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| Trust Land is land held in trust for the benefit of the public schools. |
Recreational Use Permits - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
A. Trust Land is land held in trust for the benefit of the public schools and 13 other public institutions. (See Trust Beneficiaries) Trust Land predates statehood but is now managed by the State Land Department under the provisions of the federal Enabling Act provided for Arizona’s Statehood in 1912. In FY 2008 the Arizona State Land Department collected $326 million in revenues for use of Trust Land. [back]
Q. Why do I need a Recreation Permit to be on Trust Land?
A. All uses of the land must be permitted and must benefit the Trust; a fact that distinguishes it from the way public land, such as parks or national forests, may be used. While public use of Trust land is not prohibited, it is monitored to ensure protection of the land and compensation to the beneficiaries for its use. [back]
Q. Does my Off-Highway Vehicle Decal allow me to engage in recreational activities on Trust Land?
A. No! While the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) is responsible for regulating and licensing motor vehicles and other forms of transportation; only the ASLD has the authority to grant access to Trust Land. Whether on private or Trust Land, ADOT requires a person operating an ATV or OHV to have an Off-Highway Vehicle Decal issued by ADOT. (See OHV Decal Information Guide)
The State Land Department (ASLD) is presently working to identify potential routes than may be designated for OHV travel. Once a route has been designated by the ASLD, a properly licensed OHV may use the designated trail for limited travel, subject to the rules and regulations of the ASLD. The designation of an OHV route does not permit holders of an OHV Decal to recreate, stage or park on Trust Land without a Recreation Permit. [back]
Q. What is a Closure, and why is some Trust Land closed?
A. Lands leased for agriculture, mining, commercial, or military purposes are not open to recreational use. Other Trust Lands may be closed to some or all recreational uses due to hazardous conditions, dust abatement, in coordination with the Arizona Game & Fish Department or based on certain State, County or Local laws or ordinances. Read more about the Land Department's Dust Abatement and Management Efforts on our Air Quality web page, or see the Trust Land Dust Abatement Closure Map. [back]
Q. How do I know if I am on Trust Land? Are there signs?
A. The Arizona State Land Department manages 9.3 million acres of land; of which roughly 8 million acres are available for some form of recreation or another. While the Department makes every effort to ensure that signage is well placed on Trust Land, limited resources make it impossible to place signs on every parcel much less every trail. Know before you go, and check your map. [back]
Q. Where can I obtain trail maps?
A. The Land Department has not published a collection of ‘trail maps’, however, Surface Management Responsibility Maps that indicate where Trust Land is located may be purchased at the Public Records counter. Also, please check the ‘Places to Go’ tab for updates and view our Interactive Map Server for more information. [back]
A. A family permit extends the same privileges and responsibilities as the individual recreation permit, but includes a family unit of two (2) adults and children under the age of 18 years.
Note: The criterion for a family permit is defined by statute; legal questions regarding this statute cannot be answered by Department staff. [back]
A. An ‘group permit’ is designed for small groups/clubs, less than 20 people that are non-competitive and non-commercial. Group permits are valid for less than 5 days. Participants under a group permit are not required to obtain an individual recreation permit; however, the group must submit a complete roster of all individuals to be covered by the permit.
In the event that the proposed group involves 20 people or more, or is competitive in nature then a Special Land Use Permit (SLUP) is required. [back]
Q. What is a Special Land Use Permit (SLUP)?
A. A SLUP extends the same privileges and responsibilities as the recreation permit, but allows for groups larger than 20 participants, and/or competitive, and/or for-profit events. See SLUP Fee Schedule for more information. [back]
Q. Why do competitive events or those events of 20 people or more require a SLUP?
A. Recreation permits are an accommodation made by the Department to casual non-consumptive recreational users. Recreation Permits were never intended to permit large events that have a consumptive impact on the land and that sometimes impact our grazing lessees. Competitive events involve sponsors, prizes or vendors, that the Department can not subsidize, and must ensure compensation to the Trust. Furthermore, competitive events typically involve more concentrated impact on the land than does casual recreation.
