USA Metal Detecting Laws & Guidance

On this page

• Federal Law Quick Reference – Land Types
• The Federal Laws You Need to Know
  • The Antiquities Act 1906
  • The Archaeological Resources Protection Act (ARPA) 1979
  • The National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) 1966
  • Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) 1990
  • A Note on Treasure Trove
• National Parks, BLM and National Forest – The Detail
  • National Parks and Monuments – Complete Prohibition
  • BLM Land – Generally Accessible, but Know the Rules
  • National Forest Land – Similar to BLM, Managed Differently
• State-by-State Metal Detecting Laws
• Key States in More Detail
  • Texas
  • California
  • Florida
  • Arizona
  • Nevada
  • Virginia and West Virginia
  • Michigan
  • New York
• Frequently Asked Questions
  • Is metal detecting legal in the United States?
  • Can I metal detect in US National Parks?
  • What is ARPA and why does it matter to me?
  • Can I metal detect on BLM land?
  • Do I need permission to metal detect on private land in the US?
  • What should I do if I find something that looks like a Native American artifact or burial?
  • Is there a US equivalent of the UK’s Portable Antiquities Scheme or Treasure Act?
  • Can I detect on the beach in the US?
  • What happens if I find coins or relics on public land in the US?
• Sources and Further Reading

Right, I want to be upfront about something before we start. I’m UK-based, which means I learned my metal detecting laws under the Treasure Act and the Portable Antiquities Scheme. The American legal landscape is a completely different animal, and I’ll be honest with you: it is significantly more complicated.

The reason I’ve written this page is simple. I get asked about US laws a lot, either from American readers or from people planning a trip stateside with a detector in their luggage. There is no single rulebook. Federal law layers on top of state law, which layers on top of county and city ordinances, which layers on top of whoever owns the land you’re standing on. Mess any one of those layers up and you could be looking at serious consequences, not a polite word from a park ranger.

So I’ve done the research properly. Primary sources where possible. I’ve noted where information is less clear, and I’d rather tell you “check with your SHPO on this one” than make something up. Law pages are only useful if the information is accurate.

Federal Law Quick Reference – Land Types

Before we get into the detail, here is the big picture across different types of federal land. This table covers the baseline federal position. State laws can add further restrictions on top.

The Federal Laws You Need to Know

There are four federal laws that matter most to detectorists in the US. Every single person who metal detects on American soil should understand all four of them, even if you only ever intend to detect on private land.

The Antiquities Act 1906

This is the oldest of the four and the foundational piece of US heritage law. President Theodore Roosevelt signed it in 1906, making it the first federal law in the United States to give broad legal protection to cultural and natural resources on federal land.

For detectorists, the key point is simple: the Antiquities Act prohibits the excavation, injury, destruction, or removal of any historic or prehistoric ruin, monument, or object of antiquity from federal land without a permit from the relevant land-managing agency. Those permits are issued for scientific research only. You will not get one as a hobby detectorist.

The Antiquities Act also empowers the President to designate National Monuments, many of which cover huge areas of land that might otherwise be accessible for recreation. If an area has been designated as a National Monument, treat it the same as a National Park: do not detect there.

The Antiquities Act was later supplemented by ARPA (below), which is the law with the real teeth for day-to-day enforcement against hobby detecting.

The Archaeological Resources Protection Act (ARPA) 1979

This is the big one. If you only read one section of this page, make it this one.

ARPA was passed in 1979 to strengthen the protections of the Antiquities Act and to give federal land managers proper criminal enforcement powers. It applies to all federal land and to all Native American land.

The 100-year rule: Under ARPA, an “archaeological resource” is defined as any material remains of human life or activities that are at least 100 years old and are of archaeological interest. So it is not just arrowheads and Roman coins that are protected. If something is man-made and over a century old, and it is on federal land, ARPA covers it.

What ARPA prohibits: The Act prohibits excavating, removing, damaging, altering, or defacing any archaeological resource on federal or Native American land without a permit. It also prohibits selling, purchasing, transporting, exchanging, or receiving any archaeological resource removed in violation of the Act.

