Filming in National Parks Just Got Easier—Expect More Climbing Content

On January 4, 2025, President Biden signed the bipartisan EXPLORE Act into U.S. law, ending a year-long panic over a proposed bolting ban in national parks. The new legislation evoked a near–unanimous celebration by the American climbing community.

One of the lesser-known changes to the law, however, was Section 125, the Federal Interior Land Media (“FILM”) Act, which the North American Nature Photography Association and several other photography organizations lobbied for two years to include. This section wipes out the existing film and photography permit requirements in national parks and replaces them with significantly more lenient rules.

“This is going to make a huge difference for creatives, filmmakers, independent contractors, photographers, and athletes,” says Mary Eden, a professional climber who has starred in two films in Canyonlands National Park. “It’s going to open up a lot of different opportunities for people to share their stories and do creative projects.”

Prior to January 4, National Park Service (NPS) rules required permit applications for any footage or photos that advertised a product and any film taken “with the intent of generating income.” These guidelines were initially created to prevent film sets from taking over national parks. But until this year, it also applied to professional athletes. This included climbers, who might, for example, tag their sponsor in climbing footage that features the sponsor’s product. It also applied to casual climbers, who might post a route recap vlog on their monetized YouTube channel. Under the old rules, both actions required permits. A violation could result in fines or even jail time.

In my experience as a Yosemite Climber Steward, most climbers didn’t know about the rules. Last year, I saw many inexperienced photographers ignore the permit requirements—sometimes because they couldn’t afford to pay $200-$300 in non-refundable application fees. More often, however, they simply didn’t know they were supposed to acquire a permit. But more established filmmakers and athletes were careful to observe the rules, even if it meant shooting less climbing content.

Now that the EXPLORE Act has passed, the new requirements for photography and filmmaking in national parks are much simpler. For now, climbers who want to film their own adventures can breathe a sigh of relief.

The New National Park Rules for Photography and Filmmaking

Starting in January 2025, permits are no longer required if the filming or photography:

• Involves a maximum of five people,
• Takes place in a location where the public is allowed,
• Doesn’t require exclusive use of the area,
• Doesn’t take place in federally-designated wilderness,
• Doesn’t use any staging equipment beyond a tripod or handheld lighting equipment, and
• Doesn’t take place in an area typically crowded with visitors.

This covers the vast majority of climbing photography and film, which often involves just one or two people behind the camera and one or two climbers. If you’re directing a larger movie, for example, and absolutely need that sixth crew member, you may need to apply for a free “de minimis use authorization” (similar to a permit) for crews of six to eight people—but some national parks, such as Yosemite, have chosen to waive permits for these groups up to eight people.

Any film or photography project that doesn’t fulfill the above requirements will have to apply for a regular permit and will be assessed the same fees that existed pre-EXPLORE Act.

Small Changes, Big Impacts for Climbing Filmmakers

Previously, dealing with national park permits could be a time-intensive and costly affair for filmmakers. Jon Glassberg, owner of adventure production company Louder Than Eleven and director of dozens of climbing documentaries, says that he’s paid thousands of dollars in NPS film permit fees for past projects. He usually reserves four to five weeks of lead time to get permits and estimates that he’s cancelled shoots up to 5% of the time because of permit issues. Now that the EXPLORE Act has revamped the permit system, Glassberg says he would likely “be okay” with not having a permit for small, non-commercial shoots in national parks—but will still err on the side of caution.

“Even if it was five people or less, I think I would still get a permit or go through the channels to at least try,” Glassberg says. According to the new law, filmmakers and photographers who don’t need a permit can still request one at no charge. “Nobody’s tested the EXPLORE Act. If, for some reason, whoever is currently running the back of house [at the NPS] litigating these permits decides their interpretation of the EXPLORE Act is different than mine, they might want to take me to court over it.”

He adds that he’s eager to see a filmmaker test the new system—but he doesn’t want to be that person. “I’m going to keep shooting in national parks, keep making movies, and keep working in this industry forever,” he explains. “If I have a strike against me in a national park, it’s just not worth it.”

More Opportunities for Professional Climbers

Smaller independent filmmakers and climbers who frequent national parks will likely benefit most from the EXPLORE Act’s new permit rules.

In 2022 and 2023, professional climber Mary Eden made back-to-back first female ascents of Necronomicon (5.13d/5.14a) and Black Mamba (5.14b), which are both roof cracks in Canyonlands National Park.

“Initially, when I reached out about filming Necronomicon, the Park Service told me no, and to not hold my breath,” says Eden. But she kept asking questions, and eventually the Park Service was willing to work with her.

To get film permits, Eden spent up to eight months for each film negotiating with the Park Service. “I had the advantage of being local and having volunteered with the NPS for a year in 2015, so the process was easier for me to navigate,” she says. “It would be a lot harder for other people coming from out of town or who had not interacted with the Park Service before.” Ultimately, Eden paid $300 for film permits for Necronomicon and $500 for Black Mamba.

Just before the EXPLORE Act became law, Eden once again asked the Park Service for a film permit to record her attempts on another Canyonlands roof crack: Century Crack (5.14b). This time, the Park Service told her that she’d have to pay several thousand dollars for a Nature Impact study before her permit application would be considered. “Even if I managed to raise the money, I was told straight-up that it was not likely I’d get the permit,” she says. Faced with this scenario, Eden decided against posting any photos or videos about her project.

Once the EXPLORE Act passed, however, Eden was thrilled. Now, she can take photos on the route and post about it on social media without needing a permit. “It gives me a lot more peace of mind that I’m allowed to share my experience without doing anything illegal,” she says. “I think it’s going to be better in the long run for small filmmakers.”

Eden still plans to let the Park Service know about her Century Crack project to seek their input on best practices and communicate them to other climbers. “We can work together to share the love of a place and preserve the wilderness while also being reasonable,” she says. “Somebody with a camera is a lot different than a 20-person film crew.”

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