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Bureau of Land Management
Metal detecting Designated areas only
On general BLM public land, metal detectors are expressly allowed to help collect permitted specimens such as rocks and minerals, except on developed recreation sites or where posted. ARPA makes it a crime to dig or remove archaeological resources, but coins and bullets are not archaeological resources unless found in direct relation to an archaeological site.
- Permit
- None for hobby use. Commercial collecting needs a permit. Mining claims belong to the claimant.
- Sources
- ecfr.gov · ecfr.gov · ecfr.gov
- Notes
- 43 CFR 8365.1-5(a)(3),(b); 43 CFR 7.3(a)(4)(ii) excludes coins and bullets that are not in an archaeological context. Status is restricted_areas because of developed sites, posted closures and archaeological sites. No BLM page dedicated to metal detecting was found.
- Verified
- 2026-10-21 · official text read
Confirm with the park before you go. Individual parks can post their own closures and rules.
Drones Designated areas only
Hobby drones are generally allowed on BLM land under FAA rules. Launching or landing in designated BLM Wilderness is prohibited. Some BLM fact sheets (Utah) require take-off and landing on designated OHV routes under 43 CFR 8340. Rules can differ in monuments and wilderness study areas.
- Permit
- None for hobby use. Check with the local field office.
- Sources
- ecfr.gov · blm.gov
- Notes
- The OHV-route launch rule comes from a Utah (Grand Staircase-Escalante) fact sheet. Don't apply it nationwide without checking the local office.
- Verified
- 2026-10-21 · official text read
Confirm with the park before you go. Individual parks can post their own closures and rules.
Drones also follow FAA rules.
Machine-readable: /api/federal/blm.json