Penalties: ARPA carries serious criminal penalties. For a first offence, if the commercial or archaeological value of the resource disturbed exceeds $500, you face up to two years in prison and a fine of up to $20,000. For a second or subsequent offence, that rises to up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $100,000. The equipment you used can also be seized and forfeited, including your detector, your vehicle, and any digging tools.

Civil penalties on top: Even if criminal charges are not pursued, ARPA allows for civil penalties assessed by the land-management agency, based on the archaeological value of what was damaged plus the cost of restoration and repair (and doubled for a repeat violation). These can be imposed without going to court.

The practical impact of ARPA for detectorists: on federal land, you can generally recover modern lost items such as coins dropped in recent decades, jewellery, and similar personal property. The moment something crosses the 100-year threshold, you are in ARPA territory and you need a permit you will almost certainly not be able to get as a hobby detectorist. This is not a grey area.

You can read the Act itself at govinfo.gov or the NPS summary at nps.gov.

The National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) 1966

The NHPA established the National Register of Historic Places, created the position of State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) in every state, and set up Section 106, which requires federal agencies to consider the effects of their actions on historic properties.

For hobby detectorists, the NHPA matters in two main ways. First, properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places have an elevated level of legal protection. If a site is on the National Register and sits on federal land, detecting there compounds your legal exposure significantly. Second, the SHPOs created by the NHPA are your first point of contact if you want to understand the rules in any particular state. Every state has one, and they are required to provide guidance to the public.

The NHPA is less of a direct threat to detectorists in isolation, but it underpins a lot of the state-level laws that restrict detecting at historically significant sites.

Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) 1990

This one is critically important and often overlooked by detectorists, particularly those who detect in areas with a significant Native American history, which is a large part of the United States.

NAGPRA was passed in 1990 to protect Native American human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, and objects of cultural patrimony. Its rules for excavating or handling such items apply on federal and tribal land. On private land, it is generally state burial and unmarked-grave laws that protect Native American graves, and most states have them. But NAGPRA also carries a federal trafficking offence that applies no matter where an item came from: knowingly selling, buying, transporting for sale, or profiting from Native American human remains or cultural items obtained illegally is a federal crime. So even on private land, disturbing a burial can expose you to state prosecution, and what you then do with anything removed can expose you to federal charges.

Criminal penalties under NAGPRA: Trafficking in Native American human remains without the right of possession carries up to one year in prison for a first offence, rising to up to 10 years for a second or subsequent offence. The “trafficking” element can include selling, purchasing, transporting for sale, or profiting from illegally obtained remains or cultural items.

The practical rule: if your detector signals near what could be a burial site, or if your digging reveals anything that looks like human remains or ceremonial objects, stop immediately. Do not remove anything. Cover the area carefully and report it to local law enforcement and the relevant land management agency or tribal authority.

Full NAGPRA information is at nps.gov/subjects/nagpra.

A Note on Treasure Trove

One key difference between the UK and the US: there is no federal treasure trove law in the United States. In the UK, the Treasure Act creates a clear national framework. In the US, treasure trove is handled state by state through a patchwork of common law principles and specific state statutes. This means that what you can legally keep after a find, and who it legally belongs to, depends entirely on which state you are in.

Some states follow the finder-keeps rule for buried treasure on private land with landowner permission. Others hold that buried treasure belongs to the landowner regardless of who finds it. A few states have their own antiquities statutes that claim ownership of certain finds for the state. The state-by-state section below covers the most important rules where they are clear.

National Parks, BLM and National Forest – The Detail

National Parks and Monuments – Complete Prohibition

Metal detecting is prohibited in all US National Parks, National Monuments, National Historic Sites, National Seashores, and other lands managed by the National Park Service. This is set out in the Code of Federal Regulations at 36 CFR Part 2.1, which prohibits “possessing or using a mineral or metal detector” in National Park Service-managed areas.

There are no exceptions for recreational use. The penalties under ARPA (above) apply in full. The NPS can also confiscate your equipment and vehicle. I know it sounds dramatic, but the NPS takes this seriously. People do get prosecuted. Do not detect in a National Park, even in areas that look like ordinary beach or parkland. If you are unsure whether an area is NPS land, check the NPS website at nps.gov before you go.

BLM Land – Generally Accessible, but Know the Rules

Bureau of Land Management land makes up a huge proportion of publicly accessible land in the western states, covering around 245 million acres across the country. The good news for detectorists is that recreational metal detecting is generally permitted on BLM land for casual, non-commercial use.

