Bulldog Canyon Permit: What You Need When You Rent a UTV
Yes, you need a permit to drive a UTV in Bulldog Canyon. Any motorized vehicle in the Bulldog Canyon OHV Permit Zone needs a Tonto National Forest OHV Permit. When you rent a Can-Am from Wave & Ridge in Apache Junction, the Bulldog Canyon permit is included, and we send the permit instructions before your ride. Here is how the permit works, plus the trail rules worth knowing before you roll out.
What the Bulldog Canyon permit is
Bulldog Canyon is a 34,000-acre OHV area in the Mesa Ranger District of the Tonto National Forest. It has roughly 20 miles of open routes through the Goldfield Mountains, and every route is wide enough for a full-size vehicle.
The Forest Service now manages it with the Tonto National Forest OHV Permit, sold through Recreation.gov. A few points about how that permit works:
- One permit covers all of the Tonto OHV permit zones, not just Bulldog Canyon.
- Every motorized vehicle in a permit zone needs at least one rider with a valid permit issued in their name.
- Riders under 16 who operate an OHV do not need their own permit, but they must be with a guardian who has one.
- Parking in a staging area does not need an OHV permit. You need it once you drive past the staging area into the zone.
What Wave & Ridge includes
Every UTV rental comes with the Bulldog Canyon permit, four DOT helmets and goggles, and iPad GPS trail maps preloaded with Bulldog Canyon and nearby routes. We send the permit instructions before your ride. Follow those instructions for your booking, and bring the driver's license for whoever is listed.
You do not need to buy anything else to ride Bulldog on a Wave & Ridge rental. See UTV rentals for what comes with each machine.
No more gate combinations
If you read older trail reports, you will see advice about gate lock combinations. That system is gone. The Forest Service no longer uses lock combinations at Bulldog Canyon.
Blue Point and Usery are the two access points that still have gates. They are not locked, but you should close them behind you, because they keep wild horses off the highway.
The five ways in
Bulldog Canyon has five access points: Blue Point, Usery, Wolverine, Hackamore, and Dutchman. Our shop at 724 E Scenic St is about five minutes from the trails, and the Can-Am Maverick X3 is street-legal, so you drive straight from our lot to the trail. There is no trailer to tow and no truck to arrange. We do not meet riders at trailheads. Every rental starts and ends at the shop.
Our Bulldog Canyon guide covers the area's landmarks and access points in more detail.
Trail rules to know
The permit gets you in. These rules keep the area open:
- Stay on designated routes. Driving off-road is prohibited on the Tonto National Forest.
- Close the gates at Blue Point and Usery after you pass through.
- Give the horses room. Wild horses live in the area. Slow down and let them move on their own.
- Respect neighborhoods. Some access points, like Wolverine, sit near homes. Keep speed and noise down on the way in.
- Plan for the season. Fall through spring is the comfortable time to ride. In summer, avoid the middle of the day.
How the rental day works
- Book a half day, full day, or Extended Day on Booking Central. A UTV full day is 6 hours. Extended Day is 8 hours.
- Arrive at the shop an hour before your start time. The renter must be 25 or older.
- Get fitted for helmets and go through a 15-to-20-minute walkthrough of the machine and the trails.
- Drive the X3 to Bulldog Canyon and ride.
- Drive back to the shop before your return time.
We are open Monday through Saturday, 7 AM to 7 PM, and closed Sunday.
FAQ
Do I need to buy a Bulldog Canyon permit if I rent from Wave & Ridge? No. The permit is included with every UTV rental, and we send instructions before your ride.
Is there a gate code for Bulldog Canyon? Not anymore. The gates at Blue Point and Usery are unlocked. Just close them behind you.
Does the permit cover other Tonto OHV areas? The Tonto National Forest OHV Permit covers every Tonto OHV permit zone.
Can I trailer the UTV to a farther trail? Yes. A trailer add-on is available for longer trips. Details are on towing info.