If the group is 20 people or more, or is competitive in nature, then the group must apply for a Special Land Use Permit. The fee is established by our published fee schedule. The schedule accounts for the level of impact, the location, type of event/ activities proposed (i.e.; For-Profit, Competitive, Non-Competitive/ Non-Profit) and the number of participants. [back]
Q. Which law enforcement agencies have jurisdiction while I am on Trust Land?
A. You must obey all lawful orders of a Law Enforcement Officer, given in performance of their official duties, while on Trust Land. Law Enforcement authority may include, but is not limited to Game & Fish Department officers, County Sheriff’s deputies, and City Police officers. Additionally, your recreation permit is conditional on obeying the directives of Arizona State Land Department staff, while given in performance of their official duties. Failure to do so will automatically invalidate your recreation permit and you may be guilty of trespassing on Trust Land without a valid recreation Permit. [back]
Q. Which law enforcement agencies have jurisdiction while I am on Trust Land?
A. You must obey all lawful orders of a Law Enforcement Officer, given in performance of their official duties, while on Trust Land. Law Enforcement authority may include, but is not limited to Game & Fish Department officers, County Sheriff’s deputies, and City Police officers. Additionally, your recreation permit is conditional on obeying the directives of Arizona State Land Department staff, while given in performance of their official duties. Failure to do so will automatically invalidate your recreation permit and you may be guilty of trespassing on Trust Land without a valid recreation Permit. [back]
Q. What is the penalty for trespassing on Trust Land without a valid Recreation Permit?
A. Failure to obtain a valid Recreation Permit before entering, or violating the terms and conditions of your Recreation Permit while on Trust Land, may result in criminal misdemeanor charges for trespassing on Trust Land.
Remember, your Recreation Permit is only valid if you fully comply with all terms and conditions of your permit. [back]
Q. Can I obtain a Trust Land Recreation Permit from BLM or the National Parks?
A. No! The BLM, National & State Parks are not authorized to grant access or recreation permits for Trust Land. At this time, Recreation Permits can only be obtained at the Arizona State Land Department Phoenix Office, 1616 W. Adams Street, Phoenix, AZ 85007. [back]
Q. What does my Recreation Permit allow me to do on Trust Land?
A. Your recreation permit allows you to enjoy non-consumptive recreational activities including: hiking, horseback riding, bicycling, picnics, photography, bird watching, sightseeing, camping (limited to 14 days per year), and limited off highway vehicle use (restricted to designated roads and trails), for non-commercial and non-competitive purposes.
An Trust Land Recreation Permit does not permit target shooting, paintball, airsoft, recreational flying (i.e. ultralite aircraft), vehicular 'rock hopping', sand railing, fireworks, or congregating in groups larger than 19 people (see Event Permit). Visiting prehistoric and historic cultural or archaeological sites, Metal detecting, Collecting or removing natural products (rocks, stone, soil, fossils, mineral specimens, cacti, saguaro or cholla skeletons, plants (live or dead), or firewood for home use, are all prohibited. Nor does it permit any activity that would otherwise be illegal or conflict with local laws or ordinances. A Recreation Permit does not authorize use of non-state lands such as military, federal, Tribal, or private lands. [back]
Q. How do I obtain a Recreation Permit?
A. You may download a recreation permit application from the Recreation Page of the Arizona State Land Department website. Once completed and signed mail the application and corresponding application fee to:
Arizona State Land Department
C/o Public Records
1616 W. Adams St.
Phoenix, AZ 85007
Please allow 3-6 days to process Individual & Family Permits, 60 days to process Event Permits, and 3-6 months to process Special Land Use Permits. [back]
Q. Why did the fee change for Recreation Permits?
A. As part of the Land Department’s budget reduction, the Land Commissioner was instructed by the Arizona State Legislature to offset $600,000 in reductions with increased fees in 2008-2009 (Laws 2008, Chapter 291, Section 12). The Department primarily charges application fees for use of Trust land, which had not been adjusted since 1990. [back]
Starting July 1, 2009, the fees for Individual/Family/Group Recreational Permits returned to the old rates of $15 $20 $15 respectively.