The key rules on BLM land are:

• You can recover modern coins, jewellery, and other personal property without a permit.
• You cannot remove, disturb, or excavate any archaeological resource that is 100 years old or older. ARPA applies in full.
• Historic sites, old cabins, ghost town ruins, mining camp remnants, graves, and trail traces are not open for detecting even if they appear on open BLM land.
• Some BLM areas are specially designated (such as Wilderness Areas or Areas of Critical Environmental Concern) and have additional restrictions. Always check with the local BLM field office before visiting a specific area.
• No deep digging. No disturbing cultural or historical monuments.

The BLM publishes a helpful guide called “Can I Keep This?” at blm.gov which is worth reading. Always check with the relevant BLM field office for the specific area you plan to visit, as rules can vary between districts and state offices.

National Forest Land – Similar to BLM, Managed Differently

National Forest land is managed by the US Forest Service (USFS) and covers about 193 million acres. The approach to recreational metal detecting is broadly similar to BLM but with some specific distinctions.

The USFS recognises four types of metal detector use on National Forest land:

• Recreational prospecting (looking for gold nuggets, lost coins, jewellery with no historical significance): generally permitted without a permit. This is the most common form of hobby detecting.
• Mineral prospecting (using a detector to locate gold or other mineral deposits for mining purposes): permitted under the General Mining Laws of 1872, but a Notice of Intent is required under 36 CFR 228A.
• Treasure trove searching (searching for deliberately hidden caches of coins, gems, or precious metals): requires a Special Use Permit.
• Archaeological resource searching: requires a permit under ARPA. Permits are granted for scientific research only, not hobby use.

The important restriction: casual recreational detecting is NOT permitted in or around known or suspected historic or cultural sites, even on National Forest land. Some wilderness areas within National Forests are also closed to detecting entirely.

The USFS has published several guides on this, including one specifically for each National Forest. A good starting document is the USFS guidance at fs.usda.gov. Always check with the specific Ranger District office for the forest you plan to visit.

State-by-State Metal Detecting Laws

This is where it gets complicated. Each of the 50 states sets its own rules for state-managed land, and many have their own antiquities laws on top of the federal framework. The table below gives you a quick-reference snapshot of each state, followed by deeper sections on the most frequently searched states.

I have used three tiers:

• Green: Relatively permissive. Private land is accessible with permission, and at least some public land options exist with reasonable process.
• Amber: Mixed. Permits required, specific restrictions, or rules vary significantly by location. Workable but you need to do your homework first.
• Red: Restrictive. Strict state laws, most public land prohibited, or the regulatory picture is particularly complex or unwelcoming to hobby detectorists.

This is a general guide. These tiers reflect the overall picture and do not mean detecting is impossible in Red states, nor that it is entirely straightforward in Green states. The SHPO column links to your first port of call for official state-level guidance.

Key States in More Detail

The following states come up the most in questions from readers, either because they have large detecting communities, complex rules, or both. Here is a bit more depth on each.

Texas

Texas is one of the most popular states for metal detecting, largely because of the private land culture. Landowners in Texas tend to be relatively accessible to approach, and the state’s huge size means there is an enormous amount of agricultural and private land to explore. Private land detecting is perfectly legal with the landowner’s permission, and there are no state-level restrictions that prevent you from keeping finds from private land subject to a finds-sharing agreement with the owner.

The complicating factor is the Texas Antiquities Code. This state law protects artifacts or other cultural resources over 100 years old on any public or state-owned property. Removing or disturbing such artifacts from public land without an antiquities permit from the Texas Historical Commission is illegal, and those permits are issued only to qualified professional archaeologists.

Texas state parks are managed by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and detecting is prohibited without a special permit from that body. City parks vary by municipality, so always check with the city’s parks department before visiting.

Bottom line for Texas: if you are on private land with written permission from the landowner, you are in a good position. On any public or state-owned land, the Antiquities Code applies, and state parks are off-limits without specific permission from TPWD.

Official information: Texas Historical Commission Archaeology FAQ.

California

California is one of the most complex states for detectorists. The rules vary by whether you are on state park land, county land, city land, or a beach, and then they vary again by which beach, county, or city you are in.

