BLM Land Description Converter
Convert Bureau of Land Management (BLM) legal land descriptions to GPS coordinates. Access official PLSS survey data for 30 states.
What are BLM Land Descriptions?
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) maintains the official cadastral survey records for federal lands in the United States. BLM land descriptions use the Public Land Survey System (PLSS) to identify specific parcels of land using townships, ranges, sections, and subdivisions.
Township America uses BLM's Geographic Coordinate Data Base (GCDB) to provide accurate conversions between legal land descriptions and GPS coordinates.
BLM Data Coverage
30 PLSS States
Full coverage for Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
All Subdivisions
Support for all PLSS subdivisions including townships, sections, quarter sections, quarter-quarter sections, lots, surveys, and mineral surveys.
37 Principal Meridians
Complete support for all principal meridians including the 5th Principal Meridian, Mount Diablo, Black Hills, Indian Meridian, and more.
Official Survey Data
Coordinates derived from BLM's official Geographic Coordinate Data Base (GCDB), the authoritative source for PLSS data.
BLM Legal Description Formats
| Description Type | Example |
|---|---|
| Township/Range | T6S R19W 5th Principal Meridian |
| Section | Section 4, T2N R18E Indian Meridian |
| Quarter Section | NE/4 Section 25, T5N R30E Mount Diablo Meridian |
| Quarter-Quarter Section | NE/4 SW/4 Section 25, T5N R30E |
| Lot | Lot 12 Section 4, T2N R18E |
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the BLM Geographic Coordinate Data Base (GCDB)?
- The GCDB is the official database maintained by the Bureau of Land Management containing survey coordinate data for the Public Land Survey System. Township America uses GCDB data to provide accurate land description conversions.
- How do I look up BLM land records?
- Enter the legal land description into Township America to get coordinates and view the location on a map. For official land patents and historical records, visit the BLM General Land Office (GLO) Records website.
- What states have BLM land?
- The BLM manages public lands primarily in 12 western states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. However, PLSS data covers 30 states total.
- Can I download BLM land boundaries?
- Yes! Township America lets you export land boundaries in multiple formats including KML (Google Earth), Shapefile (GIS), GeoJSON, and CSV.
- How accurate are BLM land coordinates?
- Coordinates are derived from the official BLM GCDB survey data. Accuracy varies by survey but typically represents the best available data for each area.
Convert BLM Land Descriptions Now
Access official BLM survey data through Township America. Free to use, no account required for basic searches.
Land Survey Conversion Tools
Township America supports multiple land survey systems across the United States. Explore our specialized converters: