Permits & Passes
Tonto Pass Guide: What It Covers, Where to Buy It and What You Need at Saguaro Lake
Canyon Lake is closed for the SRP drawdown, so plan the water day at Saguaro. Yes — you still need a Tonto Pass there. Here is the 2026 cost, and how to have it on your dashboard before you back down the ramp.
What is a Tonto Pass?
A Tonto Pass is the Forest Service's day-use permit for parking at picnic sites, shorelines and boat launches in Tonto National Forest, which includes Saguaro Lake. It is a scratch-off hangtag you date and hang or set face-up on your dashboard. One pass covers the vehicle and everyone in it. If you are launching a jet ski or boat, you also need a Watercraft Use Sticker for each motorized craft, or one annual Tonto Discovery Pass, which already includes watercraft access.
Which pass for which trip
| Your plan | What you need |
|---|---|
| Park and picnic or swim at a Saguaro Lake site | Tonto Daily Pass |
| Launch one jet ski or boat for the day | Tonto Daily Pass plus one Watercraft Use Sticker |
| Launch two jet skis | Tonto Daily Pass plus two Watercraft Use Stickers |
| You visit Tonto lakes often | Tonto Discovery Pass (annual, includes watercraft access) |
| Ride a UTV in Bulldog Canyon | Not a Tonto Pass - a Tonto NF OHV Permit from Recreation.gov |
A federal America the Beautiful pass covers Tonto picnic sites only. It does not cover shorelines or boat launches, so it will not get a rental jet ski or wakeboat in the water at Saguaro.
Canyon Lake is closed for the SRP drawdown, and no reopening date has been announced. Plan the water day at Saguaro Lake. Saguaro sits inside Tonto National Forest, so every vehicle parked at a boat launch or shoreline needs a valid Tonto Pass on the dashboard. To launch a jet ski or boat you need a Tonto Daily Pass ($8) and a Watercraft Use Sticker ($4) — $12 total for the day — or a single annual Tonto Discovery Pass ($80) that already includes watercraft access.
What a Tonto Pass actually is
A Tonto Pass is the Forest Service's day-use recreation fee for parking at picnic sites, shorelines, and boat launches across Tonto National Forest. Saguaro Lake, Canyon Lake, Bartlett, Apache, and Roosevelt all fall under it, so the same pass system covers most of the popular lakes east of Phoenix.
The Daily Pass is a scratch-off hangtag — you scratch the month, day, and year you're using it, then display it face-up on your dashboard. It's good for 24 hours from the time you validate it. There's no per-person charge; the pass covers the vehicle and everyone in it.
Tonto Pass prices for 2026
Here's the full breakdown of what you'll pay. For most people towing a jet ski or boat for the day, the number that matters is the $12 combination — a Daily Pass plus one Watercraft Use Sticker.
| Pass | Price | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Tonto Daily Pass | $8 | Day-use parking at picnic sites, shorelines, and boat launches (with a watercraft sticker). Valid 24 hours. |
| Watercraft Use Sticker | $4 | Required for each motorized watercraft you launch. Affix it permanently to a Daily Pass. |
| Daily Pass + Watercraft Sticker | $12 | What most jet ski and boat renters need for a single day on the water. |
| Tonto Discovery Pass (annual) | $80 | Good for one year and already includes watercraft access — no separate sticker needed. |
Prices reflect the current Tonto National Forest fee schedule. A separate Watercraft Use Sticker is required for each motorized watercraft you put in the water.
⚠️ The federal “America the Beautiful” pass does NOT cover the boat launch. The interagency and senior federal passes only cover picnic sites at Tonto — they do not cover shorelines or boat launches at Saguaro or Canyon Lake. If you're towing a watercraft, you still need a Tonto Daily Pass plus a Watercraft Use Sticker, or an annual Discovery Pass. (The Discovery Pass does include watercraft access.)
Canyon is closed. Do you still need a Tonto Pass at Saguaro Lake?
Canyon Lake is closed for the SRP drawdown, with no reopening date announced, so plan the water day at Saguaro Lake. Saguaro is in Tonto National Forest, and a displayed pass is required at every developed parking area, including the Saguaro del Norte boat launch. The same pass rules apply at Canyon Lake's Laguna and Palo Verde sites when the lake is open; those launches are closed with the lake.
The rule is simple: every parked vehicle needs a valid Tonto Pass, and every motorized watercraft you launch needs its own Watercraft Use Sticker. Tow two jet skis and you'll want two stickers on your Daily Pass. Rangers do check, and citations cost far more than the $12 you'd have spent up front.
Where to buy a Tonto Pass near Apache Junction
You have two places to get one:
- Retail vendors. The Forest Service keeps a vendor list of gas stations, grocery stores and other shops across the Valley that sell Daily Passes and Watercraft Use Stickers. Several are in Apache Junction, on the route from our shop to the lake. Stock varies, so the Forest Service suggests calling a store to check.
- Forest Service offices. Ranger district offices sell every Tonto pass. The annual Tonto Discovery Pass is sold only at Forest Service offices.
