FAQS - Permit Information
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Topics on this page
BWCAW Permit FAQS
Middle Fork of the Salmon FAQS
Salmon River FAQS
Selway River FAQS
Snake River FAQS
BWCAW Permit FAQS
Q. How can I reserve permits?
A. You can reserve permits in advance for the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) offered through the NRRS:
Important changes you need to know. There will be a lottery for Fall Lake entry points D (Fall Lake & Beyond) and 24 (Fall Lake) and Moose Lake entry points F (Moose-Newfound-Sucker), G (Moose-Prairie-Basswood) and 25 (Moose Lake). People wanting day use motor, overnight motor, and overnight paddle permits for these entry points can continue to use the lottery to make their reservations. All other entry point reservations will be made on a first-come, first-served basis shortly after the lottery is run.
Lottery applications can be made starting from 12:01 am CT on December 19, 2011 to 11:59 pm CT on January 19, 2012. The lottery will run on January 20. Reservations for all entry points can be made on a first-come, first-served basis starting 9:00 am central, the last Wednesday of January. Reservations can be made here online or by calling 1-877-444-6777.
Q. What are the various fees that are associated with reserved permits?
A. A $6.00 non-refundable reservation fee is required for each reserved permit.There is also an overnight user fee. When making advanced reservations, you will be given the option to pay for the entire group or charged a minimum of $32.00 for 2 adults. You will also have the option of changing the group size through Recreation.gov within a two day window prior to the entry date. There are no service fees.
Q. What are my methods of payment?
| Sales Channel |
|||
| Method of Payment |
Call Center |
Internet |
At the Site |
| Bankcard | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Certified Checks Bank Checks Money Orders |
No | No |
Yes |
| Personal Checks Travelers Checks |
No | No |
No |
| Cash | No | No | Yes* |
| Foreign Currency |
No | No |
No |
* Only Forest Service Offices can accept cash, in addition to credit card payments. All discount cards (Interagency Senior/Access Pass and BWCAW Seasonal Fee cards) must be presented at the time of permit pickup to receive a discount, otherwise a full user fee will be charged. Non-Forest Service permit pick-up locations only accept credit card payments and may charge up to a $2.00 fee to issue an overnight permit.
Q. How will the billing information appear on my statements?
A. Recreation.gov billing information: If you paid by bank card, your monthly statement will contain a reservation billing under the name "Recreation Gov 888-448-1474 NY" Please make note of this. If you have questions, please call the toll free number listed above.
Q. What is the cancellation policy?
A. If a BWCAW reservation is cancelled outside the 2-day window prior to your entry date, the user fees paid by the card holder will be fully refunded. If cancelled within the 2-day window, $32.00 for 2 adults is retained and additional payments will be refunded. The Forest Service will retain the entire payment if the group is a no show. A new confirmation letter will be generated each time a change is made. Adjustments to group sizes can be made through Recreation.gov or at the permit issuing station as needed. The $6.00 reservation fee is non-refundable. Cancellations to the reservations can be made via Recreation.gov or by calling the BWCAW Reservation Center. (Call 1-877-444-6777, March 1 - Oct 31 - 9:00 am - 11:00 pm, Nov 1 - Feb 28 - 9:00 - 9:00 pm).
Q. What if the permit facility has an emergency closure?
A. In event of an emergency closure, the NRRS will attempt to notify the group leader to offer alternate dates and entry points. If this is not possible, all fees paid will be refunded.
Q. Am I able to transfer my reservations to someone else?
A. BWCAW reservations are not transferable.
Q. How do I receive confirmation about my reservation?
A. Payment is required to confirm all individual reservations. Confirmation letters are sent via email or by U.S. Postal Service.
Q. What if I require a refund?
A. Refunds due to cancellation will be returned within 48 hours if paid by credit card. No refunds will be distributed for no-shows. Refunds for bankcard payments will be issued as a credit to your bankcard.
Q. What are the discounts available to me?
A. Holders of the Interagency Senior and Access Passes (and the Golden Age and Access Passes) may receive a 50% discount on their user fee, not the entire group. All cards (Interagency Senior/Access Pass Owners, or Seasonal) must be presented at the time of permit pickup to receive a discount, otherwise the full fee will be charged.
