How to Get an Arizona State Trust Land Camping Permit

To camp on Arizona State Trust Land, you need a Recreational Annual Use Permit from the Arizona State Land Department. It costs $15 for an individual or $20 for a family, you buy it online at land.az.gov, and it’s good for one year from the date of purchase. The Arizona State Trust Land camping permit lets you stay overnight on open parcels for up to 14 cumulative days per calendar year.1Arizona State Land Department. Frequently Asked Questions

Individual or Family Permit

Two permits cover recreational camping:

  • Individual Permit, $15. Covers one person. Anyone 18 or older needs their own.
  • Family Unit Permit, $20. Covers two adults plus any children under 18 living in the same household.2Arizona State Land Department. Application & Permit Fees

Paying online adds a card processing fee of $2.00 or 2.2 percent of the transaction, whichever is greater. On a $15 individual permit, that brings the total to $17. Both permits cover unlimited day-use visits along with camping, and include activities like hiking, horseback riding, bicycling, geocaching, bird watching, and photography.1Arizona State Land Department. Frequently Asked Questions

The recreational permit does not cover target shooting, commercial activity, or competitive events. If you already hold a valid Arizona hunting license, that license itself authorizes access to trust land for hunting, so a separate recreational permit isn’t needed for that activity.

How to Buy the Permit Online

Go to land.az.gov and open the Applications & Permits section, where both the individual and family recreational permits are listed.3Arizona State Land Department. Applications & Permits You’ll create an account or log in, then enter your full legal name, date of birth, mailing address, phone, and email. Read and accept the terms, pay by card, and the permit arrives by email.

The ASLD requires you to keep the permit with you on trust land. Print a copy before heading out; cell service on most parcels is not something to count on.

Finding Parcels That Are Actually Open

Not every acre of trust land is open to recreation. Parcels leased for agriculture, mining, commercial use, or military purposes are generally closed, and others may be restricted for hazardous conditions, dust abatement, or wildlife management coordinated with the Arizona Game and Fish Department.1Arizona State Land Department. Frequently Asked Questions

The ASLD’s Parcel Viewer, on the Maps & GIS page at land.az.gov, shows trust land boundaries over satellite imagery.4Arizona State Land Department. Maps & GIS Trust land is scattered across Arizona and interspersed with federal and private ownership, so it’s easy to cross a boundary without realizing it. Screenshot or download the map of your area before you go.

The 14-Day Limit and Campsite Rules

Camping is capped at 14 cumulative days per calendar year across all trust land, not per trip and not per parcel. Five nights in March plus nine in October uses your entire allotment.5Arizona State Land Department. Recreational Permits Terms And Conditions Day use has no daily cap.1Arizona State Land Department. Frequently Asked Questions

Your campsite must be at least a quarter mile from any livestock or wildlife water source, including stock tanks, catchments, and drinkers. Pack out everything you bring in. Human waste goes into a portable toilet or a slit trench that you fill back to ground level before breaking camp; portable toilet waste has to be hauled off and disposed of at a proper facility. There are no vault toilets, dumpsters, or other amenities anywhere on trust land.

Vehicles

Motorized travel must stay on existing roads and trails. A single set of tire tracks is not an established road, and driving off-trail to reach a campsite can void your permit.5Arizona State Land Department. Recreational Permits Terms And Conditions Recreational motorized vehicles also can’t operate within a quarter mile of any building, paved road, or stock tank, wet or dry.

The recreational permit doesn’t replace other vehicle requirements. An ATV, dirt bike, or other off-highway vehicle designed primarily for unimproved terrain and weighing 1,800 pounds or less unladen needs a separate OHV Decal, sold annually by Arizona State Parks. Pickup trucks, SUVs, and standard cars don’t.6Arizona State Parks. OHV Registration Every OHV operated in Arizona must have a USDA-approved spark arrestor and a muffler that keeps noise at or below 96 decibels.7Arizona Legislature. Arizona Revised Statutes 28-1179 – Off-Highway Vehicle Equipment Requirements

Fires

Campfires must be fully extinguished before you leave, and you have to follow every fire restriction and closure issued by the Arizona State Forester.5Arizona State Land Department. Recreational Permits Terms And Conditions Arizona’s restrictions change quickly during dry months, and they vary by county.

The Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management runs a staged system:8Department of Forestry and Fire Management. Fire Restrictions

  • Stage 1 bans campfires, charcoal, and wood stoves outside developed campsites and picnic areas. Trust land has no developed campgrounds, so in practice this is a total ban on open fires for trust land campers.
  • Stage 2 bans all campfires, charcoal, and wood stoves everywhere, including developed campgrounds. Liquid petroleum or LPG stoves with shut-off valves are typically the only heat source still allowed.
  • Closure shuts down public access to the affected area entirely.

Check dffm.az.gov before every trip; a restriction stage can escalate between the day you plan and the day you arrive.

What You Can’t Do

Target shooting, plinking, and discharging air guns or paintball guns are prohibited on trust land. Firearms may only be discharged for the lawful taking of game with a valid hunting license.9Arizona State Land Department. State Land Recreational Use Group Permit – Terms and Conditions

You can’t disturb the ground surface, remove rocks or minerals, or alter natural objects, which rules out metal detecting and rock collecting.10Arizona State Land Department. GPS-Based Recreational Activities Policy Memo Gates stay as you find them, open or closed. Fences can’t be cut or laid down. Livestock and wildlife can’t be harassed, and infrastructure like windmills, corrals, and wildlife watering facilities can’t be damaged or removed.5Arizona State Land Department. Recreational Permits Terms And Conditions

Violating any of the terms voids your permit on the spot. Once voided, you’re on trust land without authorization.

Camping Without a Permit

Entering trust land without the required permit or lease is trespassing under Arizona law, classified as a class 2 misdemeanor.11Arizona Legislature. Arizona Revised Statutes 37-501 – Trespass on State Lands; Classification12Arizona Legislature. Arizona Revised Statutes 13-707 – Misdemeanors; Sentencing13Arizona Legislature. Arizona Revised Statutes 13-802 – Fines for Misdemeanors The ASLD doesn’t give warnings or grace periods.

Group Trips and Commercial Use

The individual and family permits only cover personal recreation. Above that, the rules shift:

  • Small Group Permit, 19 people or fewer. $15, valid for fewer than five days, no commercial or competitive activity.3Arizona State Land Department. Applications & Permits
  • Large Group or Commercial Permit, 20 or more people or any commercial or competitive use. Non-refundable $300 application fee, reviewed by the ASLD’s Commercial Lease Section, with processing up to 90 days and an additional permit fee if approved.1Arizona State Land Department. Frequently Asked Questions

If you’re a guide service, outdoor education company, or event organizer, contact the ASLD’s Commercial Leasing Section before you apply. Their input early can spare you a denial after a three-month wait.