Middle Fork of the Salmon planning
Middle Fork of the Salmon permits & access
What you need before you go, straight from the managing agency — with the verification date on every claim.
A permit or reservation is required
A float permit is required year-round for every boater on the Middle Fork. During the control season (May 28 – September 3) permits are allocated by competitive lottery through Recreation.gov; outside those dates you self-issue. Confirm the current season dates before applying.
Official permit source: Recreation.gov — Middle Fork of the Salmon permit ↗ · Verified 2026-09-15
Closures & advisories: Salmon-Challis National Forest alerts & notices ↗
Access points
- Boundary Creek launch (standard put-in, USFS)
- Marsh Creek (early-season / high-water put-in)
- Indian Creek (fly-in put-in at low water, river mile ~25)
- Cache Bar Boat Ramp (primary take-out)