If your river permit lottery results were zeroes across the board, you missed the deadline, or you simply chose not to play, you can turn your attention to picking up a river trip permit cancellation for some of the most popular stretches.
In many cases, river permits are awarded in mid-February and permit winners must confirm their permits by March 15, after which unclaimed or canceled permits will be made available to the public on a first-come basis. Here’s a guide to picking up canceled river permits, rivers that are permitted in a year-round process, and rivers that simply require registration at the launch site.
Process for claiming canceled lottery permits
Four Rivers in Idaho
The Middle Fork of the Salmon, Main Salmon, Hells Canyon on Snake River, and Selway rivers (also known as the Four Rivers in Idaho) are some of the most popular lottery-permitted rivers in the US, so it’s rare that anyone would give up a winning slot.
However, starting on the March 16, any available dates are posted on Recreation.gov: You’ll see an “A” on the square for the date a cancellation is available. You can reserve a cancellation during the two-hour booking window that starts at 8 am Mountain each morning. Permits are allotted on a first-come basis.
Another option is to pick up a permit for the off-season, although low water will be a limiting factor for most of these rivers. Here’s the general process for each of the Four Rivers:
- Selway: No permit required during the post-permit season from August 1 through May 14 (see specific rules for Selway River off-season paddling at Rec.gov)
- Middle Fork of the Salmon: Permits are required during the pre-season (January 1 through May 27) and post-season (September 4 through December 31). You can reserve available Middle Fork post-season permits at Rec.gov starting October 1 of the previous year.
- Hells Canyon (Snake River): Cancellations are available starting March 16 at Rec.gov
- Main Salmon River: Pre-season (January 1 through June 19) and post-season (September 8 through December 31) trips require a permit. You can reserve Salmon River permits at Rec.gov.
For more information, see our Middle Fork of the Salmon planning guide.
Yampa River and Gates of Lodore on Green River
Yampa and Lodore permit cancellations are available at Rec.gov starting on March 16 at 8 am Mountain each morning. Also available are permits for low-use periods of the Yampa (high season is May 12 through July 12) and Gates of Lodore on the Green River (high season is May 12 through September 12). For more information, see our Yampa River planning guide.
Green River through Desolation and Gray Canyons
Permits are required to run Desolation Canyon throughout the season, which runs February 1 through November 30. The Deso lottery permit season runs May 1 through September 30; Desolation Canyon lottery permit cancellations are available starting March 15 on Rec.gov starting at 8 am Mountain. Non-lottery season dates are available at Rec.gov on a first-come basis.
For more information, see our Desolation Canyon river trip planning guide.
San Juan River
The San Juan typically has reliable water through the fall, so it’s a good pick for a shoulder-season trip. San Juan River lottery permit cancellations and permits for the off-season (July 31 through December 31) are available starting March 16 at Rec.gov starting at 8 am.
For more information, see our San Juan River planning guide.
Rogue River
As with most lottery-permit rivers, Rogue River permit winners are announced in mid-February. However, permit holders have until 10 days before launch to confirm their reservation, which means that if you’re persistent, you can typically pick up a cancellation on the Rogue, especially in late August or September.
Cancellations for the permitted season, which runs May 15 through October 15, are awarded on a first-come basis via a phone call to the BLM office at the Smullin Visitor Center (541-471-6535). From October 16 through May 14, you can register for a self-permit at the Smullin Visitor Center and launch.
More more information, see our Rogue River trip planning guide.
Smith River in Montana
Smith River cancellations are available starting on March 3 by calling the Smith River reservation line (406-454-5861) between 8 am and noon Mountain. Permits are required to float year-round. The viable float window depends on snowpack, rainfall, and irrigation levels.
For more information, see our guide to planning a Smith River trip in Montana.
Year-round river permit applications
Some rivers have rolling, year-round permit application processes, which gives you more flexibility in planning your trips. Here are details on how to get those permits.
Westwater Canyon, Colorado River
Westwater Canyon is a classic overnighter on the Colorado River that starts at the border of Utah and Colorado. Rapids vary from Class I to one Class IV—Skull Rapid, where a mishap could land you in the Room of Doom, an enormous eddy that can entrap even large rafts. Most of the whitewater is fun haystack waves. The put-in for Westwater is the take-out for the Ruby-Horsethief section, a wildly popular family float.
- Permit availability: Permits are available for reservation on Rec.gov two months before the launch date starting at 8 am Mountain. Reserved permits are available to print 14 days before launch; after you print the permit, you can’t make any changes to the reservation.
