Lands Section
Special Use Lands
General Information
Special use lands are those general domain state lands that may have special restrictions.
The Alaska Division of Mining, Land and Water manages state land that has not been reserved or withdrawn from multiple use management (under Title 38 of the Alaska Statutes) by either an act of the state legislature or by an administrative action (in compliance with limits set by AS 38.05.300). The land managed by the division is called public domain land.
11 AAC 96.020 set out a list of generally allowed uses that can occur on public domain land without a permit from the division. All activities on state land must be conducted in a responsible manner that will minimize or prevent disturbance to land and water resources. At times there are special uses that warrant the division to require a permit for what would otherwise be generally allowed on public domain land.
The division designation of “special use lands” is for the protection of scenic, historic, archeological, scientific, biological, recreational, or other special resource values warranting additional protections or other special requirements. Special use land designations originate from an area or management plan, or are made at the director's discretion to address a certain need. Before a designation is made, however, other agencies and the public are given a chance to comment on the proposal.
To see more information about the sites and areas of state land that the division has designated as special use land, select one of the special use areas listed below.
Special Use Areas
Alyeska Ski Resort
ADL 226208
Described as lands within subunit 4A of the Turnagain Arm Management Plan, also shown on Attachment A of State Land Lease ADL 226089. Within the leased area designated the Alyeska Ski Resort Recreational Facility, generally allowed uses as listed in 11 AAC 96.020 may occur if they are compatible with lessee's operations and are in compliance with 11 AAC 20.956.
Map PDFBaranof Lake Trail
ADL 106378
Generally described as an area 30 feet on either side of the trail within Township 55 South, Range 66 East, Copper River Meridian. A permit is required for commercial recreational hiking on the trail system across state land.
Map PDFCaribou Hills
ADL 226574
Described in the Kenai Area Plan as Units 45A, 45B, and 267 and portions of Units 260B and 266B. Generally allowed uses as listed in 11 AAC 96.020 are not subject to a special restriction.
Map PDFExit Glacier Road
ADL 227699
Described in the Kenai Area Plan as Unit 359A. Setting up and using a camp is allowed as provided in 11 AAC 96.020(a)(4)(A), except that the period of use is limited to eight consecutive days. The department may close a site to camping if the site is subject to recurring problems, including camping for longer than the allowed period, abandoned trash and garbage, and unsanitary conditions.
Map PDFGlacier/Winner Creek Special Use Area
ADL 227203
Generally described as those lands designated in the Turnagain Arm Management Plan as subunit 3-A. A permit is required for commercial snowcat operation. only one commercial snowcat operation will be allowed at any one time.
Map PDFHatcher Pass
ADL 223585
Generally described as those lands designated by AS 41.23.130 and certain lands described in the Hatcher Pass Management Plan. In the Upper Little Susitna Valley and the Reed Valleys and Lakes, off-road motorized use, including landing aircraft, is prohibited. The department may issue a permit for motorized use for mineral development, grazing, trail construction or maintenance, or trapping, if the department determines that the use would not substantially interfere with recreational use of the area.
Within the Independence Mine State Historic Park Addition, off-road motorized use, including landing aircraft, is prohibited. The department may issue a permit for motorized use for mineral development, trail maintenance, or another special use if the department determines that the use would not substantially interfere with recreational use of the area.
Within the Hatcher Pass State Recreation Siteoff-road motorized use is restricted to periods of sufficient snow cover to protect soils and vegetation. If sufficient snow cover is not present, the department may issue a permit for motorized use for mineral development, trail construction or maintenance, or another special use if the department determines that the use would not substantially damage surface resources.
Within the Bald Mountain Ridge Habitat Area, off-road motorized use, including landing aircraft, is prohibited between May 1 and August 1. During that period, the department may issue a permit for motorized use for mineral development, trail construction or maintenance, or another special use if the department determines that the use would not negatively affect tundra bird nesting.
Map 1 PDFIndian Cove
ADL 105964
Generally described as tideland and submerged land within a portion of Township 40 South, Range 65 East, Copper River Meridian known as Indian Cove.
