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Smith River (Montana) Permit
Montana's most sought-after wilderness float—59 miles of limestone canyon from Camp Baker to Eden Bridge, drawn by state lottery.
“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.”
Watch a launch date— the rest of the trip follows it
Two ways to land it
Track cancellations or run a lottery pool
Fast Lane tracking
We watch Smith for cancellations 24/7 and alert you when a spot opens so you can book before it's gone.
Start free cancellation watchLottery pool
Apply with a crew. Each person multiplies your combined odds. We coordinate invites, deadlines, and outcomes.
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70% of the openings our scanner caught on Enchantments Core Zone were gone within 10 minutes.
Better odds with a crew
Smith is a lottery. Every friend who applies adds another entry, so a crew gets more shots at the same permit than any one of you alone.
One of you runs the pool (Pro or a $19 alert). Everyone else joins free.
Smith Quick Facts
Smith Permit Facts
- As of August 2026, Smith in Montana Rivers, Wild & Scenic Rivers requires a permit issued via lottery.
- Smith is one of the most competitive permits in the United States, rating 9/10 on PermitSnag's demand index.
- The Smith lottery typically opens January 1 and closes February 15, with results announced February 18.
- The permit season for Smith runs April 1 through August 15.
- The Smith route covers 59 miles, rated moderate.
- Cancelled Smith permits are re-released on the booking system; PermitSnag monitors availability and alerts watchers when dates open.
Key Information
Key Dates
Permit Details
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
What to Expect
Route Details
Highlights
- •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
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.
Hazards & Considerations
- !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
How to Get This Permit
Create a fwp.mt.gov account
Sign up at fwp.mt.gov if you don't have an account. Verify your email and add payment info ahead of time.
Apply during the lottery window
Submit your application between January 1 and February 15. Apply for multiple dates to increase your odds.
Wait for lottery results
Results are typically announced February 18. Check your email and your fwp.mt.gov account.
If unsuccessful, monitor cancellations
Permits get cancelled daily. Peak cancellation times are 24-48 hours before the trip date.
Set up PermitSnag alerts
Get notified when cancellations happen. Pro and $19 single-permit alerts are checked about every minute, 24/7; free accounts are checked hourly.
When to Go
Conditions
April launches are cold with variable flows; by mid-May the water is usually at its best and demand peaks with it.
Crowd Level
ModerateAdvantages
- +All 9 April launches per day go to private groups with no outfitter allocation
- +Best water levels arrive in May
- +Green canyon and strong fishing
Challenges
- !Cold, wet weather is common
- !Mid-May dates are the hardest in the drawing to win
- !Four-night camping cap starts May 15
Difficulty Assessment
Fitness and endurance required
Climbing, scrambling, or specialized skills
Steep dropoffs and fall potential
Route finding and trail clarity
Difficulty of bailing out mid-route
Best For
Anyone comfortable with multi-day camping from a boat. The floating itself is well within reach of a first-time river camper.
Recommended Experience
Basic boat handling and camp skills. The permit conditions, food storage and toilet requirements matter more here than paddling ability.
Not Recommended For
Groups who want whitewater, and anyone unwilling to carry and use a portable toilet for four days.
About This Permit
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 Experience
Why It Matters
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 Route
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.
The Feeling
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.
Trailhead Information
Camp Baker (put-in)
The only launch for the 59-mile float. Day-use only, with no overnight camping.
Parking
Arrive at least one hour before your assigned one-hour boat ramp launch time. Do not occupy the ramp before your window.
Getting There
White Sulphur Springs to Camp Baker is 26 miles: take State Secondary Road 360 (Fort Logan Road) west from White Sulphur Springs 16.6 miles to the Camp Baker turn-off. Great Falls to Camp Baker via White Sulphur Springs is 127 miles.
Nearest Services
White Sulphur Springs has lodging, gas, water and information, and sells fishing licenses. Top off your gas tank there - Camp Baker has nothing.
Eden Bridge (take-out)
The end of the float, 59 miles downstream.
Getting There
Eden Bridge is 28 miles from Great Falls via Ulm and Interstate 15.
Nearest Services
Great Falls, Cascade and Ulm are the closest services. Two SCAT machines at the take-out clean and sanitize approved portable toilets.
Rules & Regulations
- •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 Checklist
Required
- 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
- 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
Plan Your Trip
Gear Checklist
Required and recommended gear for Smith
Shuttle Services
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Key Landmarks
Camp Baker
The put-in, 26 miles from White Sulphur Springs. Day-use only, with no overnight camping, and where the toilet inspection and safety talk happen.
