Lottery10/10
GC Rafting
The ultimate river trip—225 miles through the heart of the Grand Canyon, past bi...
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ReservationRiver AccessHigh Demand
Dinosaur NM Split Mountain Day Section Permit
Nine miles of the Green River from Rainbow Park through Split Mountain Canyon, run in a day. One or two launches a day depending on the season, no lottery.
“Nine miles of the Green cutting straight through the middle of a mountain, on a permit that only two parties a day can hold at the peak of summer.”
Watch a launch date— the rest of the trip follows it
Split Mountain Quick Facts
Permit RequiredYes
Booking MethodReservation
Demand LevelHigh7/10
SeasonMarch 7 (rolling year-long release)
Cost$15 reservation fee + $20 permit recreation fee
Daily Quota2 permits
Max Group Size25 people
Split Mountain Permit Facts
- As of August 2026, Split Mountain in Colorado Plateau Rivers, Wild & Scenic Rivers requires a permit issued via reservation.
- Split Mountain is a high-demand permit, rating 7/10 on PermitSnag's demand index.
- The Split Mountain route covers 9 miles, rated moderate.
- Cancelled Split Mountain permits are re-released on the booking system; PermitSnag monitors availability and alerts watchers when dates open.
Key Information
Key Dates
SeasonMarch 7 (rolling year-long release)
Permit Details
TypeRiver Access
Booking MethodReservation
Demand Level7/10
LocationUinta Basin
Pro Tips
- •There is no lottery here — the whole year releases on a rolling window and the tight quota is what makes it hard, not a draw
- •Two launches a day only between May 11 and September 11; the rest of the year is one
- •Cancellations come back fast: NPS says cancelled permits "will be made available to the public randomly within 24 hours"
- •You may only hold one Dinosaur permit in your name at a time, which caps how much you can stockpile
- •Rainbow Park Campground has four sites and no running water, and many groups camp at the launch the night before because of the drive
What to Expect
Route Details
Distance
9 miles
Route Type
Point to Point
Duration
1 day
Difficulty
ModerateHighlights
- •Nine miles of fast water and what NPS calls notorious rapids, run in a single day
- •Proposed wilderness management: no motors and no vehicles visible from the river
- •A primitive put-in with four campsites, a vault toilet and no running water
- •One or two permitted parties on the section that day, depending on the season
- •Reservable group campsites and better facilities at the take-out
- •The Dinosaur Quarry near the take-out
Best Time to Visit
May 11 to September 11 is the only window with two permits a day rather than one, so it is both the busiest stretch and the one with twice the chance of an opening. Outside it, the single daily permit makes any date a long shot without a cancellation watch.
Hazards & Considerations
- !Fast water and rapids NPS itself calls notorious, in a nine-mile section with little recovery distance
- !Remoteness and long drive times to the put-in
- !No running water at the launch site
- !Runoff-driven flows that change the character of the rapids through the season
How to Get This Permit
1
Create a Recreation.gov account
Sign up at Recreation.gov if you don't have an account. Have your payment info ready.
2
Know the release schedule
Permits typically release on a rolling basis. Check the specific release time for your desired dates.
3
Be ready when permits drop
Log in a few minutes early. Have your dates, group size, and payment ready to go.
4
Monitor for cancellations
If your dates are sold out, people cancel all the time. Set up PermitSnag alerts to catch openings instantly.
When to Go
Peak: May 11-September 11Shoulder: March-early May and mid-September-October
Conditions
Runoff building through May; one permit a day until May 10.
Crowd Level
ModerateAdvantages
- +Bigger water as snowmelt comes in
- +Quiet at the put-in campground
Challenges
- !Only one permit a day before May 11
- !Cold water and cold mornings
Difficulty Assessment
Physical Demand3/5
Fitness and endurance required
Technical Skill4/5
Climbing, scrambling, or specialized skills
Exposure Risk3/5
Steep dropoffs and fall potential
Navigation1/5
Route finding and trail clarity
Commitment2/5
Difficulty of bailing out mid-route
Best For
Boaters with Class III experience who want a Dinosaur canyon without a year of lottery planning, and who can reach a remote put-in the night before.
Recommended Experience
NPS requires "a working knowledge of whitewater safety, general first aid, river equipment repair, and the techniques of white water navigation," plus experience on the Green, the Yampa or a comparable Class III+ river.
