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Do I need a permit to float Ruby-Horsethief Canyon?

Yes. You need a permit to float Ruby-Horsethief Canyon in Colorado Plateau Rivers, and it is issued first come, first served rather than by lottery.

Permit required

What the Ruby-Horsethief Canyon permit costs and covers

Fee
$6 reservation fee, plus $20 to $100 per night by group size from April through October
Group size limit
25 people

What the rules require

  • Quota is the campsites: one group per campsite per night
  • Maximum 25 people per group including dogs, with a strict limit of two dogs
  • Some campsites carry a smaller group limit than 25 because of camp size
  • Reservations open two months ahead on a daily rolling window at 8 a.m. MDT
  • One active reservation at a time, though you can hold multiple permits over a year
  • Black Rocks sites are limited to one night on Friday and Saturday, with no layovers
  • Print the permit 7 days before launch
  • You must camp at your assigned site, and BLM warns not to book a later night upstream of an earlier one
  • No permit is required for day use in Ruby-Horsethief

Published rules for the Ruby-Horsethief Canyon, quoted as written.


Getting one

Dates for Ruby-Horsethief Canyon sell out and then come back as people cancel. PermitSnag watches Ruby-Horsethief Canyon and sends you an alert the moment one reappears.


Common questions about the Ruby-Horsethief Canyon permit

Do I need a permit to float Ruby-Horsethief Canyon?

Yes. You need a permit to float Ruby-Horsethief Canyon in Colorado Plateau Rivers, and it is issued first come, first served rather than by lottery.

How much does a Ruby-Horsethief Canyon permit cost?

$6 reservation fee, plus $20 to $100 per night by group size from April through October.

How many people can be on one Ruby-Horsethief Canyon permit?

25 people.