Interagency Senior/Access Passes can be purchased at any National Forest Office for $10.00 for citizens who are age 62 or older. Access Pass cards are available for free. Proof of medically determined permanent disability or eligibility for receiving benefits under federal law must be shown.
Note: The NRRS reserves the right when necessary to modify reservation policies.
Middle Fork Salmon River Permit Reservation Policies
Q. How can I reserve permits?
A. You can reserve permits in advance for the Middle Fork Salmon River offered through the NRRS:
High Use Control Season Lottery Permits
The Middle Fork River permit lottery was initiated 30 years ago in order to fairly distribute available quotas for entry dates where demand exceeds availability during the high use season of May 28 through September 3. The permit reservation process starts each year when lottery applications for permit reservations may be submitted through Recreation.gov beginning December 1. Applications will only be accepted online via Recreation.gov through January 31. All applications submitted during this period will be processed by lottery (regardless of the order received).
Pre and Post Season Reservations
For reservations outside the lottery time period, a FIRST-COME, FIRST-SERVED process begins on October 1. First-come, first-served reservation processing will begin via Recreation.gov. Phone reservations through Recreation.gov will be accepted for dates during the pre and post season.
Q. What are the various fees that are associated with reserved permits?
A. A $6.00 non-refundable application fee is required for each lottery application submission and for each reserved permit. As well, when making advanced reservations, you will be given the option to pay for the entire group or charged a minimum of $4.00 for 1 adult for 1 day. You will also have the option of changing the group size through Recreation.gov within a 72 hour window prior to the entry date. Currently, no service fees apply.
Q. What are my methods of payment?
A. Recreation.gov accepts several methods of payment to accommodate your needs, including VISA, Master Card, Discover/Novus and American Express. Recreation.gov billing information: Your payment by bank card will show up on your monthly statement and will contain a reservation billing under the name "Recreation Gov 888-448-1474 NY" Please make note of this. If you have questions, please call the toll free number listed above.
Q. What is the cancellation policy?
A. A Middle Fork reservation must be cancelled 21-days prior to your entry date. The Forest Service will retain the entire payment if the group is a no show. A new confirmation letter will be generated each time a change is made. Adjustments to group sizes can be made through Recreation.gov or at the permit issuing station as needed. The $6.00 application fee is non-refundable. Cancellations to the reservations can be made via Recreation.gov. Persons can check on the availability of cancelled launches by visiting the Recreation.gov website or by calling 1-877-345-6777.
Q. What if the permit facility has an emergency closure?
A. In event of an emergency closure, the NRRS will attempt to notify the group leader to offer alternate dates and entry points. If this is not possible, all fees paid will be refunded.
Q. Am I able to transfer my reservations to someone else?
A. Middle Fork Salmon River reservations are not transferable.
Q. How do I receive confirmation about my reservation?
A. All launch reservations made prior to February 28th must be confirmed by March 15.
Q. What if I require a refund?
A. Refunds due to cancellation will be returned within 48 hours if paid by credit card. No refunds will be distributed for no-shows.
Refunds for bankcard payments will be issued as a credit to your bankcard.
Q. What are the discounts available to me?
A. Holders of the Interagency Senior and Access Passes (and the Golden Age and Access Passes) may receive a 50% discount on their user fee, not the entire group. All cards (Interagency Senior/Access Pass Owners, or Seasonal) must be presented at the time of permit pickup to receive a discount, otherwise the full fee will be charged. Interagency Senior/Access Passes can be purchased at any National Forest Office for $10.00 for citizens who are age 62 or older. Access Pass cards are available for free. Proof of medically determined permanent disability or eligibility for receiving benefits under federal law must be shown.
The Salmon Rivers Season Pass can be purchased at http://www.fs.fed.us/sc/recreation for $40.00. This pass covers all fees for the pass owner for one season, regardless of number of trips.
Note: The NRRS reserves the right when necessary to modify reservation policies.
Salmon River Permit Reservation Policies
Q. How can I reserve permits?
A. You can reserve permits in advance for the Salmon River offered through the NRRS:
High Use Control Season Lottery Permits
The Salmon River permit lottery was initiated several years ago in order to fairly distribute available quotas for entry dates where demand exceeds availability during the high use season of June 20 through September 7. The permit reservation process starts each year when lottery applications for permit reservations may be submitted through Recreation.gov beginning December 1. Applications will only be accepted online via Recreation.gov through January 31. All applications submitted during this period will be processed by lottery (regardless of the order received). Reservations can be requested after March 15th for any remaining open launch dates of the Controlled season through Recreation.gov or by calling Recreation.gov call center.
