Moab River Permits
If you're running your own boat near Moab, the permit is usually the hardest part of the trip. Seven different systems apply across three rivers, run by three agencies, with different windows, fees, caps, and deadlines. Some open in December for the following summer. One is free. One counts your dog. This page explains all of them.
Only two systems near Moab are genuinely competitive: Desolation to Gray, which is a true lottery you must enter between December and January, and Westwater, which is capped at five private permits a day and goes fast. Everything else in Canyonlands is a rolling reservation with no lottery and no daily launch limit. Labyrinth Canyon is free and self-issued. If you're new to private boating here, start with Labyrinth or Ruby-Horsethief.
Every Moab-Area Permit System, Compared
Sorted from easiest to hardest to obtain. "Rolling" means reservations open a fixed period before your launch date and are first-come, first-served.
| Section | Agency | How it works | When to apply | Group limit | Difficulty to get |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moab Daily | BLM Moab | No day-use permit reported | n/a | n/a | None |
| Labyrinth Canyon | BLM Moab | Free self-issue permit, emailed to BLM | Any time before launch | 25 people | Easy |
| Stillwater & Meander | NPS Canyonlands | Rolling reservation, no lottery, no daily cap | Window opens 14 Dec or 15 Jun | 40 people | Easy |
| San Juan River | BLM Monticello | Permit required year-round | Confirm annually | Confirm annually | Moderate |
| Ruby-Horsethief | BLM | Overnight camping permit, rolling; none for day use | 60 days before launch | 25 including dogs | Moderate |
| Cataract Canyon | NPS Canyonlands | Rolling reservation, no lottery, no daily cap | Window opens 14 Dec or 15 Jun | 40 people | Moderate |
| Westwater Canyon | BLM Moab | Advance reservation, hard daily caps | As early as the window allows | Capped by daily people limit | Hard |
| Desolation & Gray | BLM Price | True lottery for peak season | 1 Dec to 31 Jan | Confirm with Price FO | Hard |
Three Things Most Websites Get Wrong
Permit systems change and the internet doesn't. These three errors appear across dozens of Moab rafting sites, and planning around any of them will cost you a trip.
They are not, and they never enter a lottery. The National Park Service allocates Cataract, Stillwater, and Meander permits through rolling reservation windows on Recreation.gov. There is no lottery, and there are no daily launch limits in Canyonlands. If you missed a lottery deadline you read about somewhere, you missed nothing.
Also no. Westwater is advance reservation. What makes it hard isn't a draw, it's the cap: between 1 April and 30 September, private use is limited to five permits or 75 people per day, whichever comes first. From 1 October through 31 March that rises to seven permits or 150 people per day. Weekday dates are obtainable; summer weekends require being ready the moment the window opens.
Over-correcting in the other direction. Desolation and Gray Canyons is a genuine lottery, for launches between 1 May and 30 September. Applications run 1 December to 31 January, results go out around 15 February, and winners must accept by 14 March or the reservation is cancelled on 15 March. Miss that window and your only route is cancellations, which appear on Recreation.gov at random after 15 March.
The Booking Calendar
Most people discover these systems in April, when nearly everything for the coming summer is already allocated. Here's when things actually happen.
- 1 December Desolation & Gray lottery opens Applications accepted for launches 1 May to 30 September. A $6 non-refundable application fee applies. This is the single most important date on the Moab permit calendar.
- 14 December Canyonlands opens for the main season Reservations open for launches from 14 April to 15 October. Cataract, Stillwater, and Meander. First come, first served, no lottery.
- 31 January Desolation & Gray lottery closes No late entries. If you miss this, you're waiting on cancellations.
- ~15 February Desolation results emailed Winners are notified directly.
- 14 March Desolation acceptance deadline Winners must accept. Unaccepted reservations are cancelled on 15 March and released.
- 15 March onward Desolation cancellations appear Released permits post to Recreation.gov at random times. Persistent checking is the only strategy.
- 15 June Canyonlands opens for the off season Reservations open for launches 16 October to 13 April.
- 60 days before launch Ruby-Horsethief opens Overnight camping permits become available on a rolling 60-day window.
- 2 days before launch Canyonlands overnight cutoff Overnight reservations close. Day-use permits remain available up to 24 hours ahead.