Not Recommended For
First-time river runners — NPS requires documented Class III or higher experience of the trip leader and boatmen — and anyone who needs a specific date without a cancellation watch.
About This Permit
Boating anywhere in Dinosaur National Monument requires a permit, and the Split Mountain daily section has its own. It covers a nine-mile day run on the Green from the Rainbow Park boat ramp to the Split Mountain boat ramp — no camping, one launch per permit, launch and take out on the printed date and at the printed locations.
The quota moves with the season: one permit a day from March 7 to May 10, two a day from May 11 to September 11, then back to one from September 12 to March 6. NPS releases permits from March 7 of one year to March 6 of the next starting at 8 a.m. MT, and a person may hold only one Dinosaur permit at a time.
There is no lottery on this section, which makes it different from the Green through Gates of Lodore and the Yampa. Cancellations are re-released "randomly within 24 hours," so watching the calendar is the realistic way in once the initial release is gone.
The Experience
Why It Matters
Dinosaur's famous permits are the multi-day Green through Gates of Lodore and the Yampa, both lotteries, both booked a year out. Split Mountain is the day version — same monument, same wilderness management, no motors, no vehicles visible anywhere along the trip — and it is the one you can still plausibly get. What makes it hard is arithmetic rather than a draw: one permit a day for most of the year, two at peak. Miss it and there is no second allocation.
The Route
The run is nine river miles from the Rainbow Park boat ramp to the Split Mountain boat ramp. NPS calls the section "the last section of the Green River in Dinosaur National Monument," and it is a single day: launch and take out on the date and at the locations printed on the permit, with only one launch allowed per permit day.
The canyon is proposed wilderness and managed as such, so there are no motors and no vehicles visible from the water anywhere along the trip. The rapids are what NPS calls "notorious" for a nine-mile day run — Moonshine, S.O.B. and Schoolboy sit in the middle of the section — separated by riffles and fast flat water.
Many groups camp at the launch the night before because of how far it is from anywhere. Rainbow Park Campground has four sites holding eight people each, a vault toilet and no running water. At the Split Mountain take-out there are reservable group sites, seasonal flush toilets, year-round vault toilets and a seasonally operational groover dump.
The Feeling
You put in at Rainbow Park with the mountain standing in front of you and no obvious way through it, and then the river takes you into it. The canyon walls fold visibly — the strata are bent, not stacked — and the water moves fast enough that nine miles goes by quicker than you want. NPS keeps the put-in deliberately undeveloped "to help the visitor transition to the wilderness environment of the canyon," and it works.
Trailhead Information
Rainbow Park put-in
The launch for the Split Mountain day section.
Restrooms
No water
No Service
Before you rely on this water
NPS: "There is no running water available at these sites, but there is a vault toilet." Bring everything.
Parking
Primitive campground at the launch with only four sites, each holding eight people, and NPS notes they are "quite popular in the summer months."
Getting There
Remote, with long drive times — NPS says that is why "many groups camp at their launch site the night before their river launch."
Nearest Services
Vernal, Utah. Monument headquarters is off US-40 two miles east of Dinosaur, Colorado.
Split Mountain take-out
Nine miles downstream, at the Split Mountain boat ramp.
Restrooms
No water
Weak Signal
Before you rely on this water
Vault toilets year-round and seasonal flush toilets, but plan your own water.
Parking
Reservable group campsites at the take-out, with seasonal flush toilets, no showers, and a seasonally operational groover dump site.
Nearest Services
Vernal, and the Dinosaur Quarry is close by.
