Canyonlands National Park Overnight Backcountry Permits
Canyonlands National Park is a wilderness of countless canyons and fantastically formed buttes carved by the Colorado River and its tributaries. Rivers divide the park into four districts: Island in the Sky, The Needles, The Maze, and the rivers themselves. The park preserves the natural beauty and human history throughout its four districts. While they share a primitive desert atmosphere, each offers different opportunities for wildness and solitude. Though they appear close on a map, no roads directly link the districts. Traveling between them requires two to eight hours by car. There are no locations in the park to cross the river without a boat.
Island in the Sky
The Island in the Sky mesa rests on sheer sandstone cliffs over 1,000 feet (304 m) above the surrounding terrain. The area offers famous four-wheel driving or mountain biking on the White Rim Road. Challenging backpacking trips can be undertaken below the mesa top. The terrain is a mixture of talus slopes and vast basins without any reliable water sources.
Needles
The Needles offers a more remote backcountry experience. Inexperienced drivers should not attempt the backcountry roads in Needles. There are over 60 miles (97 km) of interconnecting hiking trails with varying levels of backpacking opportunities.
Maze
The Maze is the least accessible district. Due to its extreme remoteness and the difficulty of roads and trails, visitors must be prepared for self-sufficiency and the proper equipment or gear for self-rescue. The four-wheel-drive roads in the Maze are extremely remote, very difficult, technical, and present considerable risk of vehicle damage. Trips in the Maze District should not be attempted by inexperienced drivers. Backpacking routes are very primitive and lead into canyons that look alike and are difficult to identify without a topographic map and excellent navigation skills. Only the most hardy, self-reliant backpackers should attempt trips in the Maze.
Notifications and Alerts
The Hans Flat Ranger Station will be closed to the public from November 23rd through December 30th. All trip leaders with Maze/Orange Cliffs 4WD or backpacking overnight permits beginning within those dates will need to call the Hans Flat Ranger Station (435-241-3105) or the Canyonlands Backcountry Reservation Office (435-214-3110) to have their permit issued by phone. All Maze/Orange Cliffs permits require checking in with NPS Backcountry Ranger staff before the permit will be issued.
The Hardscrabble B vault toilet is closed for the foreseeable future due to unstable soil. Campers staying at Hardscrabble B will need to bring their own toilet system or use the Hardscrabble A vault toilet.
Permit & Season Information
A permit is required year-round for all backcountry overnight stays in the park. You may stay up to 14 consecutive nights. These permits allow land based travel and overnight camping in the site/zone reserved for the date reserved. All reservations are subject to review.
Reservation Window:
Advance reservations close 3 days prior to a trip start date.
Advance reservations are released one season at a time (winter spring summer, fall). Please see the "important Dates" section that follows for details.
All unreserved permits are moved to in-station only. In-station permits are available at the Island in the Sky Visitor Center, Needles Visitor Center, Hans Flat Ranger Station, or at the Backcountry Permit Office.
Packraft, At-Large Zone Permits, and Maze Permits:
Itineraries that include zones, packrafting, or Maze sites will be contacted by canyres@nps.gov . You will receive instructions on how to obtain your permit.
All other permits are issued 7 days in advance upon approval by park staff.
Need to Know
WHO NEEDS AN OVERNIGHT PERMIT
Anyone camping in the backcountry is required to obtain a permit. The permit must be in your possession during the trip (printed or available on a mobile device). Group sizes and number of vehicles are limited (see "How Does the Quota Work for this Permit?" in the Overview section).
BEFORE YOU RESERVE YOUR PERMIT:
1. Make a realistic plan and review trail maps. Identify the sites, zones, and trailheads you will use.
2. You are responsible for abiding by all park rules and regulations. Review the Canyonlands Backcountry Regulations,
3. Watch the videos most related to your itinerary:
White Rim Road (Island in the Sky District)
For more trip planning information visit the Backcountry page on the park website. Do not hesitate to contact the Backcountry Permit Office (email canyres@nps.gov or call (435) 241-3110) for planning assistance. For trips in The Maze, contact Hans Flat Ranger Station at (435) 241-3105.
OTHER THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOU BOOK YOUR RESERVATION:
Booking:
When making your reservation, you may select up to 14 consecutive nights. Select the campsite you would like to stay at, then select the adjacent column for the next night. You may need to scroll down to find your desired site/zone.
Note: You are booking the campsite or zone you will be camping in on the date indicated at the top of the column. You will not be able to change the start date after booking.
There is a $36 non-refundable fee for each permit. If you accidentally book a separate permit for each night, it will cost $36 for each permit. There are no refunds for multiple reservations.
There is no need to book day use permits for the same dates as your overnight permit.
Packraft Trips:
If you are accessing the river corridor on foot and plan to only float on flatwater you may select ‘Packraft: Night on the River’ for the nights spent in the river corridor (1/2 mile (.8 km) or 1,000 vertical feet (304 m) of the river). Packrafters must reserve campsites or at large zones for each night spent outside of the river corridor and must abide by specific regulations and required equipment.