Two Creek
The upstream end of the mid-canyon stretch where layover nights are permitted.
Upper Parker
The downstream end of the layover-eligible mid-canyon boat camps.
Eden Bridge
The take-out, 28 miles from Great Falls via Ulm and Interstate 15. Two SCAT machines here clean and sanitize portable toilets.
Lottery Statistics
Competitive
estimated success rate
Get detailed lottery statistics and tips. Sign up to track this permit.
Boost Your Chances
Apply with a crew to multiply your combined odds, and let auto win-detection tell you the moment you win — you never have to check Recreation.gov. Win-detection reads the result email you forward us, so it takes a one-time setup in your inbox (about two minutes, and we walk you through it). Pool and auto win-detection are on Pro or a $19 permit alert.
Apply these for the best odds
- Avoid mid-June. The most popular launch dates draw the heaviest competition and the longest odds, well under the overall average.
- Apply for April, late July, or August launches. Shoulder-season dates on the April 1 - August 15 season draw fewer applicants.
- Consider the Smith River Super Permit if you don't draw. One Super Permit winner is allowed to launch on any date of their choosing.
Opens the official lottery — you submit your entry. We never automate or store your Recreation.gov login.
Full lottery odds & strategy →Smith FAQ
When do you apply for a Smith River float permit?
The 2026 application period opened January 1, the deadline was February 15, and the drawing was held February 18. The separate Super Permit drawing runs January 1 through March 15 with the drawing on March 16.
How many people applied for a Smith River permit and how many got one?
Montana FWP's 2026 Drawing Statistics Report shows a quota of 1,115 launches. 8,711 resident applicants 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.
How many Smith River launches are there per day?
Nine permits per day. Through April all nine go to private groups. From May onward outfitters take one or two of the nine, leaving seven or eight for private floaters.
What does a Smith River float cost?
Float fees are charged per person and apply year-round: free for children under 6, $15 for ages 6 through 12, $25 for Montana residents aged 13 and above, and $60 for non-residents aged 13 and above. Fees are paid at registration and are due on the launch date.
Can you camp anywhere along the Smith River?
No. Only 26 of the river's 118 miles of shoreline are public land. There are 27 boat camps with 52 campsites, and you may only camp at the boat camps assigned to your permit.
How long does it take to float the Smith River?
Fifty-nine miles from Camp Baker to Eden Bridge, which floaters take four days to cover on average. The minimum is two nights and three full days. Between May 15 and July 15 you are capped at four nights.
What is the Smith River Super Permit?
A separate drawing whose winner may launch on any date of their choosing for that year. Chances cost $5 each and there is no limit on how many you can buy. Float fees are not included and are still due on the launch date.
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Trip Reports
Write ReportPhotography Guide
Golden Hour
The canyon is narrow enough that direct light only lands on the water for a few hours. First and last light on the upper limestone walls is the shot, taken from the boat or from camp.
Best Light
Overcast days are better here than bright ones - the walls are pale limestone and they blow out easily in full sun.
Beat the Crowds
The permit is the crowd control - a maximum of 9 launches a day and assigned camps mean you rarely share. April launches are the quietest, with all 9 daily permits going to private groups and no outfitters.
Classic Shots
- 📍Limestone walls rising straight out of the water in the mid-canyon
- 📍A rainbow or brown trout held low over the water before release
- 📍Boats tied off at an assigned camp with the canyon behind
- 📍Early fog sitting on the river before the group launches
- 📍The pictograph and cave features along the canyon walls
- 📍Eden Bridge from the water on the last morning
Can't Get a Smith Permit?
Consider these alternatives if your preferred dates aren't available.
Smith River Super Permit
Same AreaA separate drawing whose single winner may launch on any date they choose that year. Chances are $5 each with no purchase limit; applications run January 1 through March 15 and the drawing is March 16.
Tradeoffs
Long odds on a single permit, but you can buy as many chances as you like and it sidesteps the date-by-date competition entirely. Float fees are still due at launch.
Middle Fork of the Salmon
Similar ExperienceA wilderness multi-day float in Idaho with assigned camps and a December-January lottery.
Tradeoffs
Far more demanding whitewater and a longer trip, but the same permitted, camp-assigned, no-road-out structure.
Late-season Smith launch
Easier AlternativeAugust dates draw a fraction of the applications that mid-May dates do - the 2026 statistics show several August launches with more permits available than applicants.
Tradeoffs
Lower and slower water, but in 2026 a number of August dates went unclaimed in the drawing entirely.
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