A permit is required for anchoring a mooring buoy or placing a float, dock, or boat haulout, for an anchoring or placement occurring after March 3, 1993. Floathouses and boathouses are prohibited.
Map PDFKamishak
ADL 225459
Generally described as two parcels at Kamishak Bay, one lying between the McNeil River State Game Sanctuary and Katmai National Park, and the other adjoining the McNeil River State Game Sanctuary and overlying portions of the Katmai National Park boundaries. Between July 15 and September 30, camping in the restricted area between the mouths of the Little Kamishak River and the Kamishak River, as depicted on the Kamishak Special Use Area map, is restricted to commercial recreation camping with a permit.
Float lodges, floathouses, floating camps, and other similar structures are prohibited.
Map PDFKasilof River
ADL 230992
All state owned and managed lands including uplands, tide and submerged lands, and shorelands located within the Kasilof River Special Use Area boundary as depicted on Map 1: Kasilof River Special Use Area (ADL 230992) Boundary and State Land. The area includes approximately 1,010 acres of tide and submerged lands, and shorelands. For more information, please visit Kasilof River Special Use Area website.
Map 1 PDFKenai Fjords Coastline
ADL 227836
Generally described as tideland and submerged land in and adjacent to Kenai Fjords National Park, Kachemak Bay State Park, and Kachemak Bay State Park and Wilderness, and the islands in the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge and depicted in the Kenai Area Plan.
Generally allowed uses as listed in 11 AAC 96.020 are not subject to a special restriction.
Map PDFKenai River Special Management Area Proposed Additions
ADL 226527
Generally described as state land, including shoreland and waters, within units as designated by the Kenai River Comprehensive Management Plan.
A permit is required for any disturbance of land that involves clearing trees, brush, or other vegetation.
Map PDFLake Clark Coastline
ADL 227835
Generally described as tideland and submerged land in and adjacent to the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge and Lake Clark National Park.
Generally allowed uses as listed in 11 AAC 96.020 are not subject to a special restriction.
Map PDFLower Talarik Creek
ADL 227445
Generally described as the area surrounding the upper portion of the creek within Township 6 South, Range 37 West, Seward Meridian. Between August 1 and October 31, setting up and using a camp for personal, noncommercial use is allowed without a permit only in a designated area adjacent to the Department of Fish and Game cabin located in Section 26 and for no more than five consecutive days. Between August 1 and October 31, commercial recreation activities are limited to day use only, if registration has been completed under 11 AAC 96.018.
Map PDFMarmot Island
ADL 225034
Generally described as the east side of Marmot Island and three miles seaward.
Aircraft landings and other motorized vehicle and vessel uses are prohibited in the area marked ¿Motorized Uses Prohibited¿ on the Marmot Island Special Use Area map. In the remainder of the special use area, a permit is required for aircraft and boat landings and other motorized uses.
A permit is required for camping or facilities development for scientific or management purposes, or for activities associated with access development.
Camping other than for scientific or management purposes, use of domestic animals, timber harvest, mining, and recreational mining on the beach are prohibited.
Map PDFNenana River Gorge and McKinley Village Subdivision
ADL 414989
Generally described as three parcels near Denali National Park and Preserve, one lying within one-half mile easterly of the eastern boundary of the Parks Highway right-of-way within Township 13 South, Range 7 West, Fairbanks Meridian, one comprising that portion of Lot 3, United States Survey (USS) 5566 located between the Parks Highway right-of-way, the Old Denali Highway right-of-way, and the access road connecting the two roads within Section 36, Township 14 South, Range 7 West, Fairbanks Meridian, and one comprising Tract B of Alaska State Land Survey (ASLS) 83-194, Village View Subdivision, within Section 36, Township 14 South, Range 7 West, Fairbanks Meridian.
A permit is required for setting up and using a camp for personal or commercial purposes.
Map PDFNorth Slope
ADL 50666
All state land in townships within the Umiat Meridian require a permit for motorized vehicle use, unless that use is for subsistence purposes or is on a graveled road.
There is no map available at this time.
