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, there are no roads that directly link the districts. Traveling between them requires two to eight hours by car as 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 and mountain biking on the White Rim Road and challenging backpacking below the mesa top in a mixture of talus slopes and vast basins without any reliable water sources.
Needles
The Needles offers more of a backcountry experience, requiring technical four-wheel driving and backpacking skills. 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 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, present considerable risk of vehicle damage, and 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.
Notifications and Alerts
The Salt/Horse Road has been impacted by flash flooding. At this time only the first 7 miles of the road is passable.
Access to Davis and Lavender Canyons has been impacted by flash flooding. Lavender Canyon is very difficult to access at this time. Driving to Lavender Canyon is not recommend at this time. While these areas are not closed, only high-clearance, 4x4 vehicles with self-recovery gear should attempt to access these areas.
Elephant Hill Road is CLOSED to vehicle traffic from the South Boundary Gate to SOB Hill. The closure is due to flash flood damage. This closure includes vehicle access to Beef Basin, the Joint Trail Trailhead, Horsehoof campsite, and Bobby Jo campsites. These locations may still be accessed on foot.
Taylor Canyon has experienced significant erosion due to flash flooding. Travel to the campsite is challenging. High clearance, use of 4WD, and route finding will be required. Although travel down in the canyon is not prohibited, ability to self-recover is essential.
With limited staff available at the Needles District of Canyonlands, picking up backcountry permits at the Needles Visitor Center may involve long wait times - especially on weekends. We encourage visitors to obtain their permit ahead of time at the Arches and Canyonlands Backcountry Permit office Monday through Friday 8-4 p.m.
Permit & Season Information
Camping from 1 to 14 nights requires an overnight backcountry permit year-round for individuals or groups of backpackers, mountain bikers or 4WD drivers. You will obtain the permit after you book and after park staff review and approve your itinerary.
Please see the "Important Dates" section that follows for information on when overnight backcountry permits become available online.
NOTE: Online reservations close 2 days prior to a trip start date but you may also obtain a permit in person (all districts & camping types) the day of, day before, or 2 days prior to a trip start date (subject to availability) at the Canyonlands Backcountry Office, 2282 SW Resource Blvd., Moab, UT, 84532.
Need to Know
Who needs an overnight backcountry permit? Each group of 1 or more people requires a permit to camp overnight in the backountry from 1 to 14 consecutive nights. 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, including motorcycles and trailers (see "How Does the Quota Work for this Permit?" in the Overview section). This permit is not for day use travel.
BEFORE YOU RESERVE YOUR PERMIT:
1. Review the Canyonlands Backcountry Regulations, and
2. Watch the videos most related to your itinerary:
- Hiking and Backpacking - Canyonlands
- White Rim Road (Island in the Sky District)
- Needles and Maze 4WD Technical Roads
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) 259-4351) for planning assistance. For trips in The Maze, contact Hans Flat Ranger Station at (435) 719-2218. Do not call Hans Flat between 5 p.m. & 8 a.m. except for Maze emergencies.
OTHER THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOU BOOK YOUR RESERVATION:
- When making your reservation, you may select up to 14 consecutive nights. Choose the first date of your trip in the campsite/backpack zone you want. Then scroll to find the next campsites/zones or activities and select the adjacent column for the next night (only 3 nights per vehicle campsite area). There is a $36 fee for the 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. Similarly, there is no need to book day use permits for the same dates as your overnight permit. Packrafters: reserve any night spent on the river as a "packraft" night.
- Water is the most important consideration. There are very few water sources in the backcountry. The average backpack trip is 2 nights. You should plan to carry as much water as possible (up to 1 gallon/4 L per person per day for long trails).
- A high-clearance, low-range 4WD vehicle is required for all backcountry roads (All-Wheel Drive (AWD), ATVs, UTVs or OHVs are not allowed). Vehicles on the White Rim Road should not 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. You must 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 $1500.
- "At large" backpacking zones are not a "backup plan" for vehicle camping when designated campsites are full. These zones are remote, physically demanding, have no reliable water sources, have specific regulations, and require a high degree of planning and navigation expertise. Do not book at large zones for camping unless you are prepared.
- You may only camp within the boundaries of the zone(s) you reserve. 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, but the park strongly recommends a topographic map for backcountry trips (available at the park bookstore ).
- Packrafting. Packrafters must reserve campsites or at large zones for each night spent outside of the river corridor (1/2 mile/.8 km or 1,000 vertical feet/304 m of the river) and must abide by specific regulations and required equipment.
- 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.
- Human Waste. You must have a commercial human waste disposal bag at all designated backpack campsites and a washable/reusable toilet system at the Maze 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 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.
Fee Policy
Reservation Fee:
There is a non-refundable $36.00 reservation fee for all overnight permit reservations for Canyonlands National Park.
Permit 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 walk up 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 any campsites on your reservation.
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
Phone Number
Email is the best option for a quick response, canyres@nps.gov. (435) 259-4351