Each Permit System in Detail
Cataract Canyon, Stillwater and Meander (National Park Service)
All three are administered together by Canyonlands National Park through a single Recreation.gov permit. There is no lottery and no daily launch limit. Group size is capped at 40 for private trips, and you may hold a permit for up to 14 consecutive nights.
| Permit type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Flatwater overnight (Stillwater or Meander) | $36 reservation, including the $6 Recreation.gov fee, plus $25 per person |
| Cataract Canyon overnight | $36 reservation, including the $6 Recreation.gov fee, plus $25 per person |
| Flatwater day use | $6 Recreation.gov fee if booked online; no fee in person at park headquarters |
| Cataract Canyon day use | $6 Recreation.gov fee plus $10 per person |
| A five-person overnight Cataract trip costs $161: $36 reservation plus $125 for five people at $25 each. All fees are non-refundable. | |
The Backcountry Permit Office in Moab is open Monday to Friday, 8am to 12pm and 1 to 4pm, though it closes when rangers are called out to search and rescue. Phone (435) 241-3110.
Westwater Canyon (BLM Moab Field Office)
Seventeen miles of Class IV water, and the most tightly rationed permit near Moab. Permits are required year-round for both private and commercial trips. Between 1 April and 30 September private use is capped at five permits or 75 people per day, whichever comes first, with commercial use separately capped at 75 passengers per day. From 1 October to 31 March the cap rises to seven permits or 150 people per day.
Fees are non-refundable. The Westwater Ranger Station is the put-in; the field office is at 82 East Dogwood, Moab, phone (435) 259-2100.
Westwater's allocation system has changed before. Before planning around any particular system, call the Moab Field Office on (435) 259-2100 and confirm what applies to your launch year.
Desolation and Gray Canyons (BLM Price Field Office)
Eighty-four miles from Sand Wash to Swaseys Rapid, and the only true lottery in the region. Launches run from a single point at Sand Wash, six per day. The lottery covers 1 May to 30 September; applications open 1 December and close 31 January, with a $6 non-refundable application fee. Results are emailed around 15 February, winners accept by 14 March, and anything unaccepted is cancelled on 15 March.
Phone the Price Field Office on (435) 636-3600.
Ruby-Horsethief (BLM)
Twenty-five miles from Loma, Colorado to Westwater, Utah, mostly flatwater with Class I to II rapids, and the best introduction to private multi-day boating in the region. Overnight camping permits are required year-round and become available 60 days before your launch date. No permit is required for day use.
Ruby-Horsethief limits groups to 25 "heartbeats," and BLM means that literally. Adults, children, and dogs all count toward the 25, with a maximum of two dogs per group. Dogs are also charged the same as people. A party of 24 with two dogs is over the limit.
Fees work differently by season. From May through September there's a fee for both the camping permit and the reservation, though children aged 16 and under camp free year-round. From November through April the permit is still required but only the reservation carries a fee.
BLM's published fee structure covers May to September and November to April. October falls between them. If you're launching that month, call (970) 244-3000 to confirm which schedule applies.
Motorised craft are permitted in Ruby Canyon, so expect to share the water. Flows matter more here than difficulty ratings suggest: BLM advises extra care above 30,000 CFS, doesn't recommend canoes at all until flows drop below 20,000, considers 10,000 to 20,000 suitable only for highly experienced canoeists, and suggests family raft trips wait until below 5,000. Check USGS gauge 09163500.
Labyrinth Canyon (BLM)
The easiest permit near Moab, and free. A noncommercial river trip permit is required to float the Green River between Green River State Park and Mineral Bottom, at the Canyonlands boundary. Download the form from BLM, complete it, and email it to blm_ut_labyrinth@blm.gov. No fee, no lottery, no queue.
One permit authorises one trip of up to 25 people. The trip leader must carry a copy of the submitted permit for the length of the canyon, and you must carry and use a fire pan and a portable toilet.
San Juan River (BLM Monticello Field Office)
A permit is required year-round to float any section of the San Juan between Montezuma Creek and Clay Hills. Most trips launch at Sand Island or Mexican Hat and take out at Mexican Hat or Clay Hills; a further section runs upstream between Montezuma Creek and Sand Island.
The river's south bank is Navajo Nation land, as are upstream stretches, and BLM manages the downstream portion inside Glen Canyon National Recreation Area under a joint agreement with the Park Service.