California state parks require a specific permit for metal detecting, and the California Department of Parks and Recreation issues site-specific orders that are updated regularly. Some state park areas are designated for detecting; many are not. The Gold Fields District, for example, issues its own orders for permitted areas.

On California beaches, the picture is similarly fragmented. Some city and county beaches allow detecting freely; others require permits; a few prohibit it entirely. Huntington Beach historically allowed detecting with a permit during specific hours. Oceanside has been known to prohibit it. Always check the specific local ordinances for the beach you plan to visit before you go.

The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) adds another layer of complexity, particularly for any activity on public land that could affect the environment or cultural resources. For hobby detecting, CEQA is not generally triggered by casual surface activity, but it is a factor in how California agencies approach any land-use decisions.

ARPA and the Antiquities Act apply in full to any federal land in California, of which there is a significant amount including National Forests, BLM land, and National Parks.

For California, the honest answer is: research your specific location in detail before you go, check with the local park or land management authority directly, and assume you need a permit unless you have been told otherwise in writing.

Official state parks information: California State Parks Metal Detector Policy.

Florida

Florida has a very active metal detecting community, and the rules are a mixed picture. The most important thing to understand is how the Florida Division of Historical Resources (DHR) treats finds.

In Florida state parks, metal detecting is generally prohibited. The exception is coastal state parks, where detecting is permitted in a very specific zone: the beach area between the toe of the dune and the high-water line, as designated by the park manager. Detecting in the water or anywhere else within the state park is not permitted. Crucially, any object with a historic association (which in Florida means anything over 50 years old) cannot be kept by park visitors even if found in the permitted beach zone. Title to such items is vested in the Florida Department of State’s Division of Historical Resources.

Florida’s famous 1715 Plate Fleet shipwreck area along the Treasure Coast is of particular note. The state of Florida claims ownership of the shipwreck sites and the area around them is heavily regulated. Detecting in or around known shipwreck sites requires specific permits from the Division of Historical Resources. Do not detect near known wreck sites without checking the permit requirements first.

For ocean beaches that are not within state parks, most public saltwater beaches in Florida allow metal detecting without a permit, though local ordinances vary. The majority of Florida’s beachcombing community operates on non-state-park beaches, and this is generally where the hobby is most accessible.

Official information: Florida Division of Historical Resources and Florida State Parks FAQ.

Arizona

Arizona presents a challenging picture. The state parks have a complete prohibition on metal detecting, with no permit option for recreational use. This covers all of Arizona’s popular state parks including Lake Havasu, Dead Horse Ranch, Kartchner Caverns, and Slide Rock State Park.

However, Arizona has huge amounts of BLM land, and this is where most Arizona detectorists spend their time. Recreational detecting on BLM land is permitted under the standard federal rules: modern items are fair game, but anything 100 years old or older triggers ARPA. Check with the local BLM field office for any specific area closures.

The complication in Arizona is the sheer volume of tribal land. A significant proportion of Arizona is held in trust for various Native American nations. All tribal land is off-limits without specific written permission from the relevant tribal government. NAGPRA applies in full. Do not detect on tribal land or anywhere near known ancestral sites.

State Trust Land in Arizona is also not generally open for recreation and requires an Arizona State Land Department Recreational Permit. Some parcels explicitly prohibit detecting.

Official information: Arizona State Parks Archaeological Site Etiquette.

Nevada

Nevada is genuinely one of the better states for metal detecting, primarily because of the vast amounts of BLM land. The BLM manages over 67% of Nevada’s total land area, which is an enormous amount of accessible public land. Recreational detecting on most Nevada BLM land is permitted for modern finds without a permit.

The specific rules on BLM land in Nevada that detectorists need to respect: cultural resources including prehistoric and historic artifacts and sites, broken objects and debris more than 100 years old, historic sites such as cabins, sawmills, graves, trail traces, mining areas, townsites, and railroads are protected and not open for collecting. This is especially relevant in Nevada because of the many historic mining-era ghost towns.

Ghost towns on BLM land: the towns themselves, their structures, and the remnants of buildings are treated as historic sites under ARPA. You cannot collect from them or disturb the structures. The land around ghost towns that has not been formally designated as a historic site may be more accessible, but tread very carefully and check with the local BLM field office before detecting anywhere near a ghost town.