Northern Southeast Area Plan
ADL 106859
This Special Use Area affects lands managed under the Northern Southeast Area Plan in the Haines area and on Kruzof Island (Shelikof Beach). Both uplands and tidelands are affected within the Haines area, while only tidelands are affected on Kruzof Island. The SUA is included as Appendix D in this area plan.
Map PDFHaines Area
Tideland parcels near Haines have habitat values and are heavily used for public recreation. The large upland parcel (Flower Mountain, H-07) is used by the public and small scale commercial recreation operations (CRO) . The public asked, during the preparation of the NSEAP, that these areas be protected from large-scale CROs, that the current level of use by the public be allowed to continue, and that motorized uses on high public use tideland tracts be prohibited.
The SUA stipulates that, for tideland parcels, CROs with more than 10 clients per day or using motorized vehicles are prohibited. Such operators with less than 10 clients per day may be allowed, subject to authorization by DNR. For upland parcels, it stipulates that CROs with more than 41 clients per day are prohibited. CROs with more than 10 clients per day by less than 41 clients per day may be allowed, subject to authorization by DNR. CROs with less than 10 clients per day are a generally allowed use.
Map - Haines Area PDFKurzof Island
The public expressed concern during the plan preparation process that the beach grasses of Shelikof Beach, a high habitat area, were being degraded by public motorized use. The use of motorized vehicles on Shelikof Beach is prohibited under the SUA.
Map - Baronof Area PDFNushagak Public Use Sites
ADL 226852
Described in the Nushagak and Mulchatna Rivers Recreation Management Plan, as Public Use Site 6 within Unit 1, Public Use Site 9 within Unit 3, and Public Use Site 21 within Unit 15. Uses of state land not requiring a permit are limited to seven consecutive days; a permit is required for any use that exceeds seven consecutive days.
Map 1 PDFPoker Flat North
ADL 412457
For land generally described as north of the Steese Highway between Little Poker and Long Creeks, rocket and rocket booster impacts as a result of the research conducted at the Poker Flat Rocket Range are allowed in this area without further authorization.
Map PDFPoker Flat South
ADL 414364
For land generally described as lying south of the Steese Highway between Davidson Ditch and Captain Creek, rocket and rocket booster impacts as a result of the research conducted at the Poker Flat Rocket Range are allowed in this area without further authorization.
Map PDFResurrection Bay
ADL 227837
Generally described as the tideland and submerged land in Resurrection Bay and depicted in the Kenai Area Plan. Generally allowed uses as listed in 11 AAC 96.020 are not subject to a special restriction.
Map PDFTangle Lakes Archaeological District
ADL 228296
Generally described as approximately 100,000 acres including the entire portion of the Tangle Lakes Archaeological District lying north of the Denali Highway, within the lands conveyed to the state and some lands directly adjacent to the north, that contain demonstrated cultural resource values.
This designation allows the division to manage this land more intensively than other state lands by regulating activities that are otherwise generally allowed to occur on state lands.
Our immediate management objectives are to manage impacts to archeological and surface resources in order to prevent or minimize damage, and to ensure future management opportunities.
Our long range intent is to maintain a range of recreational, scenic, educational, archeological, and unique natural resource opportunities in the Denali Block area.
Map PDFThompson Pass
ADL 226446
Generally described as state land and state-selected land surrounding Thompson Pass and including Tonsina Glacier, Mount Billy Mitchell, Marshall Pass, Woodworth Glacier, and Keystone Canyon, within Townships 5 ¿ 10 South, Ranges 1 East ¿ 4 West, Copper River Meridian.
Generally allowed uses as listed in 11 AAC 96.020 are not subject to a special restriction.
Map PDFTogiak National Wildlife Refuge and Lower Goodnews River
ADL 226851
Generally described as shorelands within Togiak National Wildlife Refuge and lower Goodnews River as described in the Togiak National Wildlife Refuge Public Use Management Plan and Environmental Assessment.
Setting up and using a camp is allowed as provided in 11 AAC 96.020(a)(4)A), except that the period of use is limited to three consecutive days at any one site. The period of use may be extended by permit.
Map PDF