Dinosaur NM Yampa River Permit

The Yampa and the Green through Dinosaur National Monument are one permit, not two - Recreation.gov 250014 covers both. The Yampa's high use season for 2026 runs May 11 to July 11.

The quota is measured in launches per day, and during the high use season only 300 permits for launches are issued in total. From May 11 to 20 that is two permits per day; from May 21 to July 11 it is three per day, not to exceed two launches per river; from July 12 to September 11 it is two per day. In the low use season only one permit is issued per day within the monument.

Noncommercial river trips may include no more than 25 persons, and only one permitted group is allowed per campsite, with a maximum of 25 participants per site on private trips.

Fees are a $15 non-refundable application fee, then $185 on confirmation. That $185 is a flat recreation fee per permit, not per person - an unusual and, for a large group, very cheap structure. An Extended Stay Fee of $35 exists. Monument entrance fees are required of all visitors regardless of where they enter and are not covered by the river permit.

The lottery runs December 1 through January 31, with results on February 12 and confirmation due by March 1. There is no wait list for unconfirmed reservations. All low use permits plus any unclaimed high use permits release on March 6, 2026 at 8:00 am MT, and cancellations are made available randomly within 24 hours.

Equipment is prescriptive. Fire pans must be elevated a minimum of four inches off the ground and be at least 100 square inches with a 3-inch rim, with a fireproof tarp, blanket or welder's cloth underneath. A mesh strainer for dishwater and ashes is required on multi-day trips but not on one-day trips. Fire residue must be strained before being deposited in the main river current, and all floatable and strained residue carried out. Life jackets must be Type I, III or V Coast Guard approved, properly worn by each participant on any craft, with a static shell and a minimum inherent buoyancy of 15.5 lbs for adults. Also required: a rescue and Z-drag kit, air pump, repair kits, spare oars and paddles, spare PFDs, a kitchen floor tarp, and major plus per-boat first aid kits.

One genuine conflict you have to resolve before you launch: on human waste, Recreation.gov 250014 states that each group must carry a washable, reusable container toilet system and that bag systems such as wag bags or PET systems are not permitted - while the monument's own Boating in the Monument regulations, revised March 2025, lists commercial bag systems as approved provided they are stored in hard-sided containers or heavy-duty waterproof bags labelled Human Waste. Two official sources, opposite answers. Call the River Office before you buy a system.

There is no formal pre-trip orientation, but there is a mandatory check-in inspection: failure to possess all required equipment at check-in will result in the inability to launch. Every permit holder is also required to read and carry a printed copy of Boating in the Monument.