River Permit Season

By Scott Harvey

Greetings fellow club members,

Well folks, looking like that time of the season is upon us again…. I’m not referring to the Christmas holiday season that’s now in our rearview mirror, but the season to apply for those National Wild and Scenic Rivers that us River Rats crave to escape too or those certain rivers that just happen to be on our ever growing bucket list of “I’d sure like to get on that river someday list." Recreation.gov is now the main application website for the following permitted national rivers and waterways:

* Lower Deschutes River Boater Pass

* John Day River – Day Use Permits

* John Day River – Overnight Permits

* Rogue River Wild Section

* Hells Canyon – Snake River

* Middle Fork of the Salmon River

* Main Salmon River

* Selway River

* Tuolumne River Permits

* Desolation Gray – Green River Permits

* Dinosaur Green and Yampa River Permits

* Westwater Canyon River Permits

* Canyonlands National Park – Colorado River Day Use River Permit

* Cataract Canyon – Colorado River – Canyonlands National Park Overnight River Permit

* Dolores River Permits

* Ruby Horsethief Canyon – Colorado River Permits

* San Juan River Permits

* Salt River Canyon Wilderness Permit

* Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness

* Pine National Scenic River Watercraft Permits

* Pere Marquette National Scenic River Watercraft Permits

* Everglades National Park Wilderness Permits

The application period closes January 31, 2022 for most river lottery permit applications, but not all. Go to www.recreation.gov and then click on "Permits". This will open up roughly 82 search results in which 23 of them are for River and Waterway Permits. Click on your desired river of choice for further information and details for applying for a select river date.

You may have noticed some unfamiliar river drainages that you’re not aware of in the list above. If this is the case, do your research, scan over maps, inquire from experienced boaters or ask questions from locals or outfitters in those particular areas. There’s a heck of a lot more interesting rivers out there than most folks realize. Research and become knowledgeable!

I’ve also included a Western States SNOTEL “Current Snow Water Equivalent” website link that is updated daily by the National Water and Climate Center in Portland.

 

Cheers and Safe Water Awareness,

Scott Harvey