BLM LTVA areas

once a week I get a newsletter from the BLM.  this week had the LTVA areas in it so I thought I would share.  here's the main page,  http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/elcentro/recreation/ltvas.html .  it has an area map and on the right side of the page it has links for all the individual areas.  here's the rules,  http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2007-09-25/pdf/E7-18896.pdf .  most of it is dry government type reading but there is some good info.  so I just wanted to share.  highdesertranger

There are also summer LTVAs with different rules run by the Bishop BLM office.

yep sure is but since it's going on winter I posted these. highdesertranger

highdesertranger said:

yep sure is but since it's going on winter I posted these.  highdesertranger

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Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but are the LTVA permits only good for the areas under the office that issued it, or are they good at any LTVA across the country?

good question, I know the winter and summer LTVA require separate permits so you must pay for each. I am not sure if you can move from one summer LTVA to another, or from one winter LTVA to another. something to look into. highdesertranger

The winter LTVA permit is good at all six or 8 in CA/AZ desert. The summer LTVA permit is good at 4 or 6 campgrounds near Bishop/Lone Pine CA.

The only proviso with the LTVA permits is that not all campgrounds allow vehicles that are not up to their standards of being self contained.

My van with it's composting toilet is self-contained in my eyes but not in theirs. Some campgrounds I would be allowed only within a certain perimeter of the toilets and not allowed at all in others.

Almost There said:

The only proviso with the LTVA permits is that not all campgrounds allow vehicles that are not up to their standards of being self contained.

My van with it's composting toilet is self-contained in my eyes but not in theirs. Some campgrounds I would be allowed only within a certain perimeter of the toilets and not allowed at all in others.

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Do you know if they consider porta potties to be self contained enough? That's what I have in my cargo trailer, along with a 5 gallon grey water container. I can dump them in the rv dump the same as someone draining their tanks, but that may not make sense to a government agency. I don't know that I'll ever have a need to stay at an LTVA, as I usually boondock and don't like to stay parked for more than a couple weeks anyhow. Just curious in case the need/desire arises.

I believe they want a 10 gal black tank minimum. the rules for the winter LTVA are in the link I posted. the summer LTVA's I am not sure I will try to find them. highdesertranger

did a quick search and I can't find the rules for the summer LTVA's. I however found out the Bishop BLM who oversees the summer LTVA's need campground host at all their campgrounds. search the BLM Bishop field office. it's right on the main page. highdesertranger

Here's the rules for LTVA use in regards to holding tanks, porta potties etc.

They don't seem to segregate summer and winter rules nor can I think of why they would, especially in regards to waste water management.

Section 17. Self-Contained Vehicles
a. In Pilot Knob, Midland, Tamarisk,
and Hot Springs LTVAs, you may camp
only in self-contained camping units.
The La Posa, Imperial Dam, and Mule
Mountain LTVAs are restricted to self-
contained camping units, except within
500 feet of a vault or restroom.
b. Self-contained camping units must
have a permanent, affixed waste water
holding tank of 10-gallon minimum
capacity. The BLM does not consider
port-a-potty systems, systems that
utilize portable holding tanks, or
permanent holding tanks of less than
10-gallon capacity, to be self-contained.

I asked a La Posa ranger about the use of my C-Head and he said that personally, he would be willing to 'bend' the 500 ft rule but that as far as he knew BLM management had no known intention of changing their rules to accommodate things like composting toilets.

That list only has winter LTVAs on it. The summer ones are campgrounds with numbered spaces and vault toilets, so you don't need to be self-contained.

ahh blars is right the summer ones have actually campsites with fire rings, tables, vault toilets, etc. highdesertranger

Thanks for all the info. Since I have no intention of putting a permanent bathroom in my trailer, and I don't want to camp that close to the bathrooms, mainly because when I drove thru La Posa there were a lot of rigs nearby and it was basically flat and no trees etc... I think I'll stick to boondocking and moving as needed.

I was asked to bump this. highdesertranger

here is an updated link to the BLM LTVA page,

https://www.blm.gov/documents/arizo...ia-desert-do/public-room-frequently-requested

highdesertranger

Thanks for the info to this thread! I appreciate it.

I'm wondering if it's ok to set up a shower tent in a LTVA? How about on "regular" BLM land with 14 day camping?

Thanks

Edit: I just read that you can't dump gray water on the ground. I have a tub I can stand in (outside) if necessary

MotorVation said:

I'm wondering if it's ok to set up a shower tent in a LTVA? How about on "regular" BLM land with 14 day camping?

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I would suspect "NO" in the LTVAs, as that would be running a lot of grey water onto the ground. OTOH, I'm sure people in the LTVAs are always tossing grey water out. 

However, when I was at La Posa South in january, I did see some of those popup shower tents in some camps. It's possible people had porta pottis inside (but I didn't look!). You can get showers in town in Quartzsite for $5 and $8.

You have to dig a bit in the documents HDR posted to get the total word. Self-contained RVs are welcome in all LTVAs, but not vans or tent campers. The latter are required to park within 500' of a toilet, and only 4, I think, of all 6 or 8 LTVAs have toilets. 

In Quartzsite, only La Posa South of the 4 LTVAs there had toilets in the past, but a year or so ago, they built some directly across the street in the La Posa North Tyson Wash LTVA, towards the back, approx here: 33.637507, -114.224414

We have an on demand hot water shower set up in YARC Camp on the LTVA