When title to lands within the area referred to in this section shall have been vested in the United States in fee simple, there shall be, and there is, established, dedicated, and set apart as a public park for the benefit and enjoyment of the people, the tract of land in the Mammoth Cave region in the State of Kentucky, being approximately seventy thousand six hundred and eighteen acres, recommended as a National Park by the Southern Appalachian National Park Commission to the Secretary of the Interior, in its report of April 8, 1926, and made under authority of the Act of February 21, 1925 (chapter 281, 43 Statutes 958); which area, or any part or parts thereof as may be accepted on behalf of the United States in accordance with the provisions hereof, shall be known as the Mammoth Cave National Park: Provided, That the United States shall not purchase by appropriation of public moneys any land within the aforesaid area, but such lands shall be secured by the United States only by public or private donation.

The Secretary of the Interior is authorized, in his discretion, to accept, as hereinafter provided, on behalf of the United States, title to the lands referred to in section 404 of this title, and to be purchased with the funds which may be subscribed by or through the Mammoth Cave National Park Association of Kentucky, and with other contributions for the purchase of lands in the Mammoth Cave National Park area: Provided, That any of said lands may be donated directly to the United States and conveyed to it, cost free, by fee-simple title, in cases where such donations may be made without the necessity of purchase.

The administration, protection, and development of the aforesaid park shall be exercised under the direction of the Secretary of the Interior by the National Park Service, subject to the provisions of the Act of August 25, 1916, entitled “An Act to establish a National Park Service, and for other purposes,” 1

The Secretary of the Interior is authorized, in his discretion, to exclude the Great Onyx Cave and the Crystal Cave, or either of them, from the maximum boundaries of the said park, and the area required for general development of the said park by section 404b of this title, is modified accordingly.

The Secretary of the Interior is authorized to cooperate with the State of Kentucky for the purpose of arranging for the eventual acquisition by the United States of the Great Onyx Cave and the Crystal Cave within the authorized boundaries of Mammoth Cave National Park. The Secretary shall deposit to the credit of a special receipt account that portion of the annual admission, guide, and elevator fee receipts from the said park which exceeds the annual amount available to the park for management, guide, and protection purposes, which funds so deposited may be expended thereafter in payment for the purchase of said cave properties. The Secretary is further authorized to enter into such contracts and agreements as he may determine to be necessary to effectuate the acquisition of the cave properties as authorized herein.

The provisions of the act of the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, approved March 22, 1930 (Acts of 1930, ch. 132, p. 405), ceding to the United States exclusive jurisdiction over, within, and under such territory in the Commonwealth as may be acquired for the Mammoth Cave National Park, are accepted. Subject to the reservations made by the Commonwealth in the act of cession, the United States assumes sole and exclusive jurisdiction over such territory.

All fugitives from justice taking refuge in the park shall be subject to the same laws as fugitives from justice found in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

All hunting or the killing, wounding, or capturing at any time of any wild bird or animal, except dangerous animals when it is necessary to prevent them from destroying human lives or inflicting personal injury, is prohibited within the limits of the park, nor shall any fish be taken out of any of the waters of the park, except at such seasons and at such times and in such manner as may be directed by the Secretary of the Interior. The Secretary of the Interior shall make and publish such general rules and regulations as he may deem necessary and proper for the management and care of the park and for the protection of the property therein, especially for the preservation from injury or spoliation of all timber, mineral deposits, natural curiosities, or wonderful objects within the park, and for the protection of the animals and birds in the park from capture or destruction, and to prevent their being frightened or driven from the park; and he shall make rules and regulations governing the taking of fish from the waters in the park. Possession within the park of the dead bodies or any part thereof of any wild bird or animal shall be prima facie evidence that the person or persons having the same are guilty of violating this Act. Any person or persons, stage or express company, railway or other transportation company, who knows or has reason to believe that such wild birds, fish, or animals were taken or killed contrary to the provisions of this Act or the rules and regulations promulgated by the Secretary of the Interior, and who receives for transportation the dead bodies or any part thereof of the wild birds, fish, or animals so taken or killed, or who shall violate any of the other provisions of this Act, or the rules and regulations, with reference to the management and care of the park, or for the protection of the property therein, for the preservation from injury or spoliation of timber, mineral deposits, natural curiosities, or wonderful objects within the park, or for the protection of the animals, birds, and fish in the park, or who shall within the park commit any damage, injury, or spoliation to or upon any building, fence, sign, hedge, gate, guidepost, tree, wood, underwood, timber, garden, crops, vegetables, plants, land, springs, mineral deposits, natural curiosities, or other matter or thing growing or being thereon, or situated therein, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be subject to a fine of not more than $500 or imprisonment not exceeding six months, or both, and be adjudged to pay all the costs of the proceedings.

