Western River Permit Information
Thanks for visiting my river permit page. If this resource
helps you to get a 'private boaters' permit, great! And if you need some raft support or
just need to fill out your permit with a couple more boats, e-mail me sometime.
SYOTR
Rivergeek, http://www.rivergeek.com/
Green River below Flaming Gorge
Dam, Sections A, B and C
National
Forest Service - Ashley National Forest
Flyfishing the Green River; Trout Creek Flies at Dutch John
No permits required on Sections A, B or C - aproximately 30 miles from Flaming Gorge Dam to the Colorado state line. No camping on Section A. River camping on Section B is by self registration at Little Hole. Some of the best flyfishing in the US. Catch & release recommended. Mostly Class II with a Class III, III+ at Red Creek on Section B. To reserve Section B camps call 877-444-6777 and/or check out: River Camp Sites
Green River, Canyon of Lodore
River Permits and Info
Dinosaur National Monument
4545 Hwy. 40
Dinosaur, CO 81610
(970) 374-2468
Dinosaur
National Park Web Site
Lodore Ranger Station to Split Mountain is ~44 miles. Lottery applications accepted
December 1st through January 31st.
RiverMaps (Yampa and Green in Dinosaur)
(435)636-0975
95 miles of intermediate whitewater from Sand Wash to Green River State Park.
Yampa River
River Permits and Info
Dinosaur National Monument
4545 Hwy. 40
Dinosaur, CO 81610
(970) 374-2468
Dinosaur
National Park Web Site
RiverMaps (Yampa and Green in Dinosaur)
~71 miles from Deer Lodge Park on Yampa to Split Mountain
Campground. Lottery applications accepted December 1st through January 31st.
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Dolores River
Dolores River Permits
Bureau of Land Management
Dolores Field Office
82 E. Dogwood #G
Moab, UT 84532-2968
(435)259-7012
Nearly 200 miles from Cahone to Moab. Self-permitting from below McPhee Reservoir in Colorado. Very limited season.
(435)259-4351
Canyonlands
National Park - Cataract / Permit Information
70 miles from Potash to Lake Powell with 20 miles of the biggest whitewater upstream of
the Grand Canyon. Applications accepted from January until quotas are filled.
Colorado River, Westwater Canyon
Westwater River Permits
Bureau of Land Management
Grand Resource Area
82 E. Dogwood #G
Moab, UT 84532-2968
(435)259-7012
BLM
Westwater Canyon Web Site
17 miles of technical whitewater from the Westwater Ranger Station to Cisco. Day trips as
well as overnighters are done. Launches become available 2 months
prior to the launch date. You can acquire any launch dates available within the two-month
period. Launches are issued on a first-come, first-served
basis using the telephone. Between April 1st and September 30th, private use is
limited to five permits or 75 people (whichever occurs first) per day; commercial use is
limited during this period to 75 passengers per day. Some folks extend it with a
permit-free run thru Horsethief and Ruby Canyons and enter Westwater on launch day.
(435)587-1544; Leave a message at 435-587-1511
BLM San
Juan Resource Area
RiverMaps (San Juan)
Valle's
Trading Post in Mex Hat (Shuttles, etc.)
San Juan Photo Album, October
2006
84 miles of fast moving intermediate whitewater from Bluff to Clay Hills. Lottery applications should be available in December, deadline for submission is February 1.
Call the River Permits Office at the numbers above for permits on the section of Colorado River below Diamond Creek.
UPDATE 9/2006 Whether
you believe it's fair or not, the reality is that we have a weighted lottery now. The
highlights: Waiting list abolished / Annual weighted lottery to be implemented / N-C
annual launches increase from 240 to 503 / Not more than one trip per person, per year,
N-C or Commercial / New launch category of 8-person trips / Max daily launches reduced
from 9 to 6 / Provides mixed motor/non-motor use for 5.5 months April 1 thru Sept. 15 /
Winter N-C launches increase by 428% / Max trip length LF to DC in summer = 16 days.
NPS - Colorado River N/C Permits - Applying Thru Weighed Lottery
- RiverMaps
(Grand Canyon) This is the new Duwain Whitis/Tom Martin edition. Very cool!
- Grand Canyon Regulations and Check Lists
- Lots of Grand Canyon Hyperlinks
Selway
West Fork Ranger District
6735 West Fork Road
Darby, MT 59829-9654
(406) 821-3269
Four Rivers Permit Lottery Completely
on-line application process now available!
