Lower Dolores River

Dolores River in Utah · Class II–III · UT

Season

Short and erratic, usually spring snowmelt when it runs at all

Character

A desert canyon stretch of the Dolores in Utah that only runs boatable in wet years.

Watch for

Seasons are short, erratic and often non-existent. Check flows before driving.

Gauge

USGS 09180000
Dolores River near Cisco
No reading in the Oct 22, 2026 snapshot.

Permit

ReservationPermits become available Jan 1 each year. Next release: Jan 1, in 59 days.

No lottery. Reserve on Recreation.gov from Jan 1.

Apply on Recreation.govOfficial page

Fees and rules

See the Recreation.gov permit page.

A permit is required year-round for private, non-commercial use. There is no limit on the number issued, and a permit covers 1 to 25 people. On the Colorado section, the BLM says private trips do not need a permit.

Source: BLM page.

Snowpack

Dolores / San MiguelEarly seasonDam-regulated

Snow water equivalent 2.0 in. Early season — median too low for a meaningful %.

Dam-regulated: McPhee Reservoir. Flows on this river also depend on reservoir releases — snowpack alone does not determine flows. Applies to the Dolores below the dam. The San Miguel has no major dams.

Outlook indicator, not a flow forecast. Spring temperatures, rain, soil moisture, dust on snow and reservoir releases also matter. NRCS SNOTEL data as of Nov 1, 2026 (provisional).

See basin snowpack

Draft details for paddlers to review and edit. Community voting on runnable ranges is coming.