If your itinerary starts on a trail and you are boating whitewater, you must obtain a Canyonlands Overnight River Permit and select the entry point "Cataract Canyon".
All river trips launching and taking out at boat ramps must obtain Overnight River Permits.
Please contact the Backcountry Permit Office before booking with any questions and to ensure you are booking the permit correctly. You may email canyres@nps.gov or call 435-241-3110.
Water is the most important consideration. The average backpack trip is 2 nights due to the lack of water sources. There are very few reliable water sources in the backcountry. You should plan to carry as much water as possible (up to 1 gallon/4 L per person per day for long trails). If you would like to place a water or supply cache contact the Backcountry Permit Office via email (canyres@nps.gov)
A high-clearance, low-range 4x4 vehicle is required for all backcountry roads (All-Wheel Drive (AWD), ATVs, UTVs or OHVs are not allowed). Vehicles on the White Rim Road cannot exceed 10' in height to clear rock overhangs. Needles and Maze District roads require technical 4WD skills. Roads may be impassable due to flooding and quicksand. Check the road conditions prior to your trip. Plan to travel in groups of 2 or more self-rescue capable vehicles. Towing recovery costs can exceed $2000.
"At large" backpacking zones are not a "backup plan" for vehicle camping when designated campsites are full. These zones require route finding skills, following different regulations, a high degree of planning, and are very strenuous. Do not book at large zones for camping unless you are prepared.
You may only camp within the boundaries of the site(s) or zone(s) you reserve.
If you reserve a zone permit, make sure you plan your trip ahead of time and know the boundaries of your zone. Camping within 1/2 mile (.8 KM) or 1,000 vertical feet (304 m) of the rivers is not allowed without a packraft or river permit and all required equipment. Overview maps of backpacking zones are available on the park website. Topographic maps for backcountry trips are available at the Park Store
If your itinerary includes designated sites, you are only permitted to camp in that site on the date indicated on your permit. For example, selecting the "Shafer Campsite" does not permit you to enter via the Shafer Trailhead and camp elsewhere on the White Rim Road. It only permits you to camp in the Shafer Campsite for the specific dates indicated on your permit/reservation.
Food/Trash Storage. A park approved, hard-sided animal resistant food canister is required for the Salt Creek designated campsites, the Salt Creek/Horse Canyon Zone, and the Peekaboo campsites. Always store food and anything aromatic- toothpaste, sunscreen, lotions- securely to prevent animals from gaining access to it. Never leave food, even in your pack, unattended. Never feed wildlife. Securing food in a container (Ursack or ratsack) is HIGHLY recommended in Chesler Park.
Human Waste. You must have a commercial human waste disposal bag at all designated backpack campsites and a washable/reusable toilet system at all Maze district vehicle campsites and the Peekaboo and New Bates Wilson campsites in the Needles.
Pets. Pets are not allowed in the backcountry, even inside of vehicles.
Park Entrance Fee. The park charges an entrance fee which you may pay upon arrival or purchase a few days in advance (permits for the Maze should plan to pay in advance). The park also honors valid annual or lifetime America the Beautiful-the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Passes (e.g. Senior, Military, 4th Grade, etc.) For more information visit the park's Fees & Passes web page.
Fee Policy
Permit Reservation Fee: There is a non-refundable $36.00 reservation fee for all overnight permit reservations for Canyonlands National Park.
Recreation Fee: There is a $5 per person per night permit fee. This fee is refunded for trips canceled at least 3 days before trip start date. You may not change a permit within 7 days of the trip start date (but you may cancel and rebook).
Entrance Fee: The park charges an entrance fee which you may pay upon arrival or purchase in advance. The park also honors valid annual or lifetime America the Beautiful-the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Passes (e.g. Senior, Military, 4th Grade, etc.) also known as interagency passes. For more information visit the park's Fees & Passes web page.
Cancellation Policy
Cancellation Policy:
The $36 reservation fee is non-refundable. The $5 per person per night permit fee is refundable if a reservation is cancelled at least 3 days before trip start date (outside the in-station window). These are highly sought after permits. As a courtesy to others, please notify the park as soon as possible if you decide not to use your reservation or leave early.
Change Policy:
You may not make changes once you have printed or downloaded the permit. Changes to a reservation including number of people, vehicles, and itinerary (based on availability) can be made by through your Recreation.gov account or by contacting the Backcountry Permit Office (435) 259-4351. Additional fees apply, reduced number of people or nights will be refunded. To change an entry date, you must cancel the permit and reserve a new one. All fees apply.
You may list one alternate trip leader at the time of reservation. The trip leader and alternate trip leader may not be changed.
Contact Information
Mailing Address
2282 SW Resource Blvd. Moab Utah 84532
Backcountry Permit Office: canyres@nps.gov
Phone Number
Email is the best option for a quick response, canyres@nps.gov. (435) 241-3110
