Desolation lottery dates
Next season's Desolation application dates aren't published yet. We read the agency's schedule every day and this page carries them the moment they post.
Published odds
What the agency publishes about Desolation odds
~5.9% (BLM river permit lottery (Dec-Jan), 2023).
“This year's numbers are down just slightly, with 58,592 people applying for the 'Four Rivers;' 11,749 for the San Juan, and 11,325 on the Deso-Gray.”
How the Desolation draw works
- Cost
- A one-time $6 reservation fee plus a $40 per person recreation fee.
- Max group size
- 25 people
Applications are filed through Recreation.gov. Open the official Desolation page
Apply as a crew
Most lotteries let every member of a party apply, and only one entry has to win. A pool keeps the applications, the dates and the result in one place so nobody in the crew misses the deadline.
Start a pool for DesolationDesolation lottery questions
When does the Desolation lottery open?
The managing agency has not published the next Desolation application window yet. PermitSnag reads the official schedule every day, and this page carries the dates the day they post.
What are the odds of winning the Desolation lottery?
~5.9% (BLM river permit lottery (Dec-Jan), 2023), published by The Colorado Sun — West river permit system demand reporting.
Will PermitSnag remind me about the Desolation lottery?
Yes. Track Desolation and you get an email when applications open, another before the deadline, and one when results post. You apply once and stop watching the calendar.