Application windows, group limits and fees on the San Juan are set annually and change from year to year. Get current figures from the Monticello Field Office: 365 North Main, Monticello, Utah, phone (435) 587-1500.
Worth planning for regardless: the Clay Hills take-out is reached via Highway 276 and San Juan County Road 278, eleven miles of dirt that can become impassable to two-wheel-drive vehicles when wet. Moderate ground clearance is recommended.
Moab Daily (BLM Moab Field Office)
The most popular private day stretch near town, and the simplest: no permit is required for private day trips. Camping along the corridor is a separate question with its own rules. For those, call (435) 259-2100.
StrategyImproving Your Odds
- Put 1 December and 14 December in your calendar now. Those two dates govern most of the following summer. Almost everyone who fails to get a permit failed by not knowing when to apply.
- Go midweek. On capped sections like Westwater, weekday launches are dramatically easier than Saturdays. Shifting your trip by two days is worth more than any other tactic.
- Go in the shoulder season. Westwater's daily cap rises from five permits to seven, and from 75 people to 150, on 1 October. September and October also bring better weather than most people expect.
- Have a second and third choice ready. Applicants who name only one launch date are the ones who end up not boating.
- Watch for cancellations. For Desolation, released permits post to Recreation.gov at random after 15 March. There's no notification and no queue, only checking.
- Start with the easy ones. Labyrinth is free and self-issued; Ruby-Horsethief opens on a rolling 60-day window. Both are excellent trips and neither requires winning anything.
Holding a permit means you may launch. It does not mean the section is within your abilities, that your equipment is adequate, or that conditions on your date are survivable. Westwater and Cataract in particular demand real whitewater experience, and every section here is remote enough that a rescue takes hours at best. Assess your group honestly. If you're unsure, go with a licensed outfitter instead.
Moab River Permit FAQ
Do I need a permit if I go with an outfitter?
No. Licensed outfitters hold their own commercial permits and your trip runs under theirs. Permits are only your problem on private trips.
Which Moab permit is hardest to get?
Desolation and Gray Canyons, because it's a genuine lottery with a single launch point and six launches a day. Westwater is a close second for summer weekends, since only five private permits are issued per day between April and September.
Is there a lottery for Cataract Canyon?
No. This is the most persistent piece of misinformation about Moab-area permits. Canyonlands allocates Cataract permits through rolling reservation windows on Recreation.gov, with no lottery and no daily launch limits. Reservations for the main season open on 14 December.
What happens if I miss the Desolation lottery?
Your remaining route is cancellations, which post to Recreation.gov at random any time after 15 March. There's no waitlist and no notification, so it comes down to checking frequently. Alternatively, pick a different section: Labyrinth, Ruby-Horsethief, and the Canyonlands flatwater reaches are all obtainable much later.
How much does a private river permit cost near Moab?
It ranges from free to roughly $160 for a small group. Labyrinth Canyon costs nothing. Desolation's lottery application is $6. A five-person overnight Cataract trip is $161. Fees are non-refundable across the board, so confirm your dates before you pay.
Do dogs count toward group size limits?
On Ruby-Horsethief, yes. The 25-person limit counts "heartbeats," which includes adults, children, and dogs, with a maximum of two dogs per group, and dogs are charged the same as people. Other sections have their own rules, so check before assuming.
Can I get a permit at the last minute?
Sometimes. Canyonlands day-use permits are available up to 24 hours before launch, though overnight reservations close two days out. Labyrinth is self-issued and can be arranged quickly. Westwater and Desolation are effectively impossible last-minute in peak season.
Sources
- NPS Canyonlands. River Permits (page last updated 16 October 2025)
- BLM. Westwater Canyon River Permits
- BLM. Desolation Gray Green River Permit
- BLM. Ruby Horsethief Canyon Permits
- BLM. Labyrinth Canyon River
- BLM. San Juan River
- Recreation.gov. Canyonlands river permits
- Recreation.gov. Ruby Horsethief
Permit rules, fees, and dates change annually and sometimes mid-season. We check these against agency sources and note the review date, but the agency is always the authority. If you find something out of date here, tell us and we'll fix it.
Last reviewed: July 2026. Next scheduled review: November 2026, ahead of the December lottery and reservation openings.