Canyonlands updates 2026 take-out calendar for river trip planning

Canyonlands National Park updated its June and July 2026 take-out calendar on June 18. The page tracks entry dates, exit dates, permit holders, group sizes, exit locations and total watercraft, and can change if new reservations, cancellations or added boats are not reflected right away.

The Green and Colorado rivers are the park’s main travel corridors, and high water generally runs from early May to late June. Above The Confluence, the water is mostly flat and long; below it, Cataract Canyon drops into 14 miles of Class III-V whitewater. A shift in take-out timing can change when a crew needs to launch, when a shuttle needs to be staged and whether a Moab-based road trip still works without extra driving or an extra night in camp.

Canyonlands requires permits for all overnight and single-day river trips. Overnight permits must be reserved online at least two days before the trip starts. There is no lottery and no daily launch limit. Private river trips are limited to 40 people, and overnight permits can cover up to 14 consecutive nights. Current pricing is a $36 reservation fee plus $25 per person for overnight flatwater and Cataract Canyon trips. Day-use permits cost $6 online for flatwater and $6 online plus $10 per person for Cataract Canyon.

Boaters on the Green typically launch at Green River State Park, Ruby Ranch or Mineral Bottom. On the Colorado, the usual access points are the Potash boat ramp and the Moab ramps. The park also keeps a Backcountry Permit Office in Moab open Monday through Friday from 8 am to 12 pm and 1 pm to 4 pm, though it can close when rangers are pulled away for search and rescue responses. Commercial trips are limited to companies authorized by the National Park Service.