Pre and Post Season Reservations
For reservations outside the lottery time period, a FIRST-COME, FIRST-SERVED process begins on October 1. First-come, first-served reservation processing will begin via Recreation.gov. Phone reservations through Recreation.gov will be accepted for dates during the pre and post season.
Q. What are the various fees that are associated with reserved permits?
A. A $6.00 non-refundable application fee is required for each lottery application submission and for each reserved permit. As well, when making advanced reservations, you will be given the option to pay for the entire group or charged a minimum of $4.00 for 1 adult for 1 day. You will also have the option of changing the group size through Recreation.gov within a 72 hour window prior to the entry date. Currently, no service fees apply.
Q. What are my methods of payment?
A. Recreation.gov accepts several methods of payment to accommodate your needs, including VISA, Master Card, Discover/Novus and American Express. Recreation.gov billing information: Your payment by bank card will show up on your monthly statement and will contain a reservation billing under the name "Recreation Gov 888-448-1474 NY" Please make note of this. If you have questions, please call the toll free number listed above.
Q. What is the cancellation policy?
A. A Salmon River reservation must be cancelled 21-days prior to your entry date. The Forest Service will retain the entire payment if the group is a no show. A new confirmation letter will be generated each time a change is made. Adjustments to group sizes can be made through Recreation.gov or at the permit issuing station as needed. The $6.00 application fee is non-refundable. Cancellations to the reservations can be made via Recreation.gov. Persons can check on the availability of cancelled launches by visiting the Recreation.gov website or by calling 1-877-345-6777
Q. What if the permit facility has an emergency closure?
A. In event of an emergency closure, the NRRS will attempt to notify the group leader to offer alternate dates and entry points. If this is not possible, all fees paid will be refunded.
Q. Am I able to transfer my reservations to someone else?
A. Salmon River reservations are not transferable.
Q. How do I receive confirmation about my reservation?
A. All launch reservations made prior to February 28th must be confirmed by March 15.
Q. What if I require a refund?
A. Refunds due to cancellation will be returned within 48 hours if paid by credit card. No refunds will be distributed for no-shows.
Refunds for bankcard payments will be issued as a credit to your bankcard.
Q. What are the discounts available to me?
A. Holders of the Interagency Senior and Access Passes (and the Golden Age and Access Passes) may receive a 50% discount on their user fee, not the entire group. All cards (Interagency Senior/Access Pass Owners, or Seasonal) must be presented at the time of permit pickup to receive a discount, otherwise the full fee will be charged. Interagency Senior/Access Passes can be purchased at any National Forest Office for $10.00 for citizens who are age 62 or older. Access Pass cards are available for free. Proof of medically determined permanent disability or eligibility for receiving benefits under federal law must be shown. The Salmon Rivers Season Pass can be purchased at http://www.fs.fed.us/sc/recreation For $40.00. This pass covers all fees for the pass owner for one season, regardless of number of trips.
Note: The NRRS reserves the right when necessary to modify reservation policies.
Selway River Permit Reservation Policies
Q. How can I reserve permits?
A. You can reserve permits in advance for the Selway River offered through the NRRS:
Control Season Lottery Permits
The Selway River permit lottery was initiated over 30 years ago in order to fairly distribute available quotas for entry dates where demand exceeds availability during the high use season of May 15 through July 31. The permit reservation process starts each year when lottery applications for permit reservations may be submitted through Recreation.gov beginning December 1. Applications will only be accepted online via Recreation.gov through January 31. All applications submitted during this period will be processed by lottery (regardless of the order received).
Pre and Post Season Reservations
Reservations and permits are not required outside of the control period for private non-commercial floaters.
Q. What are the various fees that are associated with reserved permits?
A. A $6.00 non-refundable application fee is required for each lottery application submission and for each reserved permit. Currently, no service fees apply.
Q. What are my methods of payment?
A. Recreation.gov accepts several methods of payment to accommodate your needs, including VISA, Master Card, Discover/Novus and American Express. Recreation.gov billing information: Your payment by bank card will show up on your monthly statement and will contain a reservation billing under the name "Recreation Gov 888-448-1474 NY" Please make note of this. If you have questions, please call the toll free number listed above.
