Official WMAT Wildlife & Outdoor Recreation Division

KEY CAMPING REGULATIONS

It is the camper's responsibility to leave campsite clean when vacated and to place all trash and debris in proper containers. It is illegal to bury or burn trash, and to deposit trash/sewage into streams or lakes.

Camping is restricted to designated sites (except for primitive areas) and must not encroach beyond these sites.
All campfires must be of reasonable and controllable size and campers must make sure all campfires coals are fully extinguished before leaving a campsite.
Only dead and down wood may be collected for campsite fires. It is illegal to cut green trees or break branches from live green trees.
Firewood is for campground use only. Transportation of any wood, plants parts off the reservation is prohibited.
Pets must be leashed and controlled at all times, leashes may not exceed ten (10) feet in length.
Please respect the comfort of other campers. Keep music and other audible activities at a reasonable volume during reasonable time periods.
Firearms, BB/pellet or paintball guns, slingshots and bow/arrows, and their use, are strictly prohibited in campground.
Discharging fireworks anywhere on the Reservation, including campgrounds, is strictly prohibited.
Campers are limited to 1 table per daily permit or 2 tables per monthly permit.
It is UNLAWFUL to put ails or other hardware into trees and to erect any type of permanent structure in campgrounds.
Dumping of grey water and sewage is allowed in designated and approved septic holding facilities ONLY. Any dumping of grey/black water in any other area, including public toilet facilities is strictly prohibited.
Possession of firearms is strictly prohibited.
Campsites are not to be setup any closer than 75 feet from waters edge.
Prohibition to building fire-ring outside of designated camping area

PERMITS

A valid Reservation Camping Permit is required for each vehicle transporting people to a campsite. RV's towing an (one) unoccupied vehicle, are viewed as single vehicle.
People who bike, hike or ride a bus onto the Reservation are required to purchase an individual camping permit. A bus is defined as any vehicle carrying more than (10) people.
Reservation Camping Permits are not required for holders of a valid Reservation River Rafting, Canyoneering, Black/Salt River Special Use or Rent-A-Lake permits.
Reservation camping permits are NON-TRANSFERABLE AND NON-REFUNDABLE.
Primitive camping requires the same permit as camping in designated areas. Primitive camping areas are also open for fishing, hunting, and other outdoor activities to holders of the appropriate/valid Reservation permits.

DESIGNATED CAMPING AREAS

General camping on the Reservation is "first-come-first-serve" and does not require reservations. Most campground typically have vacancies except during the peak Memorial Day, July 4th and Labor Day weekends. Horseshoe, Sunrise, Reservation, A-1, Pacheta, and Drift Fence campgrounds are rarely full, even on holiday weekends. Designated campgrounds are located at several streams and lake sites throughout the Reservation, with all designated campgrounds receiving service between all Holidays. Campers may continue to use campgrounds in the off-season, but are required to pack out all trash and waste.

DESIGNATED CAMPGROUND RULES AND REGULATIONS:

Camping is restricted to established camping sites only in DESIGNATED CAMPING AREAS. It is illegal to encroach beyond designated campsites. Designated campsites may contain one or more of the following.

Picnic tables
Toilet facilities
Trash service
Fire ring
no fire-ring outside camping area

Designated Campgrounds are for the use of valid permit holders ONLY.

PRIMITIVE CAMPING AREAS

Some of the more remote areas of the Reservation provide more secluded and primitive camping. PRIMITIVE AREA CAMPING IS DEFINED AS THOSE REMOTE/SECLUDED AREA WHERE TRASH AND TOILET SERVICES ARE NOT PROVIDED. Accordingly, CAMPERS ARE REQUIRED TO PACK IN/PACK OUT ALL CAMPING AND FISHING REFUSE AND DEBRIS, including trash and human waste.

PRIMITIVE AREAS INCLUDE:

BLACK AND SALT RIVER (entire stretch) from the eastern boundary of the Fort Apache Reservation to the western Reservation boundary - SPECIAL USE PERMIT REQUIRED.
BONITO PRAIRIE STOCK TANKS. Fishing for catfish, bass and sunfish.
BIG BONITO CREEK. 1/4 mile downstream of route Y55 to the Black River confluences - SPECIAL USE PERMIT REQUIRED.

PRIMITIVE CAMPING RULES AND REGULATIONS:

Trash/toilet services are not provided at Primitive camping areas and campsites are not designated.
Primitive campers are required to pack out all refuse including trash and human waste
Anyone spending the night in a Primitive Area, other than the Black and Salt River Special Use Area, is required to purchase a Reservation Camping Permit.