South and east of Pinetop lies the Fort Apache Indian Reservation, home of the White Mountain Apache Tribe: Sunrise Park Resort, Arizona’s largest ski area; Hon-Dah Resort Casino; Hawley Lake and other high trout lakes; Fort Apache Historic Park; and the Salt River Canyon. Nearly all recreation needs a tribal permit.
Explore Whiteriver, Hon-Dah & Sunrise
Card pictures are illustrative; photos are credited on each page.
Sunrise Park Resort
Arizona’s largest ski resort, and a summer coaster, zip line and bike park.
Read more →Hon-Dah Resort Casino
Hotel, casino, event venue and an RV park in the pines.
Read more →Tribal permits
What you need to fish, camp or hike on tribal land, and where to buy it.
Read more →Reservation lakes
Hawley, Sunrise, Horseshoe and the high trout lakes.
Read more →Fort Apache Historic Park
A 288-acre landmark and the Tribe’s museum.
Read more →Whiteriver and McNary
The tribal seat on the White River, and the communities around it.
Read more →Salt River Canyon
The US 60 canyon, the 1934 arch bridge and the permit rules.
Read more →Visiting with respect
Permits, closed areas, Mount Baldy and drones.
Read more →Whiteriver, Hon-Dah & Sunrise events
Every confirmed upcoming event.
See events →Coming up
- Oct 23: High Elevation Horror
- Oct 24: High Elevation Horror
- Oct 29: Winter Kick-Off featuring Warren Miller
- Oct 30: High Elevation Horror
- Nov 28: Sunrise Park Resort 2026-27 ski season opening (anticipated)
See all Whiteriver, Hon-Dah and Sunrise events and what happens every year.
On tribal land you need a White Mountain Apache Tribe permit for fishing, camping, boating, hiking and even sightseeing; Arizona state licences do not count. See tribal permits.
Questions people ask
What is there to do on the White Mountain Apache reservation?
Ski or ride the coaster at Sunrise Park Resort, stay and play at Hon-Dah, fish Hawley, Sunrise and the other high lakes with a tribal permit, walk Fort Apache Historic Park, and drive the Salt River Canyon on US 60.
Do I need a permit to visit the reservation?
Driving through on the highways does not need one, but the Tribe requires a permit for fishing, camping, boating, hiking, picnicking and sightseeing.
Is the reservation on the same time as Show Low?
Yes. It keeps Arizona time all year, with no daylight saving.
Sources
- White Mountain Apache Tribe Game & Fish: FAQ
- White Mountain Apache Tribe Game & Fish: Permit pricing and vendors
- Sunrise Park Resort: Winter
- Hon-Dah Resort Casino: Contact
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: National Inventory of Dams
- Fort Apache Heritage Foundation: About
- U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb: 2020 Census designated places
- White Mountain Apache Tribe Game & Fish: Special use area regulations
Checked October 22, 2026 by It’s Show Low. Cite this page: It’s Show Low (itsshowlow.com), checked October 22, 2026. Free to quote with a link; tables are licensed CC BY 4.0.