Nevada state parks vary in their rules and you should check individually with each park. Private land is accessible with landowner permission.

Virginia and West Virginia

The American Civil War battlefields make Virginia and West Virginia a draw for many detectorists, particularly those interested in relic hunting. The picture on legality is clear but worth spelling out carefully.

Every major Civil War battlefield in Virginia is managed by the National Park Service. Manassas, Fredericksburg, Petersburg, the Wilderness, Spotsylvania, Cold Harbor, and Richmond National Battlefield Park are all completely off-limits under federal law and 36 CFR Part 2.1. ARPA penalties apply. There is no workaround.

In Virginia, state parks restrict detecting to six designated man-made beach areas only. Historic preservation laws strictly prohibit detecting at any archaeological or historically significant site without authorisation.

In West Virginia, WV Code 20-7A-5 makes it unlawful to excavate, remove, deface, or destroy any known burial ground, historic or prehistoric ruin, or archaeological or palaeontological site. Most of West Virginia is private land, and with permission from the landowner you can detect quite freely on private property, subject to the broader federal rules on what you can keep from any site with historical significance.

The famous relic hunting in the region happens entirely on private land, with the permission of private landowners, in areas that do not fall within officially designated battlefield boundaries. This is the legal route for Civil War relic hunters in Virginia and West Virginia.

Michigan

Michigan has one of the largest metal detecting communities in the US, which has led to a reasonably structured permit system in state parks. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources designates specific areas within state parks where detecting is permitted, and a permit is required. Park staff will review significant finds in case any valuable personal belongings need to be reported to police.

This is actually a relatively sensible approach compared to many states, and the Michigan detecting community has worked with the DNR over the years to maintain access. Check with the specific state park you plan to visit for its designated areas.

The Great Lakes shoreline is a popular detecting location in Michigan. Many of these areas fall under state or federal jurisdiction, so check the land ownership of any beach area you plan to visit. Some shoreline is private, some is state land, and some falls within National Lakeshores managed by the NPS.

New York

New York State Parks operate a permit system for metal detecting. The permit covers designated beach areas only and is seasonal: effective during the off-swim season (generally September through May) and not valid during the summer swimming operating season.

The restrictions in state parks are specific: detecting is not permitted in landscaped areas, near trees, shrubs, lawns, or flowerbeds, or near or around buildings. Any tool used to remove objects must have a blade no wider than 1.5 inches wide. The surface must be restored to its original condition after digging.

New York City parks operate a separate permit system through the NYC Parks Department, which requires its own metal detector permit.

Long Island is particularly popular with New York detectorists, and the state park permit system covers a number of Long Island State Park beaches. Permits are issued seasonally at newyorkstateparks.reserveamerica.com.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is metal detecting legal in the United States?

Yes, metal detecting is legal in the United States, but whether it is legal in any specific location depends on who owns or manages that land and what rules they have in place. On private land, it is legal with the written permission of the landowner. On federal land managed by the BLM or National Forest Service, recreational detecting is generally permitted for modern items. In National Parks, it is completely prohibited. State rules vary enormously. The short answer is: yes, it is legal, but the detail matters a great deal.

Can I metal detect in US National Parks?

No. Metal detecting is prohibited in all National Parks, National Monuments, National Historic Sites, and all other land managed by the National Park Service. This is set out in 36 CFR Part 2.1. There are no exceptions for recreational detecting. Violating this can result in criminal prosecution under ARPA, equipment seizure, and fines of up to $20,000 for a first offence.

What is ARPA and why does it matter to me?

ARPA stands for the Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979. It is the main federal law governing the protection of archaeological resources on federal and Native American land. It defines any man-made material remains over 100 years old as an “archaeological resource” and prohibits their removal, disturbance, or excavation without a permit. Permits are issued for scientific research only, not hobby use. First offence penalties include up to two years in prison and a $20,000 fine where the value of what was disturbed exceeds $500. Equipment can also be confiscated. ARPA matters to every detectorist in the US who ever sets foot on federal land.

Can I metal detect on BLM land?

