Lottery7/10
Hells Canyon Snake River lottery
Deepest river gorge in North America....
Pro scans every minute · free hourly
Rogue River Wild Section Permit
Pacific Northwest Rivers · Oregon
Lottery only · cancellations by phone at BLM
Oregon's premier wild river. 34 miles.
Rogue lottery reminders
We'll tell you the day applications open for Rogue, before the deadline closes, and when results post.
Applying with friends puts more entries in the same draw.
How lottery pools workPlan the full trip, not just the permit
Build your full itinerary start to finish
Add your dates and get a day-by-day plan: what needs a permit, what gear to bring, and one link to share with your whole group to coordinate every step.
Start a plan — it's free
No permit needed to start
Rogue Quick Facts
Permit RequiredYes
Booking MethodLottery
Demand LevelHigh7/10
SeasonMay 15 - October 15
Cost$6 non-refundable lottery application fee per application, then $10 per person on confirmation. The SCAT machine at Foster Bar costs $2.
Daily Quota120 people
Max Group Size20 people
Rogue Permit Facts
- As of September 2026, Rogue in Pacific Northwest Rivers, Oregon requires a permit issued via lottery.
- Rogue is a high-demand permit, rating 7/10 on PermitSnag's demand index.
- The Rogue lottery typically opens December 1 and closes January 31, with results announced Successful and unsuccessful notices are emailed by February 15.
- The permit season for Rogue runs May 15 through October 15.
- The Rogue route covers 33.8 miles, rated strenuous.
Key Information
Key Dates
Lottery OpensDecember 1
Lottery ClosesJanuary 31
ResultsSuccessful and unsuccessful notices are emailed by February 15
SeasonMay 15 - October 15
Permit Details
TypeRiver Access
Booking MethodLottery
Demand Level7/10
LocationSouthern Oregon Coast Range, OR
Pro Tips
- •Scout Blossom Bar. The agency asks all boaters to, and its stated reason is wraps blocking the channel rather than difficulty alone.
- •Do not miss the 2:00 pm check-in cutoff at Rand on launch day. The permit is issued then and only then.
- •The April Give-Away in the first five business days of April is a genuine second chance, and the open-season call-in from May 5 is a third.
- •Buy a toilet system with a screw-on or latching gasket lid. Snap-on lids and RV toilets are rejected outright.
- •Check on the Moon Complex fire before you drive. The BLM's notice carries no date; the Smullin Visitor Center is 541-479-3735.
What to Expect
Route Details
Distance
33.8 miles
Route Type
Point to Point
Duration
3-4 days
Difficulty
StrenuousHighlights
- •33.8 miles from Grave Creek to Foster Bar, typically three to four days
- •120 people per day on the whole river during the May 15 to October 15 control season
- •Maximum 20 persons per permit, seven days including the launch date
- •$6 to apply, $10 per person on confirmation
- •The permit is issued only on the day of launch, in person at Rand, 7:00 am to 2:00 pm
- •Approximately three Class IV and nine Class III rapids; Blossom Bar should be scouted
- •Electric bear fences, food hoists and storage containers installed at camps May 15 to October 15
Best Time to Visit
June through September, inside the May 15 to October 15 control season. Midsummer gives warm swimming and low water; May and early June give more push. Outside the season the river runs on self-issued permits from the Smullin Visitor Center and Grave Creek Boat Launch.
Hazards & Considerations
- !Blossom Bar, Class IV, where the agency says boats and gear wrapping and blocking the channel is a common occurrence and advises all boaters to scout
- !Rainie Falls and the Fish Ladder, both scoutable and walkable
- !Bears in camp, actively enough that the BLM installs electric fences from May 15 to October 15
- !The Moon Complex fire, which the BLM reports has impacted the Wild Section - call the Smullin Visitor Center on 541-479-3735
- !Class IV skills required to operate a boat, per the agency's own standard
Weather Forecast
Trailhead (5,000 ft)
Today
☁️
65°
52°
22%
Mon
🌫️
65°
52°
Tue
☁️
64°
49°
Wed
☀️
71°
50°
Thu
☀️
65°
51°
Fri
☀️
67°
52°
Sat
☁️
63°
50°
View full NWS forecast →Mountain weather changes rapidly. This forecast is a guide—always be prepared for worse conditions.
How to Get This Permit
1
Create an account before the lottery opens
Find this permit on the managing agency's booking system, then verify your email and add payment info ahead of time.
2
Apply during the lottery window
Submit your application between December 1 and January 31. Apply for multiple dates to increase your odds.
3
Wait for lottery results
Results are typically announced Successful and unsuccessful notices are emailed by February 15. Check your email and the account you applied with.
4
Apply again next time
PermitSnag reminds you about the Rogue lottery dates we hold, so you can apply again. You can also enter as a pool with friends.
