How to Get a River Permit: A Complete Guide to Western U.S. Multi-Day River Trips

I never feel better than when I shove off the boat ramp on a multi-day river trip. Stepping away from day-to-day life, no cell service, no Wi-Fi and traveling downriver with a small group of friends or family reconnects us to something fundamental. Moving through the landscape together, cooking meals, and looking out for one another creates a depth of connection that’s hard to find in everyday life.

If a multi-day river trip is part of your summer plans, January is the most important month of the year. Most permitted river trips in the western United States require advance planning through a lottery system, with application deadlines typically at the end of January. This guide breaks down how river permits work, when to apply, and how to navigate the process so you can start dreaming, and planning, for your next river season.

Why Multi-Day River Trips Matter

My theory is that multi-day river trips reconnect us with something deep in the human condition. Traveling in a small band, eating together, and looking out for one another creates stronger connections than most of us experience in our day-to-day lives. River trips slow everything down and strip away distractions, making space for shared experience in a way that feels increasingly rare.

DIY vs. Commercial River Trips

Before diving into permits, it’s worth clarifying what kind of river trip we’re talking about. You can join a commercial river trip with an outfitter on all the iconic multi-day rivers in the West by simply booking a trip. Permits, logistics, food, and gear are handled for you.

This article is focused on DIY river trips. If you want to experience these rivers on your own, with your own group, gear, and plan, you’ll need to apply for a permit.

What Is a River Permit and Why Do You Need One?

Most multi-day river trips in the western U.S. take place on federal land, primarily managed by the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service. These trips require a permit for a specific launch and take-out date, which is assigned through an online lottery system.

As river trips became more popular, land managers needed a way to limit the number of people on the river on any given day, both to protect the resource and to preserve the experience. Permits help spread use out over time and keep these rivers wild and enjoyable.

How the Western River Permit Lottery Works

Over the past decade, river trips have only grown in popularity. Many people who once centered their summer vacations around a river trip now find it harder to secure a permit. Unfortunately, there’s no guaranteed way to win, I submit my applications and cross my fingers just like everyone else.

That said, understanding the process helps.

Almost all river permit lotteries are now managed through rec.gov, the government’s centralized reservation system for campgrounds, permits, and other public-land reservations. While there are a few exceptions, the Grand Canyon being the most notable, you can plan most western river trips through rec.gov.

When to Apply for River Permits

For most river permit applications are due by January 31, with lottery results announced by February 15.

When you apply, you can rank up to four preferred launch dates. This is where coordinating with friends can improve your odds. Back when permit applications were mailed in, permit parties were a common excuse to get together, strategize, and hope someone in the group landed a launch date.

Once you submit your application, you’ll pay a permit fee, usually around $15 per application, and then wait for the results.

How to Apply for a River Permit on Rec.gov

After creating an account on rec.gov, search for the river trip you’re interested in and complete the application for the upcoming season. You’ll select your preferred dates, pay the application fee, and submit.

Then comes the hardest part: waiting.

Our Favorite Multi-Day River Trips in the West

Here are three of our favorite western river trips. And don’t forget, I expect an invite if you win a permit this year. I’m good company and don’t mind groover duty.

Gates of Lodore – Green River (Dinosaur National Monument)

This classic trip is typically a four-day float down the Green River, launching at the Lodore Ranger Station in northwest Colorado and taking out after Split Mountain Gorge in Utah. The Green and Yampa Rivers meet in Dinosaur, and while the Yampa is also an incredible trip, Lodore is more reliable thanks to stable releases from Flaming Gorge Dam.

The trip features fun Class III whitewater—including Hell’s Half Mile—along with excellent side hikes. My favorite is Jones Hole Creek, which offers outstanding trout fishing along a beautiful, crystal-clear stream.

To apply, search “Dinosaur Green and Yampa River Permits” and select Lodore as your entry point.

Main Salmon River – Idaho

For my money, the Main Salmon is about as good as river trips get (I put the Grand Canyon in an entirely different category). Warm, clear water, forgiving whitewater, and massive sandy beaches make it something special. I highly recommend it for families, my kids spent a lot of their youth running feral along the banks of the Main.

There’s excellent fishing where cold tributaries meet the Salmon, natural hot springs along the route, and even fly-in ranches, some of which allow visitors to fill water bottles or buy ice cream bars.

To apply, search “Salmon River (4 Rivers)”. The put-in is Corn Creek, and the take-out is Carey Creek. Some boaters extend their trip below Carey Creek, where permits are not currently required.

Ruby–Horsethief and Westwater Canyons – Colorado River

As a Colorado boater, I had to include these two classics, they’re close to home and easy to love. While they are separate canyons, they can be run individually or combined into a longer trip if you can coordinate permits.

Ruby and Horsethief Canyons are the ultimate in mellow desert floating: no rapids, incredible scenery, and fantastic side hikes. Most people float this stretch in three days. The Black Rocks camps are especially memorable, though Mee Canyon is an often-overlooked gem.

Westwater Canyon begins directly below Ruby–Horsethief and offers fun Class III whitewater, sandwiched with some flat water floating, including iconic rapids like Skull and Sock-It-To-Me. Camping is limited to one night, making it a perfect two-day trip, or a great extension to Ruby.

To apply, search “Ruby Horsethief Canyon Permits” and “Westwater Canyon River Permits.”

Can you spot the "where's waldo" river surfer in Westwater Canyon?