Is designated wilderness necessary in a national park?
The wild, undeveloped areas of national parks (often called “backcountry”) are subject to development, road building, and off-road mechanized vehicular use. National park backcountry is protected only by administrative regulations that agency officials can change. The Wilderness Act protects designated wilderness areas by law “for the permanent good of the whole people.” With the Wilderness Act, Congress secures “for the American people of present and future generations the benefits of an enduring resource of wilderness.
