Camping on Arizona State Trust land takes a $15 permit and caps you at 14 days a year

Yes, you can camp on Arizona State Trust land, but not for free and not for long. You need an Arizona State Land Department recreational permit, $15 for one person or $20 for a family, and overnight camping is capped at 14 days a year in total. We read the Land Department’s pages on November 2, 2026.

That makes trust land a different animal from the BLM ground most snowbirds are used to.

What the Land Department says

The ASLD FAQ puts the difference plainly. State Parks and federal lands “are managed for the benefit and use of the public,” while State Trust lands “are managed for the benefit of the 13 Trust beneficiaries.” That’s why the department charges for recreation on them.

The permits, per the same FAQ and the fee table:

• Individual, $15. One person, expires one year from the date issued.
• Family, $20. Two adults plus children under 18 in the same household, same one-year term.
• Buying online adds a $1 convenience fee, per the permit portal. You can also buy in person at the department’s Phoenix office, 1110 West Washington Street.

The same fees appear in the state’s rule, Ariz. Admin. Code R12-5-1201.

The 14 days are a yearly total

The FAQ says “overnight camping is limited to a total of 14 cumulative days per calendar year.” The permit terms say “no more than 14 days per year.” Your permit lasts a year from purchase, but the FAQ ties the camping count to the calendar year. Count your nights across every trust land parcel, not per site.

Compare the BLM camping page, which says dispersed camping is “generally limited to 14 days within any 28-day period.” BLM’s limit runs per 28-day window, and you move on when you hit it. On trust land, 14 days is the whole year.

The terms that catch people

From the permit terms:

• Camp at least a quarter mile from “any livestock or wildlife water catchments, tanks, drinkers.”
• Travel only on existing roads and trails. “A onetime use or single set of tracks does not constitute a road or trail.”
• Human waste goes in a portable toilet or a slit trench covered at camp’s end.
• “Any violation of these terms and conditions voids the permit upon occurrence.”

The FAQ adds that land leased for agriculture, mining, commercial or military use is in most cases not open to recreation, and that a hunting or fishing license covers you only while “actively pursuing game or fish, in season.”

What to do

1. Buy the permit before you camp, and keep it with you. The portal says to have it readily available if stopped by law enforcement or department staff.
2. Check the parcel. The department’s Parcel Viewer shows Trust land and marks parcels under lease with a solid fill. Call 602-542-4631 if you can’t tell what you’re on.
3. Read the posted signs. A closure sign, and the department’s current guidance, beat this page.

If you want a winter base rather than a two-week stop, look at BLM land or the Long-Term Visitor Areas. Our Arizona free camping page covers the state by land manager.