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Drone Rules for Floresta Nacional Apache-Sitgreaves
Springerville, Arizona (AZ)
• Estados Unidos
30 South Chiricahua Drive, Springerville, AZ 85938, EUA
Lat: 33.9595 • Lng: -109.497
Rules Edit History: Floresta Nacional Apache-Sitgreaves
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May 29, 2026 1:05 AM
Approved
• Added drone restriction profile for Apache-Sitgreaves NF based on USFS 36 CFR § 261.10, Wilderness Act Mount Baldy and Bear Wallow, White Mountain Apache tribal summit land boundary, ESA Apache trout/Mexican gray wolf Blue Range/spotted owl, ARPA Mogollon/Apache sites, and FAA 14 CFR Part 107.
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Approved
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Your proposed edit to restrict drone operations in Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest has been approved. The information is accurate and well-supported by official sources, and the outline appropriately matches the selected location. Thank you for your contribution.
Sources
- https://www.fws.gov/media/unmanned-aircraft-systems-uas-policy — USFS 36 CFR § 261.10, Wilderness Act Mount Baldy and Bear Wallow designations (16 U.S.C. § 1131), White Mountain Apache tribal summit boundary, ESA Apache trout, Mexican gray wolf Blue Range Recovery Area, and spotted owl critical habitat (16 U.S.C. § 1531), and ARPA Mogollon/Apache site protections ban all unauthorized drone operations, supported by FAA 14 CFR Part 107.
- https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-36/chapter-II/part-251/section-251.50 — USFS 36 CFR § 261.10, Wilderness Act Mount Baldy and Bear Wallow designations (16 U.S.C. § 1131), White Mountain Apache tribal summit boundary, ESA Apache trout, Mexican gray wolf Blue Range Recovery Area, and spotted owl critical habitat (16 U.S.C. § 1531), and ARPA Mogollon/Apache site protections ban all unauthorized drone operations, supported by FAA 14 CFR Part 107.
- https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-14/part-107 — USFS 36 CFR § 261.10, Wilderness Act Mount Baldy and Bear Wallow designations (16 U.S.C. § 1131), White Mountain Apache tribal summit boundary, ESA Apache trout, Mexican gray wolf Blue Range Recovery Area, and spotted owl critical habitat (16 U.S.C. § 1531), and ARPA Mogollon/Apache site protections ban all unauthorized drone operations, supported by FAA 14 CFR Part 107.
- https://faa.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=9c2e4406710048e19806ebf6a06754ad — USFS 36 CFR § 261.10, Wilderness Act Mount Baldy and Bear Wallow designations (16 U.S.C. § 1131), White Mountain Apache tribal summit boundary, ESA Apache trout, Mexican gray wolf Blue Range Recovery Area, and spotted owl critical habitat (16 U.S.C. § 1531), and ARPA Mogollon/Apache site protections ban all unauthorized drone operations, supported by FAA 14 CFR Part 107.
- https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-36/chapter-II/part-261/section-261.10 — USFS 36 CFR § 261.10, Wilderness Act Mount Baldy and Bear Wallow designations (16 U.S.C. § 1131), White Mountain Apache tribal summit boundary, ESA Apache trout, Mexican gray wolf Blue Range Recovery Area, and spotted owl critical habitat (16 U.S.C. § 1531), and ARPA Mogollon/Apache site protections ban all unauthorized drone operations, supported by FAA 14 CFR Part 107.
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| Field | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Flight status | Unknown | NoFly |
| Summary | — | Drones banned in Apache-Sitgreaves NF wilderness areas under USFS rules. No flights without Special Use Permit. Mount Baldy Wilderness summit is White Mountain Apache tribal land — USFS and tribal jurisdictions meet at summit. Apache trout and spotted owl ESA critical habitat throughout. |
| Mapped shapes | 4b27ba75-58a6-4893-bb3e-a19288903ac6 | e3abadca-c8e7-4824-9252-1e0a02ccf0e0 |
Before
After
## Authorization Status - Recreational: ❌ Banned in wilderness and Special Mgmt Areas - Commercial (Part 107): ❌ USFS Special Use Permit required - Tribal Boundary Layer: ⚠️ Mount Baldy summit (11,420 ft) is White Mountain Apache tribal land; USFS trail ends at tribal boundary 0.25 miles from summit - ESA Layer: ⚠️ Apache trout + Mexican spotted owl critical habitat - Wilderness Layer: ⚠️ Mount Baldy Wilderness ~7,079 acres + Bear Wallow Wilderness ~11,080 acres ## Geographic Boundaries Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest is located in Navajo, Apache, and Greenlee Counties, Arizona, administered by USFS. - Total area: ~2,003,421 acres (combined forests) - Coordinates: 33.9000° N, 109.5000° W - Nearest city: Show Low, AZ (~40 miles northwest); Springerville, AZ (~20 miles east) - Terrain: White Mountains; Mount Baldy (11,420 ft MSL — highest point in AZ outside San Francisco Peaks; summit on White Mountain Apache Reservation); Black River; Blue Range Primitive Area; Mogollon Rim - Mount Baldy Wilderness: USFS trail ends 0.25 miles from summit; final 0.25 miles is White Mountain Apache tribal land — tribal permit required to reach summit - Apache trout (Oncorhynchus apache) — federally threatened; native to White Mountain streams; Black River and tributaries = primary critical habitat - Mexican gray wolf (Canis lupus baileyi) — federally endangered; Blue Range Wolf Recovery Area covers eastern forest - Mexican spotted owl — federally threatened; canyon nesting - White Mountain Apache Reservation immediately adjacent - Airspace: Class E above 700 ft AGL; surface Class G ## Regulations - 36 CFR § 261.10 — unauthorized aircraft prohibited - 36 CFR § 251.50 — Special Use authorization - Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. § 1131) — Mount Baldy (~7,079 ac) and Bear Wallow (~11,080 ac) wilderness units - White Mountain Apache Tribal Code — Mount Baldy summit tribal land; tribal permit required for summit access - Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. § 1531) — Apache trout critical habitat; Mexican gray wolf Blue Range Recovery Area (drone disturbance of wolf packs = ESA Section 9 take); Mexican spotted owl nesting zones - Archaeological Resources Protection Act (16 U.S.C. § 470aa) — Mogollon and Apache cultural sites throughout forest - Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. § 703) — boreal owl; northern goshawk; northern pygmy-owl nesting - FAA 14 CFR Part 107 governs commercial operations nationwide ## Penalties - USFS fines up to $5,000 per violation under 36 CFR § 261.10 - Wilderness Act: fines up to $5,000 + 6 months - ESA Section 9 (Apache trout): civil up to $25,000; criminal up to $50,000 + 1 year - ESA Section 9 (Mexican wolf): civil up to $25,000; criminal up to $50,000 + 1 year - White Mountain Apache tribal court penalties for summit tribal land violations - ARPA violations: fines up to $20,000 + 2 years - MBTA violations: fines up to $15,000 + 6 months - Equipment confiscation by USFS rangers ## Special Permissions - USFS Special Use Permit required - White Mountain Apache Tribe authorization required for any operation within 0.5 miles of Mount Baldy summit - ESA Section 7 required for Apache trout, wolf, and spotted owl habitat zones - Mexican gray wolf recovery zone (Blue Range): USFWS Mexican Wolf Recovery Team coordination required Submit requests to: Apache-Sitgreaves NF Supervisor, 30 S Chiricahua Drive, Springerville, AZ 85938 White Mountain Apache THPO: PO Box 700, Whiteriver, AZ 85941
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+ ## Authorization Status + - Recreational: ❌ Banned in wilderness and Special Mgmt Areas + - Commercial (Part 107): ❌ USFS Special Use Permit required + - Tribal Boundary Layer: ⚠️ Mount Baldy summit (11,420 ft) is + White Mountain Apache tribal land; USFS trail ends at + tribal boundary 0.25 miles from summit + - ESA Layer: ⚠️ Apache trout + Mexican spotted owl critical habitat + - Wilderness Layer: ⚠️ Mount Baldy Wilderness ~7,079 acres + + Bear Wallow Wilderness ~11,080 acres + + ## Geographic Boundaries + Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest is located in Navajo, Apache, + and Greenlee Counties, Arizona, administered by USFS. + - Total area: ~2,003,421 acres (combined forests) + - Coordinates: 33.9000° N, 109.5000° W + - Nearest city: Show Low, AZ (~40 miles northwest); + Springerville, AZ (~20 miles east) + - Terrain: White Mountains; Mount Baldy (11,420 ft MSL — + highest point in AZ outside San Francisco Peaks; summit + on White Mountain Apache Reservation); Black River; + Blue Range Primitive Area; Mogollon Rim + - Mount Baldy Wilderness: USFS trail ends 0.25 miles from + summit; final 0.25 miles is White Mountain Apache tribal + land — tribal permit required to reach summit + - Apache trout (Oncorhynchus apache) — federally threatened; + native to White Mountain streams; Black River and + tributaries = primary critical habitat + - Mexican gray wolf (Canis lupus baileyi) — federally + endangered; Blue Range Wolf Recovery Area covers + eastern forest + - Mexican spotted owl — federally threatened; canyon nesting + - White Mountain Apache Reservation immediately adjacent + - Airspace: Class E above 700 ft AGL; surface Class G + + ## Regulations + - 36 CFR § 261.10 — unauthorized aircraft prohibited + - 36 CFR § 251.50 — Special Use authorization + - Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. § 1131) — Mount Baldy (~7,079 ac) + and Bear Wallow (~11,080 ac) wilderness units + - White Mountain Apache Tribal Code — Mount Baldy summit + tribal land; tribal permit required for summit access + - Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. § 1531) — Apache trout + critical habitat; Mexican gray wolf Blue Range Recovery + Area (drone disturbance of wolf packs = ESA Section 9 take); + Mexican spotted owl nesting zones + - Archaeological Resources Protection Act (16 U.S.C. § 470aa) — + Mogollon and Apache cultural sites throughout forest + - Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. § 703) — boreal owl; + northern goshawk; northern pygmy-owl nesting + - FAA 14 CFR Part 107 governs commercial operations nationwide + + ## Penalties + - USFS fines up to $5,000 per violation under 36 CFR § 261.10 + - Wilderness Act: fines up to $5,000 + 6 months + - ESA Section 9 (Apache trout): civil up to $25,000; + criminal up to $50,000 + 1 year + - ESA Section 9 (Mexican wolf): civil up to $25,000; + criminal up to $50,000 + 1 year + - White Mountain Apache tribal court penalties for summit + tribal land violations + - ARPA violations: fines up to $20,000 + 2 years + - MBTA violations: fines up to $15,000 + 6 months + - Equipment confiscation by USFS rangers + + ## Special Permissions + - USFS Special Use Permit required + - White Mountain Apache Tribe authorization required for + any operation within 0.5 miles of Mount Baldy summit + - ESA Section 7 required for Apache trout, wolf, and + spotted owl habitat zones + - Mexican gray wolf recovery zone (Blue Range): USFWS + Mexican Wolf Recovery Team coordination required + Submit requests to: Apache-Sitgreaves NF Supervisor, + 30 S Chiricahua Drive, Springerville, AZ 85938 + White Mountain Apache THPO: PO Box 700, Whiteriver, AZ 85941