A permit or reservation is required
A BLM river permit is required year-round for Desolation and Gray Canyons. Peak-season launches (roughly May 1 – September 30) are allocated by lottery through Recreation.gov; off-season permits are available without the lottery.
Official permit source: Recreation.gov — Desolation Gray permit ↗ · Verified 2026-09-15
Closures & advisories: BLM Utah — Price Field Office ↗
Access points
- Sand Wash Ranger Station (primary put-in, rough dirt road)
- Swasey's Boat Ramp (primary take-out, near Green River, UT)
- Nefertiti (secondary take-out)