Management Agency

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Colorado River, Cataract Canyon

Canyonlands National Park
2282 S. West Resource Blvd.
Moab, UT 84532-8000

(435) 259-4351

Fax: (435) 259-4285

70 miles from either Mineral Bottom or Potash to the upper reaches of Lake Powell with 20 miles of big whitewater.

There is no lottery for river permits. Essentially, river permits are first-come, first-served after the first business day in January for each calendar year. There are no daily launch limits in Canyonlands, so there is no need to submit multiple requests for the same date. If you submit a request, you will get a permit...for any date you choose. Applications must be made at least 2 weeks in advance.

Permits: http://www.nps.gov/cany/planyourvisit/cataractcanyon.htm

Colorado River, Westwater Canyon

BLM
Moab Field Office
82 E. Dogwood
Moab, UT 84532-2968

(435) 259-7012

28 miles of technical whitewater from the Westwater Ranger Station to Cisco. There are eleven named rapids within Westwater Canyon that range in difficulty up to Class IV.

As a general rule, the river peaks at about 20,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) in late May or early June and recedes throughout the summer and fall seasons to reach a flow of less than 3,000 cfs. Discharge varies quite dramatically from year to year. High-water trips (13,000 cfs and above) can be extremely dangerous. A low water trip (1,000 to 5,000 cfs) takes about ten hours, a moderate level trip (5,000 to 13,000 cfs) takes about seven hours, and a high-water trip (above 13,000 cfs) takes as little as four hours.

Permits are required year-round. Using the telephone, permits become available on a first-come, first-served basis 2 months prior to the launch date. One can acquire any available launch date within the two-month period.

Add the 25 mile stretch between Loma Boat Launch, below Grand Junction and the Westwater Ranger Station for a 53-mi, 3-day, 2-night trip.

Permits:  BLM Moab Field Office       

River Gauge

San Juan River, lower

Class II

84 mi

BLM
San Juan Field Office
PO Box 7
Monticello, UT 84535

(435) 587-1544

84 miles of fast moving intermediate whitewater from Bluff (Sand Island launch) to Clay Hills. A permit is required to float any section of the San Juan River between Montezuma Creek (above Bluff) and Clay Hills. Call or write to the Monticello Field Office for a permit application. River office is open 8 am to noon. Lottery applications are accepted through the last day of January.

The average trip length from Sand Island to Mexican Hat (26 miles) is 2.3 days, from Mexican Hat to Clay Hills (58 miles) is 4.8 days, and from Sand Island to Clay Hills (84 miles) 6.2 days. Can be run in as few as four days, but 6-7 is recommended with at least one or two layover days to explore some of the side canyons.  More Info

Best times to go are late March thru June (rec 1000 cfs or above)  

Permits: http://www. lm.gov/utah/monticello/river.htm   

Gauge SAN JUAN RIVER NEAR BLUFF, UT

Dolores River

Bureau of Land Management
Grand Resource Area
82 E. Dogwood
Moab, UT 84532-2968

(435) 259-7012

Nearly 200 miles from Cahone (Bradfield Launch) to Moab. Currently, private permits are not required for boating the Dolores River within Colorado. However, BLM requires all boaters to register at the access points. A permit is required of all users boating the Dolores River in Utah (Gateway to Dewey Bridge). There is no fee charged and you do not need to submit an application. Simply call (435) 259-7012 between 8 a.m. and noon Monday through Friday (excluding Federal holidays) to obtain a permit.

Bradfield to Slickrock—47 miles: This is generally a 2 or 3-day trip. One-day trips are possible between Bradfield Bridge and Mountain Sheep Point Recreation Site (19 miles). This stretch of river drops an average of 19 feet per mile and contains the most difficult and challenging whitewater on the Dolores River, including "Snaggletooth Rapid" (Class IV-V).

Slickrock to Bedrock—50 miles: This segment of river drops an average of 10 feet per mile with fewer and less difficult rapids than the upper segment, though it still contains several short Class III drops and is normally run in 2 or 3 days.