Vince's Idaho Whitewater
Page, sponsored by Idaho Whitewater Assoc.
Selway June Trip Report @ 2.65'; Photo Album and Video
(2006)
Selway August Trip Report @ 1.1' (1996)
RiverMaps (Selway)
The Selway can be one of the most challenging whitewater rivers in the United States and it's probably THE toughest for which to get a permit. From Paradise Guard Station to Selway Falls the river drops for 46 miles an average of 28 feet per mile creating a most technical whitewater experience. The many Class IV rapids will challenge any boatman at any level. This river requires a high level of whitewater skill and experience. The number of launches are regulated from May 15 through July 31. Post-season August runs are possible in high-water years.
Salmon, Middle Fork
Middle Fork Ranger District
Hwy. 93 N - Address for UPS, FedEx, etc.
P.O. Box 750
Challis, ID 83226-0750
(208) 879-4112-application requests
(208) 879-4101 - additional info
Four
Rivers Permit Lottery Completely on-line
application process now available!
Vince's Idaho Whitewater
Page, sponsored by Idaho Whitewater Assoc.
RiverMaps (Middle Fork)
100 miles of Wild & Scenic river. Lottery applications accepted December 1st through January 31st. One of the most difficult lotteries to win.
(208) 865-2725 - application requests
(208) 865-2700 - additional info
Four Rivers Permit Lottery
Completely on-line application process now available!
Vince's Idaho Whitewater
Page, sponsored by Idaho Whitewater Assoc.
RiverMaps (Main Fork)
Idaho's Salmon River - A River
Runners' Guide
125 miles Wild & Scenic River through the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness; 80 miles permitted Corn Creek to Carey Creek. Lottery applications accepted December 1st through January 31st.
Salmon River, Lower
River Permits and Info
Bureau of Land Management
Route 3, Box 181
Cottonwood, ID 83522
(208) 962-3245
Lower Salmon
River - BLM Page
Lower Salmon River -
BLM River Registration Info
50 miles of whitewater all the way to the Snake. Self-permitting at Hammer Creek.
Snake-Hells Canyon
Hells Canyon National Recreation Area
2535 Riverside Dr. - Address for UPS, FedEx, etc.
P.O. Box 699
Clarkston, WA 99403-0699
(509) 758-1957
Four
Rivers Permit Lottery Completely on-line
application process now available!
Hells Canyon National Recreation Area
Vince's Idaho Whitewater
Page, sponsored by Idaho Whitewater Assoc.
RiverMaps (Snake - Hells Canyon)
The Snake River in Hells Canyon National Recreation Area divides Idaho and Oregon, flowing through North America's deepest river canyon. The 67-1/2 miles of Wild & Scenic River corridor passes through Hells Canyon Wilderness over part of its length but is not itself a Wilderness. The river corridor provides both motorized and non-motorized recreation opportunities. The largest rapids are located in the wild section. The Wild Snake has several Class IV rapids with huge hydraulics. The Scenic section offers less challenging Class II to III rapids with beautiful canyon vistas. Launches in the Wild River segment are regulated with reservations required from the Friday before Memorial Day through September 15. Self issue permits are required year long for all other boating.
Smith River
Montana Dept of Fish, Wildlife and Parks
4600 Giant Springs Road
Box 6610
Great Falls, MT 59406
(406)454-5857; Fax:(406)761-8477
Smith River, Montana Dept. FWP
Lottery applications must be received by February 15. Dates may be available first come after the lottery, beginning on March 20.
Rogue River
Rogue River Permits - BLM / NFS for 2007
Siskiyou N.F. Rogue
River Page
Rogue River Photography
Running Blossom Bar
RiverMaps (Rogue)
50 miles of Wild & Scenic river. Lottery applications are accepted between December 1 and January 31.
Tuolumne River and Cherry Creek
U.S. Forest Service
Groveland Ranger District
24545 Highway 120
Groveland, CA 95321
(209)962-7825; Fax:(209)962-7412
Applications accepted after January 1, first come basis. Mid-week apps are best bet.
Tuolumne
River Permit Application
Groveland Ranger District,
Stanislaus NF
More on Tuolumne and Cherry Creek at Tuolumne-River.com plus links to information on Cherry Creek, Merced, Cal Salmon, NF Stanislaus, American and Klamath.