Q. What is the cancellation policy?
A. If a Selway reservation is cancelled outside the 15-day window prior to your entry date, the permit holder will not be penalized. If cancelled within the 15-day window or if no showed, the reservation/permit holder will not be allowed to participate in the next year's lottery. A new confirmation letter will be generated each time a change is made. Adjustments to group sizes can be made through Recreation.gov or at the permit issuing station as needed. The $6.00 application fee is non-refundable. Cancellations to the reservations can be made via Recreation.gov. Persons can check on the availability of cancelled launches by visiting the Recreation.gov website or by calling 1-877-345-6777.
Q. What if the permit facility has an emergency closure?
A. In event of an emergency closure, the NRRS will attempt to notify the group leader to offer alternate dates and entry points. If this is not possible, all fees paid will be refunded.
Q. Am I able to transfer my reservations to someone else?
A. Selway River reservations are not transferable.
Q. What is the confirmation policy?
A. All launch reservations made prior to February 28th must be confirmed by March 15.
Q. What if I require a refund?
A. Refunds for bankcard payments will be issued as a credit to your bankcard.
Note: The NRRS reserves the right when necessary to modify reservation policies.
Wild Section Snake River Permit Reservation Policies
Q. How can I reserve permits?
A. You can reserve permits in advance for the wild section of the Snake River through the NRRS.
Control Season Lottery Permits
The wild section of the Snake River permit lottery was initiated 30 years ago in order to fairly distribute available quotas for entry dates where demand exceeds availability during the high use season of the Friday preceding Memorial Day through September 10. The permit reservation process starts each year when lottery applications for permit reservations may be submitted through Recreation.gov beginning December 1. Applications will only be accepted online via Recreation.gov through January 31. All applications submitted during this period will be processed by lottery (regardless of the order received).
- Designated Non-motorized Periods: Wild River non-motorized periods have been established for the section between Wild Sheep Rapids and the upper landing at Kirkwood Historic Ranch. These periods are Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday beginning the first Monday in June and continuing every other week through the end of August. If the July 4th holiday falls in a non-motorized period, the non-motorized period will be the following week and every other week thereafter.
Pre and Post Season Reservations
Self issue permits are required outside of the control period for private non-commercial floaters. These launch permits must be picked up at the launch site.
Q. What are the various fees that are associated with reserved permits?
A. A $6.00 non-refundable application fee is required for each lottery application submission and for each reserved permit. Currently, no service fees apply.
Q. What are my methods of payment?
A. Recreation.gov accepts several methods of payment to accommodate your needs, including VISA, Master Card, Discover/Novus and American Express. Recreation.gov billing information: Your payment by bank card will show up on your monthly statement and will contain a reservation billing under the name "Recreation Gov 888-448-1474 NY" Please make note of this. If you have questions, please call the toll free number listed above.
Q. What is the cancellation policy?
A. If a wild section of the Snake reservation is cancelled outside the 15-day window prior to your entry date, the permit holder will not be penalized. If cancelled within the 15-day window or if no showed, the reservation/permit holder will not be allowed to participate in the next year's lottery. A new confirmation letter will be generated each time a change is made. Adjustments to group sizes can be made through Recreation.gov or at the permit issuing station as needed. The $6.00 application/reservation fee is non-refundable. Cancellations to the reservations can be made via Recreation.gov. Persons can check on the availability of cancelled launches by visiting the Recreation.gov website or by calling 1-877-345-6777.
The Snake River will no longer maintain a call in waiting list after the Lottery has been completed and reservations have been allocated starting from 2010 reservation season.
Q. What if the permit facility has an emergency closure?
A. In event of an emergency closure, the NRRS will attempt to notify the group leader to offer alternate dates if available. If this is not possible, all fees paid will be refunded.
Q. Am I able to transfer my reservations to someone else?
A. The wild section of the Snake River reservations are not transferable.
Q. What is the confirmation policy?
A. All launch reservations made prior to February 28th must be confirmed by March 16.
Q. What if I require a refund?
A. Refunds for bankcard payments will be issued as a credit to your bankcard.
Note: The NRRS reserves the right when necessary to modify reservation policies.