Learn More
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
Commitment3/5
Difficulty of bailing out mid-route
Best For
Boaters with Class IV skills, which is the agency's own stated requirement, running a three-to-four-day self-supported trip.
Recommended Experience
Class IV boating. The exposure rating reflects Blossom Bar and Rainie Falls specifically - passengers can walk around both, and the trail alongside makes bailing out unusually easy.
Not Recommended For
Boaters who have not run Class IV, and parties unwilling to scout. Blossom Bar is where trips go wrong on this river.
About This Permit
During the control season, May 15 to October 15, the BLM and the Forest Service permit 120 people per day to launch into the Wild section of the Rogue. Read the unit carefully - that is people, not launches and not permits. Trip length is limited to seven days including the launch date, with a maximum party size of 20 persons per permit.
Fees are a $6 non-refundable lottery application fee for each application, then $10 per person on confirmation of the reservation. The SCAT machine at Foster Bar is $2.
The lottery takes applications on Recreation.gov from December 1 to January 31, with successful and unsuccessful notices emailed by February 15. Payment is due 10 days prior to your launch date. After the lottery there is an April Give-Away in the first five business days of April, an open-season call-in from May 5 to October 15, and a day-of-launch walk-in waiting list.
The permit itself is issued only on the day of launch, in person at Rand, with check-in from 7:00 am to 2:00 pm on the launch date only. A permitted group may split into two launches, but each subgroup needs an official copy of the permit, a separate toilet system, and must meet up to camp or lodge. Outside the regulated season, October 16 to May 14, launches run on a self-issued permit available at the Smullin Visitor Center at Rand and the Grave Creek Boat Launch.
Toilet systems and fire pans are required for all float trips year-round. The toilet must be dedicated, reusable, washable and watertight with a screw-on or latching gasket lid - snap-on lids and RV toilets are explicitly not acceptable - sized at one pint per person per day, and set up within 30 minutes of arrival at camp. Fire pans are required year-round for any campfire built within 400 feet of the river. Each party needs a shovel and a bucket of at least one gallon. Life jackets must be Coast Guard approved Type I, III or V, worn by all individuals in Class III or greater rapids and at all times by children 12 and under. All party leaders are required to watch the Wild Rogue River Permit Guidelines Video once per year.
Bears are managed actively here. The BLM installs and maintains electric bear fences, food hoists and storage containers on the Rogue from May 15 to October 15, and asks you to ensure the bear fence is turned on and closed at all times. Remove all coolers, food, trash and human or pet waste from boats, and suspend food and garbage from a tree a minimum of 4 feet from the trunk and 10 feet above the ground.
One live condition as of 2026-08-09: the BLM's lottery page carries a notice that the Moon Complex fire has impacted the Wild Section of the Rogue River, directing boaters to the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest for fire information and to the Smullin Visitor Center on 541-479-3735. The notice carries no date - call before you drive.
The Experience
Why It Matters
The Wild section of the Rogue is the classic Oregon multi-day: three or four days, warm water, bears in camp, and a Class IV rapid in the middle that decides how the trip goes. The BLM caps the whole thing at 120 people per day, which is why it draws the numbers it does.
The Route
The BLM publishes the Wild section as 33.8 miles from Grave Creek to Foster Bar - not the 34 you will see repeated elsewhere - with an average float time of three to four days. The wider National Wild and Scenic portion of the river is 84 miles, cooperatively managed by the BLM and the Forest Service.
On difficulty the agency is specific: boat operators need Class IV skills to navigate this river, and the Wild section has approximately three Class IV rapids and nine Class III rapids. It names Rainie Falls, the Fish Ladder and Blossom Bar as places parties can scout and walk passengers around, and singles out Blossom Bar: scouting Blossom Bar Rapid, Class IV, is advised for all boaters, because boating incidents there causing boats or gear to wrap and block the channel are a common occurrence.
One thing that catches people out: the permit is issued only on the day of launch, in person at Rand, with check-in from 7:00 am to 2:00 pm on the launch date only.
The Feeling
Green water in a forested canyon, otters, and the Rogue River Trail running along the bank the entire way so you can walk around what you do not want to run. Then Blossom Bar, where boats wrap often enough that the agency mentions it by name.
