You Need To Apply Now For 2025 Grand Canyon River Expedition

The National Park Service has declared that applications for noncommercial river trip permits to navigate the awe-inspiring Colorado River through Grand Canyon National Park in 2025 are being accepted through most of February.

A total of 482 permits are up for grabs, allowing adventurers to embark on 12- to 25-day river expeditions. To apply, interested individuals must visit the weighted lottery website, https://grcariverpermits.nps.gov, with the application window open until noon Mountain Standard Time on Monday, February 26, 2024.

This annual event, held every February, employs a weighted lottery system to assign launch dates for the following year's river trips. Notifications about the main lottery are disseminated via email and news releases. Follow-up lotteries will be conducted as needed throughout the year to reassign canceled or unassigned launch dates, and notifications for these are sent through email.

The weighted lottery website is accessible year-round for creating or modifying accounts and signing up for email notifications. Prospective adventurers are encouraged to establish an account, as lottery applications are only accepted when the lotteries are open.

Applicants must be at least 18 years old, possess self-guided skills for noncommercial river trips, and demonstrate mandatory technical whitewater experience. Participation is limited to one recreational river trip per year, whether commercial or noncommercial.

For those interested in professionally-guided river trips, applying through the lottery is not the route to take. Instead, individuals can secure a spot on a commercial trip by exploring the list of companies offering guided experiences at https://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/river-concessioners.htm.

To dive deeper into the 2025 Main Lottery details, prospective river trippers can visit the Grand Canyon National Park website, contact the River Permits Office at 1-800-959-9164 or 928-638-7884, or reach out via email. This opportunity promises a once-in-a-lifetime experience for those seeking the thrill of navigating the iconic Colorado River through the breathtaking Grand Canyon.