Bedrock to Gateway—44 miles:  This section drops 460 feet with an average gradient of 10.5 feet per mile.  The five-mile long Paradox Canyon has several class III to IV rapids.  Just below this, the Dolores meets the San Miguel River, which often nearly doubles the flow volume.  The wider Mesa Canyon below here is paralleled by Colorado Highway 141 for 34 miles and contains rapids no more difficult than class II.

Gateway to Dewey (Colorado River Confluence)—32 miles: Permit required. Including the shuttle, this trip generally takes at least 2 or 3 days. Rapids on this section of the Dolores River range from class I to solid class IV (Stateline Rapid).

There is frequently no water except during early spring run-offs. Flows generally peak between late April and early May. Suggested minimum flows (approximated) are: 200 cfs for canoes, kayaks, and duckies, 800 cfs for rafts less than 14 feet, and 1000 cfs for rafts larger than 14 feet. For information on current levels at McPhee Reservoir, please visit the Dolores Water Conservancy District (DWCD) website.

More info: Bradfield to Bedrock ,  Bedrock to Gateway,  Gateway to Dewey

River Gauge

DWCD Flow Predictions:  970.565.7562 or 970.565.0865

Bureau of Reclamation Daily Flow Information:  1.800.276.4828

BLM Dolores River Boating Information:  970.385.1354

Salt River, Upper

River Permit Coordinator
Tonto National Forest
Globe Ranger District
7680 S. Six Shooter Cyn. Rd.
Globe, AZ 85501

(928) 402-6200

60 miles of excellent whitewater from the Salt River Canyon bridge to Lake Roosevelt. The number of daily launches into the Wilderness is limited and a permit, limiting group size to 15, is required during the high use season from March 1st through May 15th (applications accepted by the Tonto National Forest from November 15th through 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. Currently no limits on the number of these launches. Permits: http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/tonto/recreation/rec-permits-srpermits.shtml

Verde River

Verde Ranger Station
PO Box 670
Camp Verde, AZ 86322  

(928) 567-4121

Nearly 20 miles from Beasley Flats to Childs Power Plant. The Childs Hot Spring is the trip end reward. No permit currently required but there is frequently no water except during early spring run-offs. Very limited season.

Rio Chama

Class II / III

31 mi

Taos Field Office
226 Cruz Alta Road
Taos, NM  87571-5983

505.758.8851
River Information Recording: 888.882.6188

El Vado Ranch to the Big Eddy takeout (2-3 days). Launch Lottery / Summer Season -- BLM’s Taos Field Office administers a lottery to distribute weekend launch dates from May 1 through Labor Day. Applications are due before January 31. The office accepts telephone reservations for weekday launches (Sun-Thurs) after April 1. Recommended min flow for rafts over 12 ft  is 500 cfs.  Contact the Taos Field Office for more information and to request a lottery application.  The field office will send multiple applications to one address.
Note:  "If a trip leader must cancel, he/she can transfer the permit to another member of the group, or can give the launch up so that BLM can reassign it to someone on our waiting list..."  Since there is no requirement to name an alternate trip leader or any member of the group on the application this essentially means these permits are transferrable to anyone.

http://www.nm.blm.gov/recreation/taos/rio_chama_wild_scenic_river.htm

Gauge

Yampa River (lower)

II+ (IV-)

71 mi

Dinosaur National Monument
4545 Hwy. 40
Dinosaur, CO 81610

(970) 374-2468

71 miles of whitewater from Deer Lodge Park to Split Mountain Campground. Lottery applications accepted November 2nd through February 1st.  Form available on web (same form and call in rules as Lodore Canyon)

Permits:http://www.nps.gov/dino/planyourvisit/permits.htm

Green River,
Canyon of Lodore

Dinosaur National Monument
4545 Hwy. 40
Dinosaur, CO 81610

(970) 374-2468

45 miles (4 days) of whitewater through Dinosaur National Monument from Lodore Ranger Station to Split Mountain Campground. Lottery applications accepted November 2nd through February 1st. Form available on web.

March Madness: Beginning March 1, 2010, available lauch date information may be obtained by calling 1-866-825-2995. To obtain a permit for an available launch date, you must call the River Office on or after March 1, 2010.