- Westwater Canyon permit site
- Length of trip: 17 miles (only one night of camping allowed on this stretch)
- Maximum group size: 25
- Campsites: Assigned at launch by the river ranger (here’s a map of Westwater camps and rapids)
- Westwater Canyon maps/guides: RiverMaps and Belknap
- Guide to planning a Westwater Canyon trip
Ruby-Horsethief Canyons, Colorado River
One of the most popular family trips in Colorado, Ruby-Horsethief is a low-stress, dog-friendly, gorgeous float that works well for paddlers of all ages. It can be fiercely hot in the summer, so consider running this in the fall: The water is reliable year-round.
- Permit availability: Camping permits are available for reservation on Rec.gov two months before the launch date starting at 8 am Mountain. (No permit is needed to run the river as a day trip.) Reserved permits are available to print 7 days before launch.
- Ruby-Horsethief Canyon on the Colorado River camping permit site
- Length of trip: 25 miles
- Maximum group size: 25 (including a max of 2 dogs)
- Campsites: You’ll choose your campsite when you reserve a permit; for detailed descriptions of the camps, check out RiverMaps Guide to the Colorado and Green Rivers
- Guide to planning a Ruby-Horsethief river trip
Registration-only multi-day and overnight river trips
Some great multi-day (or at least overnight) trips are available without a reservation or lottery application as capacity isn’t restricted. You can run any of the following rivers anytime by filling out a self-permit registration form online or at the put-in—or in some cases, just showing up and launching.
Lower Salmon in Idaho
For families with older kids (elementary and up), the Lower Salmon is a funhouse of splashy rapids, smallmouth bass fishing, rock-jumping, and cavorting on white sandy beaches. This is a great choice for a fall trip as well.
- Permit registration process: Register with details about your group size and crafts at the following launch sites: White Bird Gravel Pit, Hammer Creek, Pine Bar, Graves/Rock Creek, or the BLM office in Cottonwood. Or you can register online for a Lower Salmon permit at the BLM website. or online on the Idaho BLM website.
- Length of trip: Can vary depending on your put-in; a typical trip is Hammer Creek to Heller Bar, which is 72 miles.
- Maximum group size: 30 people
- Campsites: No advanced reservations; camps are available on a first-come basis.
- Guide to planning a Lower Salmon River trip
Gunnison Gorge, Gunnison River in Colorado
Short but so sweet, the Gunny Gorge is an ethereally beautiful overnighter on the Gunnison River near Delta, CO. Known for first-class trout fishing, the Gunny also has some respectable rapids.
Catching the river at decent flows is the tricky part: Water flows depend on snowpack and Blue Mesa Reservoir releases. About 700 cfs or higher is best for rafts. Another key factor of the Gunnison Gorge is that the put-in is down the steep, mile-long Chukar Trail. You’ll want to consider either running a super-minimalist trip or hiring horse packers to hoist rafts and frames down the trail.
- Permit registration process: Register with details about your group size and crafts at the launch site
- Length of trip: About 13 miles, typically run as an overnighter, although you can spend 2 total nights from the Margaritaville campsite to T-Dyke campsite
- Maximum group size: 12
- Campsites: Register for boater campsites (marked by blue posts on the river) at the put-in
- Guide to planning a Gunnison Gorge river trip
Escalante-Dominguez Canyon on the Gunnison River in Colorado
A kid-friendly and dog-friendly float with Class I and Class II water, this stretch of the Gunnison River in western Colorado features top-shelf hiking and waterfall splashing at the confluence of the Gunnison and Big Dominguez Creek midway through the run. Campsites are limited on this stretch and are on a first-come basis, so consider floating midweek or at least avoid holiday weekends.
- Permit availability: Fill out a registration form at the Bridgeport launch (which is not a launch option for rafts but works for canoes and kayaks) or the Escalante Boat Launch.
- Length of trip: 29 miles from the Escalante Boat Launch to the Whitewater Boat Ramp (the typical stretch), a 2- to 3-day run
- Maximum group size: 25 heartbeats, including dogs
- Campsites: Although the BLM is in the process of designating campsites on this stretch, for now you can camp anywhere on public land.
- Guide to planning an Escalante-Dominguez on the Gunnison River trip
If you’re diligent about checking Rec.gov for available launch spots or open to floating during the off season or on stretches that aren’t permitted through the lottery season, you stand a good chance of getting on some remarkable whitewater in any given year.
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