How to Get a Smith Permit
Float 59 miles of limestone canyon that you can only reach by boat, on one of 9 launches a day drawn by a Montana state lottery.
Check Smith permit availabilityFloat fees per person: $25 resident, $60 non-resident (13+); $15 ages 6-12; free under 6
Permit Cost
4 days
Duration
59 miles
Distance
moderate
Difficulty
About Smith
The Smith River runs 59 miles from Camp Baker to Eden Bridge through a limestone canyon in central Montana, and it is the only river in the state that requires a permit to float. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks manages it with the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest. Permits come from an annual drawing. Applications open January 1 and close February 15, with the drawing on February 18. Montana FWP publishes the results in a public statistics report, and the 2026 numbers are worth knowing before you apply: against a quota of 1,115 launches, 8,711 resident and 2,860 non-resident applicants named a first-choice date, and 995 permits were awarded - 884 to residents and 111 to non-residents, leaving 120 launch days unclaimed in the drawing. There is a second way in. The Super Permit lets its winner launch on any date they choose that year. Chances are $5 each with no limit on how many you buy, applications run January 1 through March 15, and the drawing is March 16.
The Smith is the only river in Montana that requires a permit to float, and the reason is simple arithmetic: of the 118 miles of shoreline along the river, only 26 miles are public land. There are 27 boat camps with 52 campsites, you camp only in the one assigned to you, and once you launch at Camp Baker there is no road out until Eden Bridge.
The Experience
The canyon closes in within the first few miles and then simply stays closed. Limestone walls, a trout rising in the slack water, and no traffic noise for four days. You know exactly where you are sleeping every night because a ranger assigned it to you over the phone two days ago, which sounds bureaucratic right up until you realize it means nobody is racing you downstream for a campsite.
The put-in is Camp Baker, 26 miles from White Sulphur Springs: State Secondary Road 360, the Fort Logan Road, runs west 16.6 miles to the Camp Baker turn-off. Camp Baker is day-use only, so there is no camping there the night before.
Registration happens by phone two days ahead of your launch. That is when you pick your boat camps, pay your float fees, and get an assigned one-hour window for the boat ramp. On launch day you collect your registration form, boat tags, river maps and floater log, sit through a mandatory safety and orientation talk, and show the ranger your portable toilet for inspection.
From there it is 59 miles to Eden Bridge, which most groups take four days to cover - the minimum is two nights and three full days. The river is a rainbow and brown trout fishery with whitefish throughout. Between May 15 and July 15 you are capped at four nights on the river, and only one of them can be a layover, taken at a mid-canyon camp between Two Creek and Upper Parker. Two SCAT machines at the Eden Bridge take-out handle the portable toilets at the end.
What to Expect
59 miles from Camp Baker to Eden Bridge, four days on average, with a minimum of two nights and three full days
Assigned boat camps - 27 camps with 52 campsites, and you stay in the one on your permit
Only 26 of the river's 118 miles of shoreline are public land
Phone registration two days before launch, where you choose camps and pay float fees
A mandatory safety and orientation talk and a portable toilet inspection at Camp Baker
A rainbow and brown trout fishery, with whitefish common
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Permit Requirements
Maximum group size is 15 people per permit, including children
You may only camp at your assigned boat camps
From May 15 through July 15, camping is limited to four nights, counting any nights spent at private cabins or guest ranches
Layover nights are allowed only at mid-canyon boat camps between Two Creek and Upper Parker, and only one layover during the May 15 to July 15 high-use season
An approved portable, hard-sided toilet is required and must be shown to the ranger at Camp Baker for inspection
Food, garbage and attractants must be in an IGBC approved bear-resistant device or electric fencing, or suspended at least 10 feet off the ground and 4 feet horizontally from a vertical support
Drones are prohibited in the corridor
Watercraft must pass Montana aquatic invasive species inspection; the AIS validation fee is $10 for non-motorized watercraft
Float fees are due at launch and apply year-round
Gear & Preparation
Required Gear
- •An FWP-approved portable, hard-sided toilet
- •IGBC approved bear-resistant cooler or container, or a portable electric fence
- •Boats suitable for a shallow, low-gradient float - the Smith is not a whitewater run
- •Montana fishing license if you plan to fish, bought before you leave White Sulphur Springs
- •Water treatment for four days
Recommended Gear
- •Rain gear - the canyon holds weather and there is nowhere to bail out
- •Fly gear for rainbow, brown and whitefish
- •Spare AIS documentation for the inspection station
- •Cash and a full tank from White Sulphur Springs, the last services before the put-in
Hazards & Safety
No road access between Camp Baker and Eden Bridge - once you launch you finish the float
Low water late in the season can make the float slow and force dragging
Bears in the corridor, which is why food storage is regulated rather than suggested
Cold water and changeable Montana weather in April and May
Private land along most of the shoreline, so stopping where you like is not an option
Best Time to Visit
May and June carry the most reliable water and the most demand - the 2026 drawing statistics show mid-May dates drawing well over 200 first-choice applicants against 7 or 8 private launches. April launches are the quietest, with all 9 daily permits going to private groups and no outfitter allocation, at the cost of colder weather. Late summer flows can get thin.
Pro Tips
Buy Super Permit chances as a backup - $5 each, no purchase limit, and it wins you any launch date you want
Mid-May dates drew over 200 first-choice applicants against 7 or 8 private launches in 2026; April and August dates went begging
120 launch days went unclaimed in the 2026 drawing, so watch for returned permits
Registration is by phone two days out - that is when you pick boat camps, so have your float plan ready
Camp Baker is day-use only, so plan where you are sleeping the night before you launch
Top off fuel and buy your fishing license in White Sulphur Springs; neither is available at Camp Baker
Your portable toilet gets inspected at the put-in, so bring an FWP-approved hard-sided one
100+ wilderness permits, extensive backcountry experience
This guide is based on personal experience obtaining wilderness permits and is regularly updated to reflect current policies and strategies.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a Smith permit?
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Smith permits are distributed through a lottery system. Apply during the lottery window, and if you're not selected, check for cancellations as they become available.
When is the best time to visit Smith?
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May and June carry the most reliable water and the most demand - the 2026 drawing statistics show mid-May dates drawing well over 200 first-choice applicants against 7 or 8 private launches. April launches are the quietest, with all 9 daily permits going to private groups and no outfitter allocation, at the cost of colder weather. Late summer flows can get thin.
How difficult is Smith?
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Anyone comfortable with multi-day camping from a boat. The floating itself is well within reach of a first-time river camper.
What if I don't win the Smith lottery?
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Cancellations happen regularly. Use PermitSnag to monitor availability and get alerts when spots open up. You can also check for walk-up permits or consider similar alternatives in the area.
What gear do I need for Smith?
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Essential gear includes: An FWP-approved portable, hard-sided toilet, IGBC approved bear-resistant cooler or container, or a portable electric fence, Boats suitable for a shallow, low-gradient float - the Smith is not a whitewater run, Montana fishing license if you plan to fish, bought before you leave White Sulphur Springs, Water treatment for four days.
Don't Miss Your Smith Permit
Cancellations happen every day. PermitSnag monitors Smith availability 24/7 and alerts you the moment a spot opens up.
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