Rogue River rafting permit information
from White Water Cowboys
The information provided below is provided by White Water Cowboys, which is a for-profit company offering full rental and shuttle services on the Rogue River. We are in no way affiliated with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), which is the governing agency over permits on the Wild and Scenic Rogue River. The opinions below are our interpretation of the BLM’s permit system, which it may update at any time without our updating information here. We therefore do not guarantee the accuracy of the information below, nor does it in any way represent either federal agency overseeing sections of the Rogue River.
The Lottery
The initial way to get a permit is to apply to the BLM lottery held in the early months of every year (Go to the BLM information page and get the application) (http://www.blm.gov/or/resources/recreation/rogue/about-permits.php). Lottery applications are accepted from December 1 to January 31. If you receive a permit through the lottery, you will be notified sometime around the first of March.
Open spaces
When the lottery is concluded, starts that were not filled during the lottery are often available. These leftover starts become available on the first business day in April and are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis over the phone only, at 541-479-3735.
Non-confirmation openings
When a permit is allocated during the lottery, the permit recipients are required to call at least 10 days prior to their launch date and confirm their intention to launch with the permitted number of people. Failure to confirm means the permit holders forfeit their permit and it becomes open to the public. Non-confirmation permits become available starting the morning after they are forfeited and can be obtained only over the phone, at 541-479-3735. So if you are trying to get a permit for a certain date determine what day to call by counting, "back 9 days from your preferred launch date, starting with the day before your launch date as Day #1. Although openings can occur at any time, this is the most likely way to obtain a permit."
No-show openings
No-show permits happen when a party fails to pick up their permit on their assigned day or they show up with fewer people than they confirmed. These permits are available only on the day of the permit launch and are given away starting at 7 a.m. to those on the waitlist and physically at the Rand Visitor Center and then starting at 8 a.m. over the phone, at 541-479-3735. Permits received must launch the same day.
If you have any permit questions, you can always call the Rand Visitor Center at 541-479-3735. If you have any shuttle or equipment rental questions, call White Water Cowboys at the Rogue River Center at 866-479-5061.
The
Bureau of Land Management website has great step-by-step instructions on how to apply for a non-commercial permit for the Wild and Scenic Rogue River.
To find out what dates have spaces currently available,
click here.
