Boating and Rafting Permits

Cliffs tower above a flat water section of the lower Yampa River.

NPS/Jacob W. Frank

 

Permits are required for all river trips within Dinosaur National Monument.
The number of permits, group size, equipment requirements, and locations for take-in and take-out are managed for safety, to protect natural and cultural resources, and leave the river canyons unimpaired for future boaters.

Permits are issued for multiday and single day trips. Multiday trip permits starting at Gates of Lodore or Deerlodge Park and single day trip permits through Split Mountain Canyon are issued through a lottery process and on-line reservation system. Play permits for boating upstream of Gates of Lodore or Deerlodge Park boat ramps, downstream travel from the Split Mountain Boat Ramp, or for crossing bank-to-bank are issued by monument staff.

Private boaters with qualifying experience and equipment can apply for a permit.

High-Use and Low-Use Seasons
Green River high-use season is from the second Monday of May through the second Friday of September. Green River low-use season is the remaining dates from September through May.

Yampa River high-use Season is from the second Monday of May through the second Saturday of July. Yampa River low-use season is the remaining dates from July through May.

 

Single Day Permits

Permits are required to run the daily section of the Green River from Rainbow Park to the Split Mountain Boat Ramp. Permits can be obtained by visiting Recreation.gov. During the high-use season, there are two private trip launches available each day. During the low-use season, there is only one launch each day. High/low season for one-day permits are the same as for the Green River multi-day trips.

Daily section permit holders are subject to the same regulations as multi-day trips. Visitors can only have one permit at a time (i.e. visitors must use their daily permit before obtaining another), but they can go down the daily section as many times as they want in a season. Dogs or other pets are not allowed on the river.

The Green River from Rainbow Park to Split Mountain contains Class III rapids and is not suitable for beginners.

 

Multiday permits

Multiday permits are available for both the Green and Yampa rivers. Green River multiday permits start at Gates of Lodore Boat Ramp and end at Split Mountain Boat Ramp. Yampa River multiday trips start at Deerlodge Park Boat Ramp and end at Split Mountain Boat Ramp. Generally, the Green River is a four day trip and the Yampa River is a five day trip. The Green River is regulated by Flaming Gorge Dam and can be floated most of the year. Since dams do not regulate the flow of the Yampa River, the season is dependent on snowmelt. During years with a low snow pack, the river flow may be reduced by late May or early June. In years with a deep snowpack, the river may run into July.

 

Lottery Information

Applications are only accepted online through Recreation.gov.

High-use lottery applications will be accepted December 1 to January 31 each year. All applicants will be notified of results by mid-February via email. Low-use, one-day trips, and any unclaimed high-use trips will be available for reservation beginning March 6 at 8 am MST on Recreation.gov.

Applicants must be at least 18 years old.

Individuals can only have one application in the high-use lottery system. More than one application in the lottery will result in any trip acquired through the lottery to be forfeited.

 

Fees

Permit Fees

Application Fee $15.00
Multi-Day Permit Fee $185.00
One-Day Permit Fee $20.00
Overlength Trip Fee $35.00

During the High-use season, the normal trip length for river trips is five days on the Yampa River and four days on the Green River. When applying for a permit, you may apply for an additional day on your trip. Overlength trip requests cannnot be approved until campsites are assigned for all permits, which occurs 30 days in advance of the trip launch date. If your request for an additional day is unsuccessful, your $35 trip fee will be refunded.

All River Permit fees, except overlength trip fees, are nonrefundable.

Entrance Fees

Park entrance fees are not included in your river permit. Visit our Fees & Passes page to learn about entrance fees and federal park passes.

Campground Fees

Boating permit fees do not include camping fees for Gates of Lodore, Deerlodge Park, Green River, or Split Mountain Campgrounds. Camping at Gates of Lodore, Deerlodge Park, Green River, or Rainbow Park is available on a first come, first served basis. Campsites at the Split Mountain Group Campground may be reserved between mid April and late September. Visit our campground page for current information.

 

Play Permits

A permit is required to boat into the monument from above Gates of Lodore or Deerlodge. Play permits for launches above these locations are issued at the River Office or at the Quarry Visitor Center. This play permit allows groups to launch upstream of Dinosaur National Monument to begin their multi-day trip through the monument. One play permit per day will be issued for groups who wish to take out at Lodore or Deerlodge after 2 pm.

A separate play permit is required for rafting the Green River below the Split Mountain Boat Ramp. Play permits for rafting below Split Mountain are free and are issued at the River Office or at the Quarry Visitor Center. No advanced reservations are necessary. Each play permit is good for groups as large as 25 people. Boaters may either take out at Placer Point (small craft only - canoes, duckies and kayaks - no rafts) or farther downstream, outside the monument. The Green River Campground is not a take-out or put-in location. Much of the land downstream of the monument boundary is private land; boaters are responsible for knowing local rules and regulations for take-out points outside the monument.

Contact the River Permit Office

Staff are generally available by phone to answer questions and assist with trip planning Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to Noon (Mountain Time), at [phone]. You may also contact us by email.

Learn more about river rafting and boating in Dinosaur National Monument.