Official WMAT Wildlife & Outdoor Recreation Division

Welcome to the Fort Apache Indian Reservation home of the White Mountain Apache Tribe which consist of over 1.6 million acres of Arizona’s most diverse scenic and pristine land. We invite you to be our guest and to enjoy the area’s many recreational opportunities. This web-site contains rules and regulations for all recreation activities and is required reading for all visitors who plan on recreating on the Reservation. As a rule, we try to make our regulations as user friendly as possible to promote/maintain quality recreation experiences, while also providing adequate protection and conservation of Tribal resources.

If you are visiting us for the first time, please take note of the following important points:

Appropriate Tribal permits are required for all individuals recreating on the Reservation, regardless of the recreation activity.
State of Arizona licenses/permit ARE NOT required for recreational activities conducted on the Reservation. State regulations do not apply on the Reservation.
Permits are not required for general travel/transportation on paved roads/highways and through the Reservation’s residential areas. Recreation permits of some type are required of all persons entering off-highway recreational areas and remote locations within the Reservation.
Please obey all signs and regulations. You may encounter some of the following signs posted
CLOSED AREA – closed to all entry
ROAD CLOSED – area closed to vehicles for resource protection reasons.
SPECIAL USE AREA – area restricted to special use permit access ONLY.

A few regulations and pricing changes have been incorporated into this year’s “Outdoor Recreation Regulations” which are designed to provide sustainable improvements in the quality of experiences for all our visitors, regardless of their outdoor interest. These regulations assist us in achieving these recreation management goals and otherwise provided a funding mechanism for us to better staff and direct our resource management obligation to the Tribe.

We hope you enjoy your stay with us and encourage you to call our office in Whiteriver or our Hondah Ski & Outdoor Sports outfitting shop with any questions or problems. Thanks for your support of our recreation programs.

MAJOR REGULATIONS CHANGES FOR 2007:

RENT-A-CAMP SITE: Hawley Lake. For Reservations call Hondah Ski & Outdoor Sports at (928) 369-7669.

CLOSED AREAS: West of U.S. 60, North of BIA 12. Contact Whiteriver Office for information.

AFFILIATES: Defined as NON-MEMBERS (including Native Americans of other Tribes) who are legally married to an enrolled member of the White Mountain Apache Tribe ONLY. Children from the marriage are not included in the “affiliate” designation. PROOF OF MARRIAGE IS REQUIRED. It is not a requirement that the Affiliate reside on the White Mountain Apache Reservation. Employees or the Tribe, Federal Agencies, or local Law Enforcement are no longer considered or classified as “Affiliates”.

OUTDOOR RECREATION (General Permit): Per Vehicle Permit is $8.00 and covers up to 8 occupants. This is for individuals who drive off the main highway to do some sightseeing (picnic) and do not intend to camp or fish.

NO CHAIN SAWS ARE ALLOWED OUTSIDE OF CAMPGROUND

IIMPORTANT REMINDERS AND PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES

All-Terrain Vehicles (ATV’s) including 3 & 4 wheelers and dirt bikes are strictly prohibited from the Reservation. Golf Carts (regardless of it being registered) are prohibited.

Vehicles MUST stay on established roadways at all times.

Swimming/diving is prohibited in all Reservation waters.

Tubing in streams is prohibited, except in the Salt River Canyon area (Rafting Regulations)

It is illegal to shoot any type of firearm, paint gun, arrow or pneumatic weapon (air gun) on the Reservation without a valid hunting permit.

It is illegal to deface, vandalize or destroy any signs or other recreation area facilities.

Spotlighting is prohibited on the Reservation

1 fishing pole with 1 line in the water at a time

Visitation by non-tribal-members to archaeological historical and paleontological sites is prohibited (with exception of Fort Apache and Kinishba Ruins, which require payment of a visitor fee at the Fort Apache Culture Center). Non-tribal-members are not permitted to search for, visit, photograph or investigate such sites, including all caves, ruins, cliff dwellings, etc. Questions regarding this regulation can be directed to the Tribe’s Historic Preservation Officer at (928) 338-3033.

Commercial and Research photography requires special permission from the Tribal Council and the Tribe reserves the commercial and publication rights to all images and photographs of the Reservation.

Use only designated boat launching areas.

RED FLAG information

Mutilating, defacing, disturbing, injuring, damaging or destroying any natural item, including but not limited to wildlife, rocks, stones, living plants or parts thereof, fossils, or other property of the White Mountain Apache Tribe, including fences and other Tribal property, i.e. mushrooms, trees.

Removing any natural item, including but not limited to wildlife, rocks, stones, living plants or parts thereof, fossils, or other property of the White Mountain Apache Tribe, including fences and other Tribal property.

Digging in, excavating, disturbing, injuring, destroying, or in any way damaging any paleontological, historic, or archaeological resource, structure, site, artifact or property.

Removing any paleontological, historic, or archaeological resource, structure, site, artifact or property.

Destroying, removing, injuring or cutting any green tree, dead tree, or other firewood on the Reservation except as otherwise permitted under Tribal Regulations or BIA Regulations.

Conducting research or any other form of data collecting without Tribal Council permission/approval.

Possession of firearms is prohibited.

Campers are not allowed to transport leftover wood off the Reservation unless they have a bill of sale.