Buy it before you leave town. It is much easier to sort out in a parking lot in Apache Junction than at the top of the ramp.
Your Tonto Pass day-of checklist
Five seconds of prep in the parking lot keeps your whole day smooth.
- Buy your Daily Pass ($8) plus one Watercraft Use Sticker ($4) per watercraft — or bring your annual Discovery Pass.
- Scratch off the month, day, and year you're using it.
- Stick the Watercraft Use Sticker onto the Daily Pass.
- Set the pass face-up on your dashboard where a ranger can read it.
- Keep your watercraft registration handy — separate from the pass, but required to be on the water.
💡 Insider tip: if you hit the lake more than a handful of times a year, the $80 annual Discovery Pass pays for itself fast — and it skips the sticker step entirely, since watercraft access is already built in.
How it fits a Wave & Ridge rental day
Wave and Ridge Jet Ski, Boat, and UTV Rentals is pickup-only from 724 E Scenic St, Apache Junction. For a jet ski or boat, arrive one hour before your start time so we can hook up the trailer and fit life jackets, then tow about 30 minutes to Saguaro Lake. For a UTV, arrive 30 minutes before the rental start, with a 30-minute grace period after the rental ends. The Tonto Pass is the one permit that is on you for a lake day.
- Book your jet ski or wakeboat on our booking page.
- Buy a Daily Pass and one Watercraft Use Sticker per craft on the way, or bring your Discovery Pass.
- Scratch the date, attach the sticker and display the pass.
- Launch at Saguaro del Norte and ride.
Canyon Lake is closed for the SRP drawdown, so every water day we rent goes to Saguaro. See the Saguaro Lake rentals page for the lake, the marina and the rules on the water.
Tonto Pass vs the Bulldog Canyon permit
People mix these up. The Tonto Pass is a day-use parking permit for recreation sites such as lake launches. The Tonto NF OHV Permit is a separate motorized-use permit for OHV permit zones such as Bulldog Canyon, sold on Recreation.gov in a rider's name. A UTV day in Bulldog Canyon needs the OHV permit, not a Tonto Pass. Our Bulldog Canyon permit guide covers that one.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is a Tonto Pass at Saguaro or Canyon Lake in 2026?
A Tonto Daily Pass is $8, and a Watercraft Use Sticker is another $4, so it's $12 to launch a jet ski or boat for the day. An annual Tonto Discovery Pass is $80 and already includes watercraft access. Canyon Lake is closed for the SRP drawdown, with no reopening date announced, so use the pass at Saguaro.
Do I need a Tonto Pass to launch a jet ski at Saguaro Lake?
Yes. Saguaro Lake is inside Tonto National Forest, so you need a Tonto Daily Pass plus a Watercraft Use Sticker (or an annual Discovery Pass) to park and launch. You need one sticker for each motorized watercraft you put in the water.
Does the America the Beautiful pass work at Canyon Lake?
Only partly. The federal America the Beautiful / interagency pass covers picnic sites at Tonto, but not the shorelines or boat launches. Canyon Lake is closed for the SRP drawdown, so plan the water day at Saguaro. To launch at Saguaro you still need a Tonto Daily Pass and a Watercraft Use Sticker, or an annual Discovery Pass. The same pass rule applies at Canyon Lake when it is open.
Where can I buy a Tonto Pass?
Daily Passes and Watercraft Use Stickers are sold at retail vendors across the East Valley - gas stations, convenience stores, and some marinas - and at Tonto National Forest ranger offices. Buy yours before you reach the ramp. The annual Discovery Pass is sold in person at Forest Service offices, not online.
How long is a Tonto Daily Pass good for?
A Daily Pass is valid for 24 hours from the date and time you scratch off. It's a hangtag you display face-up on your dashboard, and it covers your vehicle and everyone in it.
Do I still need a Tonto Pass if I rent from Wave & Ridge?
Yes. The Tonto Pass is a Forest Service parking permit tied to your vehicle at the lake, and it's separate from your rental. Pickup is only at our Apache Junction shop. Tow the watercraft to Saguaro Lake and display your own Tonto Pass at the launch. Canyon Lake is closed for the SRP drawdown, and no reopening date has been announced.
What does a Tonto Pass cover?
Day-use parking at picnic sites, shorelines and boat launches in Tonto National Forest. Launching a motorized craft also needs a Watercraft Use Sticker, unless you hold a Discovery Pass.
Do I need one Tonto Pass per person?
No. One pass covers the vehicle and everyone in it.
Is the Tonto Pass the same as the Bulldog Canyon permit?
No. Bulldog Canyon needs a Tonto NF OHV Permit from Recreation.gov.
Where do I buy the annual Tonto Discovery Pass?
At Tonto National Forest offices only.
Closest Rental Shop to Saguaro & Canyon Lake
Canyon Lake is closed for the SRP drawdown. Pick up a Sea-Doo jet ski or a wakeboat at our Apache Junction shop and tow it about 30 minutes to Saguaro Lake. Jet skis start at $199. We'll have your gear ready — you just grab your Tonto Pass on the way.
See Saguaro & Canyon Lake Rentals Call