Meet Public Lands Interpretive Association
The Public Lands Interpretive Association (PLIA) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit founded in 1981 with the mission of educating and inspiring users of America’s public lands. We partner with the Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service to operate stores and visitor centers on public lands in the Southwest (including the New Mexico Public Lands Information Center in Santa Fe), create educational experiences for all ages, and operate campgrounds in Arizona’s Kaibab National Forest.
Our online store and 14 retail locations offer a wide selection of maps, books, guides, and other tools for getting outdoors for hiking, hunting, fishing, and more! Toys, souvenirs, and clothing are also available with designs featuring landscapes and wildlife of the Southwest. Our online map center offers full coverage of eleven states across the Western U.S., with official National Forest and Bureau of Land Management maps to explore public lands as well as specific trail guides for popular National Parks and other areas.
Our information services are another important component of our mission. Call or visit our New Mexico Public Lands Information Center in Santa Fe and our helpful staff can assist you with finding maps, navigating the state, or understanding the rules and regulations covering outdoor destinations. Our website also features a chat button, where you can send questions directly to our staff during business hours.
While we are based in New Mexico, our staff will do all they can to find the right contact or information for your next trip. Our interactive recreation map at the PLIA website is a useful catalog of thousands of developed recreation sites in the Western U.S. Sort by hunting, camping, hiking, or fishing areas, locate campground contact information, and find out who manages your favorite outdoor spaces!
All purchases in our stores and online help support our nonprofit education and outreach programs and connect Americans to their public lands in new ways. Our Caver Quest Academy program, for example, secures entry to the Fort Stanton — Snowy River Cave for several hundred middle-school students in southern New Mexico, with in-class programs, an interactive game, and equipment for an unforgettable caving experience. Our other programs include exhibits at visitor centers, interpretive signage at public land sites, and visitor guides. Next time you’re itching to get out, check out the resources PLIA has to offer — you may just find the best-kept secrets of your public lands!
