Activities requiring a permit include backpacking, four-wheel-drive and mountain bike camping, river trips, and four-wheel-drive day use in Horse and Lavender canyons in the Needles District. Fees are charged and group size limits apply (see chart below).

Obtaining a River Permit

River permits are issued Monday through Friday from the Reservation Office in Moab, and may be received in advance by mail. When the Reservation Office is closed, the Island in the Sky Visitor Center can also issue river permits. Instructions for sumitting a request are on the reservations  page.

Obtaining Other Backcountry Permits

Permits (other than river) are issued seven days a week at district visitor centers. Permits can be reserved in advance. Walk-in permits are only available the day before or the day of a trip. Permits are issued up to one hour before the close of business each day.

Length of Stay

Permits (except day use) can be issued for up to fourteen consecutive nights. Backpackers may stay up to seven consecutive nights in any one site or zone. Visitors using the designated vehicle camps may stay a maximum of three consecutive nights at a camping area before having to relocate.

Fees

To help recover some of the costs of permit processing and the reservation system, Canyonlands charges a nonrefundable reservation fee for each permit. These fees are paid by both walk-ins and visitors making advance reservations.

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