National park: A protected area or historic site that requires the approval of Congress to be created.

National monument: The president can declare an area to be a national monument without the approval of Congress. This power comes from the Antiquities Act of 1906. President Theodore Roosevelt used it to declare Devils Tower in Wyoming as the first national monument because he thought Congress was moving too slowly and it would be ruined by the time they made it a national park. National monuments receive less funding, have fewer protections for wildlife, and usually have less diversity than a national park.

National forest: National forests are mostly forest and woodland areas owned by the federal government. Unlike national parks, commercial use is permitted, such as timber harvesting, livestock grazing, and recreation. There are frequent conflicts between timber companies and environmentalists over the land use, centering on endangered species protection, logging of old-growth forests and road-building.

Wilderness: The US National Wilderness Preservation System (established in 1964) protects federally managed lands that are in pristine condition. Human activities are restricted to non-motorized recreation (such as backpacking, hunting, fishing, horseback riding, etc.), scientific research, and other non-invasive activities. In general, the law prohibits logging, mining, roads, mechanized vehicles (including bicycles) and other forms of development.