour within all parking areas, the administrative office access road, and on the maintenance facility access road.

The Service's mandate requires that it carefully plan and regulate the use of the parks so that park resources are perpetrated and maintained unimpaired for future generations. Thus, the limits and kinds of use are circumscribed by requirements of resource management and protection.

In order to provide an enjoyable park experience, to meet its mandate to preserve "the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wildlife" of the parks, and to comply with the intent of the Wilderness Act, the Service will, whenever necessary, regulate the amount and kind, and time and place, of visitor use in the parks. 

             --Management Policies VII-1 

The following explanations are provided pursuant to 36 CFR 1.5(c) and as required by part 1.7(b) when designations, closures. permit requirements and other restrictions on park uses are imposed.

1.5(a)(1)  Ocmulgee was established as an archeological/cultural preserve.  Because of the great public interest in arrowhead and pottery collecting, the National Park Service must be constantly aware of  an existing threat to the resource by those who would not respect its preservation ideals.

In order to meet the requirements of serving the public while preserving their resources, the park cannot remain open when there is not an appropriate number of Rangers on duty. A study of visitor use in fiscal year 1984 revealed the largest visitation between the hours of 9am and 5pm. 

The limitation of visitor use at unimproved Lamar Site does not adversely affect the cultural or natural resource experience of Ocmulgee. The site has not been provided with facilities for visitor safety, control, protection, or sanitary needs. Tradition and public expectations are consistent with not permitting visitor access to this area, unless the visitor has been issued a permit and the service has had an opportunity to advise the visitor of potential safety hazards and resource protection regulations.

The marsh/pond area "generally appears to have been affected primarily by the forces of nature, with the imprint of man's work substantially unnoticeable". (Wilderness Act, 1964) The area is a teeming ecosystem protected against damage or human involvement. Enjoy this area from a distance.

The ecosystem must be preserved just as the cultural resources are protected. Most of Walnut Creek within the park is too small to support boats without disrupting the natural scene. The section of Walnut Creek that is near its intersection with Emery Highway does not have a safe access point. In October 1988 GADOT Area Engineer stated that GADOT considers parking along state highway right-of-ways for the purposes of loading and unloading boats and unsafe practice and should be discouraged.  Therefore, this boating closure is also done in the interest of public safety.

The parks residential and maintenance area contains personal belongings and government equipment and supplies that are secured by keeping all but authorized traffic from entering. There are no park theme related sites in this area

Justification for restriction established by Superintendent, pursuant to above cited authority. This restriction is necessary for the maintenance of public safety and for the protection of scenic values and cultural resources. Kite flying in cleared unmowed areas is not safe since holes and unlevel terrain are not easily visible. Kite flying within mowed areas poses a threat to visitor safety along roads, and poses a threat to cultural resources near mounds. Kite flying along trails results in kites being caught in trees impairing the scenic cultural value of the Park. 

This designation and closure is made for the protection of nationally significant cultural resources and for the preservation of scenic values at sites considered sacred areas by Native Americans, and at sites where present visitors come to gain an appreciation of the cultural heritage of Native Americans. The passive Recreational area is established in order to provide an equitable allocation for use of the facilities by visitors wishing to participate in such use, and to avoid conflict among visitor use activities.

          (2)  Fishing along the banks of Walnut Creek and the Ocmulgee River has been deemed to have no detrimental impact on the aquatic resources. The resources should not be endangered when State and Federal regulations are followed. 

1.6                    Permits may be issued by the Superintendent to authorize an otherwise prohibited or restricted activity. The activities that require permits include only those activities prohibited or restricted under 36 CFR 1-7.

2.1(c)(1)  Hand gathering of designated fruits, nuts, and berries is not determined to adversely affect the natural balance. Should monitoring show that picking fruits, nuts, and berries begins to adversely affect the ecosystem, this relaxation of 2.1(c)(1) will be terminated.

2.10(a)         There are no facilities or areas developed for camping in the park. To protect the resources  no one is allowed within the park after closing. Camping activities were not authorized by Congress in the enabling legislation.

2.11         Specific areas have been established for picnicking. These areas have been viewed as having the least affect on the resource. Picnicking allowed in the immediate vicinity of the Visitor Center will preserve the historic scene of the Indian village site.

2.15          This relaxation of regulation permits park residents to keep pets. 

2.20          This relaxation of regulation permits park residents the use of such devices as intended and expressed in FR30269 dated June 30, 1983, while still providing for public safety. 

2.21(a)           These areas have been designated as no smoking areas for the protection of park resources, reducing the risk of fire, and preventing conflicts among visitor use activities.

2.22(a)(2) Park operating hours are conspicuously displayed at the entrance gate and in visitor use areas. To meet the responsibility of protecting the governments cultural resources at Ocmulgee, the National Park Service will do everything within its power to assure security is maintained in the park. Therefore, all visitors must exit the park by closing time and their personal properties removed as they depart. Vehicles remaining in the park after closing will be considered a breech of security and will be towed.

2.35(a)(3) The Visitor Center/Museum, earth lodge, mound sites, and all other park lands except the  established picnic area and two park residences are closed to the consumption of alcoholic beverages as it would be inappropriate considering the other uses of these locations and the purpose for which they are maintained or established.         

4.21           Twenty-five miles per hour is determined to be the maximum speed a vehicle can be operated safely on the park road. Ocmulgee is an animal sanctuary as well as a place for visitors to relax and learn of past cultures. Operating vehicles at speeds in excess of twenty is the safest maximum speed for parking lots as established in 36 CFR 4.21(a)(1). Since the access roads to the administrative office and maintenance facility are one lane roads, it is determined that 15 mph is the safest maximum speed for employee and public safety.