Rules & Regulations
- •During the control season, May 15 to October 15, trip length is limited to seven days including the launch date, with a maximum party size of 20 persons per permit
- •Toilet systems and fire pans are required for all float trips year-round
- •The toilet must be dedicated, reusable, washable and watertight with a screw-on or latching gasket lid, sized at one pint per person per day, and set up within 30 minutes of arrival at camp. Snap-on lids and RV toilets are not acceptable
- •Fire pans are required year-round for all campfires built within 400 feet of the river
- •A shovel and a bucket of at least one gallon capacity are required per party
- •PFDs must be worn by all individuals in Class III or greater rapids, and at all times by children 12 and under
- •All party leaders are required to watch the Wild Rogue River Permit Guidelines Video once per year
- •Suspend food and garbage from a tree a minimum of 4 feet from the trunk and 10 feet above the ground; ensure any bear fence is turned on and closed
- •The permit is issued only on the day of launch, in person at Rand, with check-in 7:00 am to 2:00 pm
Gear Checklist
Required
- A dedicated, reusable, washable, watertight toilet system with a screw-on or latching gasket lid - one pint per person per day
- A fire pan, required year-round for any fire within 400 feet of the river
- A shovel and a bucket of at least one gallon per party
- Coast Guard approved Type I, III or V PFDs
- Your printed permit copy for each subgroup if you launch in two waves
Recommended
- A wrap kit and spare straps for Blossom Bar
- Dry bags for everything - the Wild Rogue is warm but the water is constant
- A hard cooler you can remove from the boat and hoist at camp
- $2 in change for the SCAT machine at Foster Bar
Plan Your Trip
Lottery concierge
Your next shot at Rogue
Next season’s application dates aren’t published yet.
We check for them every day. Track Rogue now and your concierge picks them up the moment they land, then emails you when applications open, before the deadline, and when results post.
Better odds with a crew
Rogue 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.
🎒
Gear Checklist
Required and recommended gear for Rogue
🚐
Shuttle Services
Trailhead transportation options
Browse all shuttles🧭
Guide Services
Experienced wilderness guides
Browse all guidesSome links may be affiliate links. Purchases support PermitSnag at no extra cost to you.
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 go looking for the result. 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.
Rogue FAQ
Do I need a permit to float the Wild section of the Rogue River?
Yes, from May 15 to October 15. Noncommercial boating permits cost $10 per person per trip, on top of a $6 non-refundable lottery application fee. Outside the season, October 16 to May 14, launches use a free self-issued permit available at the Smullin Visitor Center at Rand and the Grave Creek Boat Launch.
How many people per day can launch on the Rogue River?
120. The BLM and the Forest Service permit 120 people per day to launch into the Wild section from May 15 to October 15. The unit is people, not launches or permits - allocation is by spaces, one per person on a permit. The agencies do not publish how that 120 splits between private and commercial parties.
How long is the Wild section of the Rogue River?
33.8 miles from Grave Creek to Foster Bar, per the BLM, with an average float time of three to four days. The wider National Wild and Scenic portion of the river is 84 miles.
How hard is Blossom Bar rapid?
Class IV, and the agency advises scouting it for all boaters - its reason is that boating incidents at this rapid causing boats or gear to wrap and block the channel are a common occurrence. The Wild section has approximately three Class IV rapids and nine Class III, and the BLM says boat operators need Class IV skills for the river.
When do I pick up my Rogue River permit?
On the day of launch, in person at Rand, with check-in from 7:00 am to 2:00 pm on the launch date only. If your group splits into two launches, each subgroup needs an official copy of the permit and a separate toilet system, and must meet up to camp or lodge.
What toilet system is required on the Rogue River?
A dedicated, reusable, washable, watertight system with a screw-on or latching gasket lid, sized at one pint per person per day, set up within 30 minutes of arrival at camp. Snap-on lids and RV toilets are explicitly not acceptable. Toilet systems and fire pans are required year-round.
Do I need a permit to hike the Rogue River Trail?
The BLM publishes no permit requirement for hikers - all of its permit language covers parties floating the river, and the Rogue River Trail parallels the entire Wild section. We could not find an agency statement either requiring or exempting hikers, so check with the Smullin Visitor Center on 541-479-3735 if you are planning a walking trip.
👥Community
Trail Conditions
No active conditions reported
Sign in to report trail conditions.
Questions
No questions yet
Be the first to ask about Rogue.
Trip Reports
Write ReportCan't Get a Rogue Permit?
Consider these alternatives if your preferred dates aren't available.
Hells Canyon - Snake River
Same AreaClass II to V through North America's deepest gorge, on the Idaho-Oregon border.
Permit required
Tradeoffs
Bigger water and no per-person fee at all, but shared with jet boats outside the published non-motorized windows.
Main Salmon River
Similar Experience79 miles through Idaho's Frank Church wilderness with eight parties a day.
Permit required
Tradeoffs
Longer and more remote, with easier water and a mandatory boat inspection. $4 per person per day.
Desolation and Gray Canyons
Similar Experience84 miles of the Green in Utah, with sixty-plus rapids the BLM calls not particularly difficult.
Permit required
Tradeoffs
Much easier water over a longer trip, and six groups a day at peak - considerably better odds.
🏕️
Where to Stay
Nearby campgrounds to complete your Rogue trip
A small favor
One tick helps us more than you’d think
Google lets you pick the sites it highlights for you. Add PermitSnag and our permit pages get marked as one of yours in AI Overviews and AI Mode.
Add PermitSnag in Google
Takes less than a minute.