(928) 402-6200; Fax: 928-402-6292
Tonto National Forest - Upper Salt River Permit Application and Info / Quartzite Falls at ~ 2000 cfs
52 miles of excellent whitewater from First Campground to Hwy. 288 bridge. A Wilderness permit for last 32 miles, limiting group size to 15, is required during the high use season from March 1st through May 15th. Applications accepted by the USFS, Tonto National Forest from November 15th to January 15th. Day permits are required by the White Mountain Apache Tribe for use from the bridge to the Wilderness section: available at the Salt River Canyon Store.
Rio Chama
River Permit Information
Bureau of Land Management
P.O. Box 1045
Taos, NM 87571
(505)758-8851
Fax: (505) 758-1620
Below El Vado Dam to Adobe Ruins/Big Eddy - 31 miles of Class II-III whitewater, partially
a National Wild & Scenic
River. The river runs through deep mountain canyons and painted New Mexico desert.
Applications accepted between December 1 and January 31 for scheduled (but not guaranteed)
summer weekend releases. No permit required on last 8 miles from Chavez Canyon on down
(the best whitewater section). Wild -- 19.8 miles; Scenic -- 4.9 miles; Total -- 24.7
miles designated National Wild & Scenic.
Rio Chama
Permit Information - BLM
RiverMaps (Rio Chama)
Rio Grande - Lower Taos Box Canyon
River Permit Information
Bureau of Land Management
P.O. Box 1045
Taos, NM 87511
(505)758-8851
Dunn's Bridge to Taos Junction - 17 miles of class III-V whitewater in deep canyons. This
is generally a day trip with camping at Taos Junction. Self-issued, non-fee permits at
Dunn's Bridge. Normally a very short season, May through June.
Big Bend NPS Home
Page / Big
Bend NPS Daily Report / Big Bend Boating NPS
Page / Rio Grande Wild
& Scenic
IBWC Rio Grande Gages
/ IBWC Near Real Time Gage Reports /
NOAA-NWS
Rio Grande Gages
Far Flung Outdoor
Center, Study Butte/Terlingua
Desert Sports, Terlingua
Big Bend National Park, TX 79834
(432) 477-2251
- Colorado Canyon
Rancherias Canyon to Lajitas is 19 miles of class II-III whitewater. Colorado Canyon is outside of the BBNP boundary but requires a TPWD permit from Big Bend Ranch S. P. Permits can be obtained at the Barton Warnock Center in Lajitas or at Big Bend Ranch S.P. headquarters. Possibly your local shuttle service will provide a permit service. Recommended reading: Upper Canyons of the Rio Grande by Louis Aulbach. - Santa Elena Canyon
Lajitas to Santa Elena Takeout 20 miles of class I-II water punctuated by class III-IV Rockslide. Extending the run to Cottonwood C.G. will make it 26 miles. Recommended reading: Upper Canyons of the Rio Grande by Louis Aulbach. - The Mystery Stretch or Great Unknown... Read Great Unknown of the Rio Grande by Louis Aulbach for excellent info on the stretch between Santa Elena and Talley.
- Mariscal Canyon
Talley to Solis is 10 miles of exquisite canyon, class I-II. It can be done in a day but you will want to make it a one or two-nighter. The Rio Grande Wild & Scenic River begins above Talley at the state line between Chihuahua and Coahuila. Soon, perhaps, the RGW&S boundary will be extended upriver to Rancherias Canyon. Mexico and CEMEX have added to biosphere preserves in the Santa Elena and Sierra del Carmen Preserves. CEMEX also has acquired land in Texas, east of the BBNP East boundary. - Boquillas Canyon
Rio Grande Village boat launch (near the group campground) to Heath Canyon is 34 miles of fairly easy, class I-II water in a beautiful canyon. An excellent introductory trip to Big Bend river running for beginners. The main hazards at low water tend to be cane sweepers and complacency at Pillow Rock near the end of the trip. - Lower Canyons
Heath Canyon to Dryden Crossing is 82 miles of extreme wilderness, very rugged terrain, and up to class III whitewater. The best guidebook and recommended reading: Lower Canyons of the Rio Grande by Louis Aulbach & Joe Butler.
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Last updated: May 06, 2008