All guns, traps, nets, seines, fishing tackle, teams, horses, or means of transportation of every nature or description used by any person or persons within the limits of the park when engaged in killing, trapping, ensnaring, taking, or capturing such wild birds, fish, or animals contrary to the provisions of this Act or the rules and regulations promulgated by the Secretary of the Interior shall be forfeited to the United States and may be seized by the officers in the park and held pending prosecution of any person or persons arrested under the charge of violating the provisions of this Act, and upon conviction under this Act, of such person or persons using said guns, traps, nets, seines, fishing tackle, teams, horses, or other means of transportation, such forfeiture shall be adjudicated as a penalty in addition to the other punishment prescribed in this Act. Such forfeited property shall be disposed of and accounted for by and under the authority of the Secretary of the Interior: Provided, That the forfeiture of teams, horses, or other means of transportation shall be in the discretion of the court.

The Secretary of the Interior shall notify in writing the Governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky of the passage and approval of this Act, and of the fact that the United States assumes police jurisdiction over the park. Upon the acceptance by the Secretary of the Interior of further cessions of jurisdiction over lands now or hereafter included in the Mammoth Cave National Park, the provisions of sections 2 to 9 inclusive, shall apply to such lands.

For the purpose of developing a proper and suitable entrance road to the Mammoth Cave National Park, the Secretary of the Interior is authorized in his discretion to accept on behalf of the United States donations of lands, buildings, structures, and other property or interests therein, or to acquire such property with donated funds by purchase, condemnation, or otherwise, within an area or areas to be determined by him, but (a) not to exceed one mile in width, extending from the exterior boundary of the Mammoth Cave National Park to a point to be selected by him on United States Highway Numbered 31–W, and (b) not to exceed one-half mile in width on either side of United States Highway Numbered 31–W and running for a distance of not to exceed two miles along said highway. Lands acquired for purposes of protecting such entrance roads shall not be less than five hundred feet in width on either side of said roads: Provided, That only one such entrance road shall be established between United States Highway Numbered 31–W and Mammoth Cave National Park pursuant to this Act.

The Secretary of the Interior is authorized in his discretion to accept title to lands tendered without cost to the United States within the area of the Mammoth Cave National Park, subject to leases entered into and granted as part consideration in connection with the purchase of said land for tender to the United States for park purposes, but not exceeding in length of term the life of the particular grantor or grantors: Provided, That said leases and the terms and conditions thereof shall have previously been submitted to and approved by said Secretary: And provided further, That he may lease upon such terms and conditions as he deems proper any lands within the aforesaid areas when such use shall not be deemed by him inconsistent with the purposes for which the lands were acquired on behalf of the United States, to persons, educational or religious institutions, private corporations, associations, and partnerships previously occupying such land for terms not exceeding the particular lifetime in the case of natural persons, and not exceeding twenty years in all other cases, which latter leases may be renewed in the discretion of said Secretary: And provided further, That the Secretary of the Interior may accept lands for these parks subject to reservations of rights-of-way and easements.

In the establishment of the said Mammoth Cave National Park the Secretary of the Interior is authorized to accept donations of money for the acquisition of lands and rights therein and to acquire the same by purchase, condemnation, or otherwise.

All lands purchased from funds heretofore allocated and made available by Executive order, or otherwise, for the acquisition of lands for conservation or forestation purposes within the maximum boundaries of the Mammoth Cave National Park as authorized by section 404 of this title, are made a part of the said park as fully as if originally acquired for that purpose and the proviso at the end of section 404 of this title shall not be construed so as to prohibit the acquisition of lands in said area under funds made available as aforesaid.