Arizona · parks & monuments
Arizona parks, monuments and refuges: can you collect?
Short version: state parks no, national parks no, BLM monuments no, refuges almost always no, military ranges no. Kofa's Crystal Hill is the one refuge exception.
Arizona State Parks: no
A.A.C. R12-8-103: “Within a state park, a person shall not deface, injure, destroy, remove, or use, without authority, any: 1. Public facility or property; 2. Wildlife, plant, or animal; or 3. Archaeological, geological, or historical object.” A.R.S. 13-3702 also makes it a class 2 misdemeanor to deface petroglyphs, pictographs or cave formations. Kartchner Caverns, Homolovi, Red Rock, Lost Dutchman, Picacho Peak: look and photograph. Metal detecting: no statewide rule found, so ask the park (verify). Arizona State Parks: 877-697-2757.
National Park Service: no
Petrified Forest, Grand Canyon, Saguaro, Organ Pipe Cactus, Chiricahua, Canyon de Chelly, Wupatki, Sunset Crater Volcano, Walnut Canyon and the other NPS units, plus the Arizona sides of Glen Canyon and Lake Mead NRAs. 36 CFR 2.1 prohibits removing rocks, minerals, fossils, cave formations and artifacts, and metal detectors must be stowed. Petrified Forest details
BLM national monuments: no
BLM Arizona's rockhounding brochure: “Collecting in BLM national monuments is prohibited.” BLM's national FAQ (2024) is looser: collecting is generally allowed in monuments unless the rocks are monument objects. In Arizona, follow the stricter state statement unless the field office tells you otherwise in writing.
| Monument (BLM office) | Established | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Sonoran Desert (Lower Sonoran FO) | Proclamation 7397, 2001 | No. BLM: “Collecting, removing, or damaging natural and cultural resources, including artifacts, plants (live or dead), and rocks, is prohibited.” |
| Ironwood Forest (Tucson FO) | Proclamation 7320, 2000 | No per BLM Arizona brochure |
| Agua Fria (Hassayampa FO) | Proclamation 7263, 2000 | No per BLM Arizona brochure |
| Vermilion Cliffs (Arizona Strip FO) | Proclamation 7374, 2000 | No per BLM Arizona brochure |
| Grand Canyon-Parashant (BLM and NPS) | Proclamation 7265, 2000 | No. NPS part: 36 CFR 2.1 |
| Baaj Nwaavjo I'tah Kukveni (BLM and Kaibab NF) | Proclamation 10606, 2023 | No / ask. Kaibab NF part: ask the district |
Wildlife refuges: almost always no
- Kofa NWR: “Recreational (noncommercial) rock or mineral collecting is restricted to the designated 1.5 square mile Crystal Hill Area. The use of tools, including metal detectors, in collecting rocks and minerals is forbidden.” Stay on designated roads, and watch for unexploded ordnance. No weight limit is posted; ask the refuge (verify).
- Cabeza Prieta and Imperial NWRs: “Prospecting, rockhounding or removal of sand, rock, gravel or minerals” is prohibited.
- Bill Williams River NWR: collecting minerals and historic objects is prohibited “except by special use permit.” San Bernardino NWR protects “rocks, minerals, artifacts” and makes removing them illegal. Cibola NWR: plants, wildlife and cultural features are protected. Havasu and Buenos Aires: their rules pages don't single out rocks, so the general refuge rule applies: 50 CFR 27.61 bars removing anything unless the refuge allows it. Ask first.
Military ranges: no
- Barry M. Goldwater Range East: entry by permit, and the visitor rules say “Prospecting, removal, or disturbance of sand, gravel, rocks and minerals is prohibited.” Metal detectors are prohibited. BMGR West has separate rules (verify with MCAS Yuma).
- Yuma Proving Ground: outside the cantonment areas, access is “restricted to permitted hunters only-- all other access by the public is unlawful.”
Tribal land: permit only
About 28% of Arizona is Indian trust land. Each tribe sets its own rules. Navajo Nation Parks & Recreation: “Do not disturb or remove animals, plants, rocks, or artifacts… Special permits are required from the Navajo Minerals Department and Natural Heritage Program to collect rocks and/or plants.” Navajo Parks & Recreation: 928-871-6647.
Utah and Nevada side: Utah monuments are not open BLM · Nevada parks and monuments.
Sources: A.A.C. Title 12, Ch. 8; A.R.S. 13-3702; Arizona State Parks; 36 CFR 2.1; NPS Arizona; BLM Arizona rockhounding brochure; BLM Sonoran Desert NM; BLM Ironwood Forest NM; BLM Agua Fria NM; BLM Vermilion Cliffs NM; Kofa NWR rules; 50 CFR 27.61; BMGR East visitor rules (2019); U.S. Army, Yuma Proving Ground (2022); Navajo Nation Parks rules.
Informational only — not legal advice. Rules, boundaries and seasons change. Confirm with the managing agency for the exact parcel before you collect. Last verified October 19, 2026.