What is BLM land, and can you camp on it?

The BLM looks after more land than any other federal agency: desert, sagebrush, grassland, canyons and some forest, mostly in the West and Alaska. It is managed for many uses at once, including grazing, energy, mining and recreation, so you may share it with cattle, drill pads or mine roads.

The land is run by field offices, each with its own rules on top of the national ones. On the map, BLM land is orange.

The BLM’s general rules for dispersed camping are:

• Stay no more than 14 days within any 28-day period, then move to a new location, often at least 25 to 30 miles away.
• Camp at least 200 feet from lakes, rivers and streams.
• Camp within 150 feet of designated routes, and keep vehicles on designated roads and trails unless an area is open to off-road use.
• Do not leave personal property for more than 10 days.

A field office can set tighter limits. The Bishop Field Office in California, for example, allows 14 days per year within its boundaries, and some places such as the Alabama Hills have their own permit. Fire restrictions are issued by field office or district, often every summer. Check the office’s page before you go.

For winter stays, the BLM runs long-term visitor areas in the California and Arizona desert, including La Posa, Imperial Dam and Pilot Knob, where visitors may camp up to seven consecutive months with a permit.