Public Land Use Zones

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Overview

A Public Land Use Zone (PLUZ) is a tool for managing recreational activity while considering other land uses, such as industrial, commercial, agricultural and cultural activity.

A Public Land Use Zone (PLUZ) is an area of public land that is designated under the Public Lands Administration Regulation in Alberta. A PLUZ is a tool for managing recreational activity while considering other land uses.
A PLUZ is created for a specific land base and the unique conditions that exist within that land base.
A PLUZ is established to better manage recreation that occurs in a specific area.
PLUZ conditions are designed primarily to protect areas containing sensitive resources and managing conflict between recreation and other activities like industrial and commercial land uses.
PLUZs are not designated as parks or protected areas.
Currently, there are 18 PLUZs designated on public land in Alberta. Find PLUZs on Interactive Recreation Map. PLUZ are shown in purple.

Recreation in PLUZs

Each PLUZ offers unique recreation activities. Select an activity to learn more about where recreation opportunities are located and activity-specific rules on public land.
- Boating, canoeing and kayaking
- Camping
- Non-motorized recreation
  - Climbing and caving
  - Cross-country skiing
  - Cycling, electric bicycles (e-bikes), fat biking and mountain biking
  - Sportfishing
  - Drones
  - Firearms and hunting
  - Hiking
  - Horses and equestrian use
- Motorized recreation
- Organized group activities
- Snowmobiling
Make time ahead of any outdoor adventure to plan ahead and prepare. Following a few simple steps can help ensure you have fun and stay safe so you can enjoy the great outdoors.
- Choose a trail that matches the skill and abilities of your group.
- Know the terrain and plan for natural hazards and potential emergencies.
- Before heading out check:
  - Weather conditions: weather.gc.ca
  - Closures and advisories: alberta.ca/public-land-closures
  - Current fire hazards and firebans: albertafirebans.ca
- Know the rules of the trail or area you are visiting, and for your planned activities.
  - Learn more about PLUZ regulations and rules on Provincial Trails.
- Assign someone to be your emergency contact. Let them know where you are going and when you will return. Let your emergency contact know to contact the RCMP if you miss your return check-in.
- Be BearSmart. Carry bear spray year-round and within reach. Learn more about bear safety at Alberta.ca/BearSmart
- Carry extra food and water, warm clothing, a waterproof layer and a first aid kit.
- The area you are visiting may not have cell coverage. Carry a satellite communications device (if you have one) and a current map.
- Call 310-LAND (5263) for general information or to report public safety incidents, illegal activities or enforcement concerns to 310-LAND (5263).
- Respect other users and share the trail. Motorized users should yield to non-motorized users like hikers and cyclists, and all users should yield to equestrian users.
- Slow down when passing other users. If there is a group of you, hold up the number of fingers to indicate how many are in your group.
- Respect the land by leaving it in a better condition than you found it.
- Avoid travel through wet or sensitive areas whenever possible.
- Keep your gear free of debris to prevent the unintended spread of weeds and seeds.
- Leave all gates and fences as you found them, open or closed.
- Respect wildlife, and never approach or feed them.

Find a PLUZ

Explore the lists below for detailed maps and information about each PLUZ.

PLUZ	Location	Distance from Edmonton	Distance from Red Deer	Distance from Calgary
Athabasca Ranch	East of Jasper National Park, West of Edmonton	3 hours	4.5 hours	5.5 hours
Brule Lake	East of Jasper National Park, West of Edmonton	3.5 hours	4.5 hours	5.5 to 6 hours
Coal Branch	East of Jasper National Park, Southwest of Edmonton	3.5 to 4 hours	3 to 4.5 hours	4.5 to 6 hours
Holmes Crossing	Northwest of Edmonton	2 hours	3 hours	4.5 hours
Whitecourt Sandhills	Northwest of Edmonton	2 to 2.5 hours	3.5 hours	5 hours
Blackstone/Wapiabi	East of Jasper National Park, West of Red Deer	3.5 to 4 hours	2.5 hours	3.5 to 4.5 hours
Dormer/Sheep	East of Banff National Park, Southwest of Red Deer	3.5 to 4 hours	2 hours	2.5 hours
Job/Cline	East of Banff and Jasper National Parks, West of Red Deer	3.5 to 4 hours	2 to 2.5 hours	3 to 3.5 hours
Kiska/Willson	East of Banff National	3 to 4 hours	2 to 2.5 hours	2.5 to 3.5 hours
Panther Corners	East of Banff National Park, Southwest of Red Deer	3.5 hours	2 hours	2.5 hours
Upper Clearwater/Ram	East of Banff National Park, West of Red Deer	3.5 hours	2 hours	2.5 to 3 hours
Cataract Creek Snow Vehicle	Eastern Slopes of the Rocky Mountains, Southwest of Calgary	4 to 5 hours	2.5 to 3.5 hours	1.5 hours
Ghost	East of Banff National Park, West of Calgary	3 to 3.5 hours	1.5 to 2 hours	1 to 1.5 hours
Kananaskis	East of Banff National Park, West of Calgary	3.5 to 4 hours	2 to 2.5 hours	1 hour
Livingstone	Eastern Slopes of the Rocky Mountains, West of Lethbridge	4 to 5 hours	2.5 to 3.5 hours	1.5 to 2.5 hours
McLean Creek Off-Highway Vehicle	East of Banff National Park, West of Calgary	3.5 hours	2 hours	1 hours
Porcupine Hills	Eastern Slopes of the Rocky Mountains, West of Lethbridge	4.5 hours	3 hours	1.5 hours
Sibbald Snow Vehicle	East of Banff National Park, West of Calgary	3.5 to 4 hours	2 to 2.5 hours	45 minutes to 1 hour

Contact

Connect with us:

Hours: 8:15 am to 4:30 pm (open Monday to Friday, closed statutory holidays)
Phone: 310-LAND (5263) (in Alberta)
Toll free: 1-833-310-5689 (outside of Alberta)
Email: epa.outreach-services@gov.ab.ca

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