Generally yes, for casual recreational use. The BLM permits recreational detecting for modern coins, jewellery, and personal property without a permit on most of its land. The key restrictions are: do not remove, disturb, or excavate anything that is 100 years old or older; do not detect in or near historic sites, ghost town structures, or designated cultural resource areas; check with the specific local BLM field office for any area-specific closures before you go. The rules can vary between BLM districts and states.

Do I need permission to metal detect on private land in the US?

Yes, absolutely. Private land in the US belongs to the owner, and you need their permission to detect on it. Entering private land without permission is trespass. While the laws around trespass vary by state (some treat it as criminal, others as civil), the principle is universal: get written permission from the landowner before you detect on their land. A signed permission note or agreement is strongly recommended. Some states also have their own antiquities laws that affect what you can legally keep from finds made on private land, so even with permission, check your state’s specific rules.

What should I do if I find something that looks like a Native American artifact or burial?

Stop immediately. Do not remove anything. Do not disturb the area further. Cover the site carefully if it has been exposed. Report the find to local law enforcement and contact the relevant land management agency (BLM, National Forest, state park, etc.) or, if on private land, contact the State Historic Preservation Office. On private land, unmarked graves are protected by state burial laws, and NAGPRA makes it a federal crime to traffic in Native American human remains or cultural objects obtained illegally, wherever they came from. The moment you knowingly disturb a Native American burial or trade what you have taken, you risk prosecution.

Is there a US equivalent of the UK’s Portable Antiquities Scheme or Treasure Act?

Not really, no. The US has no national finds reporting system equivalent to the UK’s Portable Antiquities Scheme, and there is no federal treasure trove law equivalent to the UK Treasure Act 1996. What the US has instead is ARPA (which prohibits removing old items from federal land) and a patchwork of state-level rules about who owns buried treasure found on private land. Some states follow the finder-keeps rule for buried treasure on private land; others award it to the landowner; a few have state antiquities laws that claim certain finds for the state. There is no single framework across all 50 states.

Can I detect on the beach in the US?

It depends entirely on which beach. If the beach is within a National Park or NPS-managed National Seashore, the answer is no. If it is within a Florida state park, you can only detect in a specific narrow zone. If it is a public ocean beach not within a state or federal park, most allow it, though local city and county ordinances may apply. In some states (New York, New Jersey, Oregon), state park beach areas are accessible with a permit and during specified seasons. Always check who manages the specific beach you plan to visit, then check their specific rules before you go.

What happens if I find coins or relics on public land in the US?

For modern items (less than 100 years old) on BLM or National Forest land, you can generally keep what you find within the casual use allowances. For anything that is, or might be, 100 years old or older, ARPA applies and you cannot legally remove it from federal land without a permit. On state park land, many states require that any find with historical significance is reported to park staff. On private land with permission, what you can keep is generally governed by your agreement with the landowner and your state’s specific common law or statutory rules on found property. If you find anything that looks like it could be archaeologically significant, the safest approach is always to record its location, leave it in place, and report it to the relevant authority.

Sources and Further Reading

The following official sources were used in researching this page. Laws change, so always check the current version of any document before relying on it.

• NPS – Archaeological Resources Protection Act
• ARPA 1979 – Full Text (govinfo.gov)
• NPS – Antiquities Act of 1906
• NPS – NAGPRA
• BLM – Can I Keep This?
• BLM – Collecting on Public Lands (PDF)
• USFS – Metal Detecting on National Forest System Lands
• USFS – George Washington and Jefferson National Forests Metal Detecting Policy
• 36 CFR Part 2 – NPS Resource Protection Regulations (eCFR)
• Texas Historical Commission – Archaeology FAQ
• California State Parks – Metal Detector Policy
• Florida Division of Historical Resources
• Oregon State Parks – Metal Detecting
• Washington State Parks – Metal Detecting
• Pennsylvania DCNR – Metal Detecting Rules
• South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks – Metal Detector Permit

For state-specific queries, your first port of call should always be your State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO). Every state has one. They are required to provide public guidance on historic preservation law in their state, and most have information on their websites about metal detecting specifically. You can find all 50 SHPO contact details through the National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers at ncshpo.org.

Remember: this guide is a starting point, not a legal document. The law changes, individual sites have their own rules, and a ten-minute phone call to the relevant land management office before you go out will always be the most reliable source of current information.