Permits: http://www.nps.gov/dino/planyourvisit/permits.htm

Gauge above confluence at Greendale Gauge

Gauge below confluence at Jensen UT Gauge

Swallow Canyon

Non-permitted

46-mi (2-3 days) run below Flaming Gorge Dam to Lodore Ranger Station.  Added to a Lodore permit would make a nice 90-mi 6 to 8-day trip.

Green River, Desolation-Gray Canyons

Class II+ (III)

84 mi

BLM
Price Field Office
125 South, 600 West
Price, UT 84501

(435) 636-0975

84 miles of intermediate whitewater from Sand Wash to Swasey’s  or Green River State Park (95 mi). The average trip length for private boaters is 6 to 7 days. Flows as low as 900 CFS are adequate for most uses.

NEW FOR 2007: Launch reservations will be issued on a first come, first serve basis via telephone or in person. Launches may be reserved up to five months prior to the launch date.   For example, June 3 launch may be reserved anytime on or after January 3.  You can obtain any available launch within the five month period.  If the first call-in date falls on a Saturday, Sunday or Federal Holiday, reservations will be taken on the next business day. river reservation desk at (435) 636-0975.  Hours of operation are from 8 a.m. until noon, Monday through Friday for telephone call in.  When calling you need to talk to an actual person in the Recreation division.

Permits: http://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/fo/price/recreation/riverinf.html

Gauge: USGS 09261000 GREEN RIVER NEAR JENSEN, UT

Rogue River

Smullin VC at Rand
14335 Galice Rd.
Merlin, OR 97532

(541) 479-3735

50 miles of Wild & Scenic river. Lottery applications are accepted between December 1 and January 31. An application form is available online and can be mailed or faxed with a $6.00 application fee payable to DOI-BLM.

Permits:http://www.blm.gov/or/resources/recreation/rogue/index.php

John Day River

Oregon State Office
Bureau of Land Management
333 S.W. 1st. Avenue
Portland, OR 97204

503-808-6002

Advance permits are not required, but whenever possible, launching on Fridays and Saturdays from Memorial Day weekend through the end of June should be avoided due to crowded conditions and a lack of available campsites. During this time period, the best days to launch for a less crowded boating experience are Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday.

Service Creek to Clarno - Class II-III - 48 miles, average trip length = 3 days

Clarno to Cottonwood - Class II-IV (Clarno Rapid III-IV) - 70 miles, average trip length = 5 days

Recommended minimum flow levels are:

Drift boats- 800cfs

Inflatable rafts- 500cfs

Canoes- 300cfs

Inflatable kayaks- 200cfs

Salmon River, Lower

Class III

Bureau of Land Management
Route 3, Box 181
Cottonwood, ID 83522

(208) 962-3245

53 miles of excellent whitewater to the confluence with the Snake. Self-registration permit at the Hammer Creek launch site.  An additional 20 miles on the Snake River to Heller Bar is an option, but is mostly flatwater.  Avoid June high water over 25,000 cfs, otherwise boatable all year.

Salmon River, Main

North Fork Ranger District
PO Box 180
North Fork, ID 83466

(208) 865-2725

Nearly 100 miles of river through the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness. Lottery applications accepted December 1st through January 31st. No permit required before June 21 but river can be in super flood at this time with flows above 40,000 cfs.

Permits: http://www.fs.fed.us/r4/sc/recreation/4rivers/
Fax: (208) 865-2739

Salmon River, Middle Fork

Middle Fork Ranger District
PO Box 750
Challis, ID 83226

(208) 879-4112

98 miles of Wild & Scenic river. An internationally recognized whitewater/wilderness float trip known for its scenic beauty and crystal clear whitewater, it is floated by more than 10,000 people each summer. It is a non-motorized floating experience, with many class III and IV+ technical rapids. Lottery applications accepted December 1st through January 31st.  Applications may be made online or mailed in.  This is a tough permit to win as there are sometimes over 400 applications for each desirable launch date, (e.g., Last week in June and first week in July).

Permits: http://www.fs.fed.us/r4/sc/recreation/4rivers/
Fax: (208) 879-4198