Rules & Regulations
- •One permit issued per day March 7 to May 10 and September 12 to March 6; two per day May 11 to September 11
- •A person may hold only one Dinosaur National Monument permit at a time
- •The whole party must launch and take out on the date and at the locations listed on the permit; only one launch per permit day
- •Noncommercial trips are limited to 25 people
- •Permits are not transferable and the permittee must accompany the entire trip
- •An accurate passenger list must be on file with the River Office before launch; no additions at the launch site
- •Lottery applicants, permit holders and trip leaders must be 18 or older by the launch date
- •The trip leader and boatmen must have documented Class III or higher whitewater experience
- •Possession of firearms must comply with state law and their use is prohibited
- •No refunds within 30 days of launch or after the permit is issued
Gear Checklist
Required
- Class III-capable boats and whitewater rescue gear
- Repair kit and general first aid, which NPS requires the trip leader and boatmen to be able to use
- All drinking water — there is none at Rainbow Park
- The issued permit, carried by the permit holder
Recommended
- Camping gear for the night before at Rainbow Park, given the drive
- Shuttle arrangements between the two ramps
- Layers, because the Uinta Basin swings hard between morning and afternoon
Plan Your Trip
🎒
Gear Checklist
Required and recommended gear for Split Mountain
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Trailhead transportation options
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Key Landmarks
Rainbow Park boat ramp
The put-in. Deliberately primitive, with a four-site campground holding eight people each, a vault toilet and no running water.
Split Mountain Canyon
The nine-mile canyon the Green cuts directly through the middle of the mountain, with visibly folded strata on both walls.
Split Mountain boat ramp
The take-out, with reservable group campsites, seasonal flush toilets, year-round vault toilets and a seasonal groover dump site.
Dinosaur Quarry
Near the take-out, where NPS says you can see "149 million year old dinosaur bones encased in the rock."
Split Mountain FAQ
How many Split Mountain permits are issued per day?
It changes with the season. NPS: "March 7th – May 10th – one permit issued per day. May 11th – September 11th – two permits issued per day. September 12th – March 6th – one permit issued per day."
Is there a lottery for the Split Mountain day section?
No. Unlike the Green through Gates of Lodore and the Yampa, the Split Mountain daily section is a straight reservation. NPS releases the year from March 7 to March 6 starting at 8 a.m. MT, and after that it is whatever is left plus cancellations.
Where does the Split Mountain day trip run?
Nine miles: NPS describes it as "the nine miles of Split Mountain Canyon beginning at the Rainbow Park boat ramp and flowing swiftly downstream, punctuated by notorious rapids, assorted riffles, and stunning views as the river cuts swiftly through the mountain before reaching the take-out at the Split Mountain boat ramp."
Can I get a refund on a Split Mountain permit?
Only outside 30 days. NPS: "There are no refunds for a cancellation within 30 days of the launch date or after the permit has been issued." Cancellations still free the date for someone else, and NPS re-releases them randomly within 24 hours.
What experience do I need for a Split Mountain permit?
NPS requires it of the trip leader and boatmen: "Experience on the Green and Yampa Rivers in Dinosaur National Monument or on other comparable class III or higher whitewater rivers is mandatory (such as the Rogue, Selway, North Platte, Grand Canyon, Westwater, and others)." Permit holders and trip leaders must be 18 or older.
👥Community
Trail Conditions
Questions
Trip Reports
Write ReportPhotography Guide
Golden Hour
Early morning at Rainbow Park before the launch, when the canyon mouth is still in shadow and the mountain above it is lit.
Best Light
Mid-morning inside the canyon, once the sun clears the walls but before it flattens the folded strata.
Beat the Crowds
One or two permitted parties a day is the whole non-commercial allocation. Crowding is not a factor; getting the date is.
Classic Shots
- 📍The put-in at Rainbow Park with Split Mountain closed across the horizon
- 📍Folded strata on the canyon wall directly above the river
- 📍A raft in Moonshine or S.O.B. rapid
- 📍The take-out ramp with the quarry ridge behind it
Can't Get a Split Mountain Permit?
Consider these alternatives if your preferred dates aren't available.
Dinosaur NM Green River
Similar ExperienceThe multi-day Green through the Gates of Lodore, upstream in the same monument.
Permit required
Tradeoffs
Four days instead of one, and a lottery you enter a year ahead instead of a rolling reservation.
Dinosaur NM Yampa River
Similar ExperienceThe Yampa, the last free-flowing river in the Colorado system, joining the Green inside the monument.
Permit required
Tradeoffs
A multi-day lottery trip with a short snowmelt window, against a day run you can book most of the year.
Westwater Canyon
Similar Experience17 miles of Class IV on the Colorado, also runnable in a long day, with five launches a day.
Permit required
Tradeoffs
Harder water and a bigger quota. If Split Mountain has nothing, this is the other one-day permit on the plateau.
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