Utah Special Recreation Permits Program
Utah Field Offices administer Special Recreation Permits (SRPs) for Commercial, Vendor, Competitive, Organized Group Use and Special Area Use. This page provides an overview of Utah SRPs and their associated fees. Please see list below for the appropriate field office contact if you have any further questions regarding the Special Recreation Permit program or if you would like to hold a pre-application consultation.
Special Recreation Permits
Special Recreation Permits (SRPs) are authorizations that allow specific recreational uses of the public lands and related waters. They are issued as a means to manage visitor use, protect natural and cultural resources, and provide a mechanism to accommodate commercial recreational uses. Authorized by the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act, permits are required for the following types of uses: commercial, vending, competitive, individual or group use in special area, organized group activities and events.
Objectives of the Special Recreation Permit Program
The objective of the BLM recreation permitting system is to satisfy recreational demand within allowable use levels in an equitable, safe, and enjoyable manner while minimizing adverse resource impacts and user conflicts. In issuing recreation permits to recreation users of public lands, the BLM authorizes permittees’ use of the lands and/or related waters for permitted purposes. This represents a privilege to use public lands and/or related waters which is subject to the terms and conditions of the permits.
BLM Utah Recreation Contacts
Utah State Office
Evan Glenn
Recreation and Visitor Services Lead
440 West 200 South, Ste. 500
Salt Lake City, UT 84106
[email protected]
Salt Lake Field Office
491 North John Glenn Road
Salt Lake City, UT 84116
801-320-8300
blm_ut_sl_recpermit@blm.
Fillmore Field Office
Jay Cram
27020 West Sand Mt Road
Nephi, UT 84648
435-433-5960
[email protected]
Teresa Frampton
95 East 400 North
Fillmore, UT 84631
435-743-3106
tframpto@blm.gov
Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument
Paul Grimm
SRP Administrator: Existing Permit Administration
435-644-1313
[email protected]
Clay Stewart
SRP Administrator: New Permits Administration
435-644-1241
[email protected]
Kanab Field Office
Paul Grimm
SRP Administrator: Existing Permit Administration
(435) 644-1313
[email protected]
Clay Stewart
SRP Administrator: New Permits Administration
435-644-1241
[email protected]
Cedar City Field Office
Mike Innes
176 East D.L. Sargent Drive
Cedar City, UT 84721-9337
435-865-3012
[email protected]
St. George Field Office
Kyle Voyles
345 East Riverside Drive
St. George, UT 84790
435-688-3274
[email protected]
Henry Mountain Field Station
Hunter Harridge
380 South 100 West
PO Box 99
Hanksville, UT 84734
435-542-3461
[email protected]
Moab Field Office
Email: [email protected]
Todd Murdock
82 East Dogwood, Suite M
Moab, UT 84532
435-259-2123
[email protected]
Katie Stevens
82 East Dogwood, Suite M
Moab, UT 84532
435-259-2172
[email protected]
Monticello Field Office
Silas Sparks
365 North Main Street
PO Box 7
Monticello, UT 84535
435-587-1504
[email protected]
Vernal Field Office
Jo Foster
170 South 500 East
Vernal, UT 84078
435-781-3432
[email protected]
Price Field Office
Jaydon Mead
125 South 600 West
Price, UT 84501
435-636-3646
[email protected]
Types of Permits and Fees
Types of Permits
Commercial
Commercial use means recreation use of the public lands and related waters for business or financial gain. Any person, group, or organization makes or attempts to make a profit, receives money, amortizes equipment, or obtains goods or services as compensation from participants in recreation activities occurring on public lands, the use is considered commercial. Examples: outfitters and guides, four-wheel drive tours, livery and shuttle service.
Vending
Vending is a type of commercial use defined as a temporary, short-term, nonexclusive, revocable authorization to sell goods or services on public lands and related waters in conjunction with a recreation activity or at a recreation site. Example: Food sales in conjunction with an authorized event
- Competitive Use
Competitive use is any organized, sanctioned, or structured use, event, or activity on public lands and related waters in which two or more contestants compete and either (1) Participants register, enter, or complete an application for the event or (2) A predetermined course or area is designated. Examples: Off Highway Vehicles races, endurance rides, mountain bike races
- Special Area Use
Special Areas are areas officially designated by statute or Secretarial order. Examples: Cedar Mesa, Desolation Canyon, Knolls Off-Highway Vehicle Area, Little Sahara, Recreation Area, San Juan River, and Westwater Canyon; and co-manages Paria Canyon/Vermillion Cliffs Wilderness with Arizona BLM.
- Organized Group Activity and Event Use
Organized group/event permits are for non-commercial and non-competitive group activities and recreation events. Examples: family reunions, organized hiking, biking and four-wheel drive events
Recreation permits are managed in a manner which is consistent with management objects determined in Resource Management Plans, Recreation Area Management Plans, or in their absence, through recreation management objectives resulting from analysis of resources and visitor use in each area.
Fees
Fees for recreational use of public lands and waters are charged to commercial users, vendors, competitive event participants and spectators, visitors to special area, and participants in organized group activities and events which require a permit.
As of May 8, 2023 the minimum annual fee for any commercial SRP is $130. A pre-payment of estimated user fees is required before any use can occur. The pre-payment amount should be based on an annual revenue estimate agreed to by both the permittee and the authorized officer. When revenues are uncertain (i.e., for the first year of a new operation), the minimum fee of $130 or an estimated agreed to by both parties is appropriate. For competitive events and organized groups, fee estimates will be based on the anticipated number of participants.
These are calculated in the same manner as commercial use fees. Vendor fees may also include an assigned site fee and/or exclusive use fee which is currently $260.
Fees are charged on a per-user day basis for participants, as a percentage of gross receipts, or the $130 minimum fee, whichever is greater. The per-user day rate is currently $7 per participant per day. When use is both commercial and competitive, the higher fee will be charged.
Cost recovery will apply to Special Recreation Permits that require 50 hours or more for processing and administration.
Commercial Use Fees
The fee for commercial use is 3 percent of the gross receipts derived from use authorized under the SRP.
Vendor Use Fees
These are calculated in the same manner as commercial use fees. Vendor fees may also include an assigned site fee and/or exclusive use fee which is currently $230.
Competitive Use Fees
Fees are charge on a per-user day basis for participants, as a percentage of gross receipts, or the $130 minimum fee, whichever is greater. The per-user day rate is currently $7 per participant per day. When use is both commercial and competitive, the higher fee will be charged.
Special Area Permit Fees
The fee for individual use of Special Areas is set by the State Director.
Westwater Canyon- river permits $10 per person
Desolation Canyon- river permits $40 per person
Cedar Mesa- On-season (March 1 - June 15 and September 1 - October 31) overnight fees are $8/person/trip. They must be picked up at Kane Gulch Ranger Station (KGRS), even if they are purchased over the phone.
Off-season overnight fees are $5/person/trip and are available at trailheads.
Day-use fees are $2/person/day or $5/person/week (defined as any seven-day period), and may be purchased at trailheads or at KGRS.
There is also a $20 annual pass (within a calendar year), day use only must be purchased at KGRS or the Monticello Field Office.
Knolls Off-Highway Vehicle Area
$10 per day and $80 for an annual pass
Little Sahara Recreation Area
$18 per vehicle for a One-Night Camping Permit (two days and one night) expiring at dusk the second day. Annual Permit $120 and an Annual Permit for a second vehicle will be $65
San Juan River
River Segment Per Person Fee:
Sand Island to Mexican Hat - $10
Mexican Hat to Clay Hills - $20
Sand Island to Clay Hills - $30
Organized Group/ Event Fees
The fee for this type of use is currently $7 per participant per day. The $130 fee will be applied to the $7 per person per day. These fees are evaluated every 3 years and potentially adjusted based on the implicit price deflator index.