RRFW Riverwire – Hualapai Nation River Trip Camping Permit Fee Decreased
January 14, 2019
The Hualapai Tribe Game and Fish Department has just sent out a notice that the camping fee for river runners has been reduced to a blanket fee of $100 per river trip. According to the Tribe, this permit “will allow for: Sightseeing and or camping on Hualapai Tribal Lands associated with your Colorado River Trip.”
The camping fee is a reduction from $100 per person to $100 per trip.
On June 1, 2018, the Hualapai Nation Game and Fish Department issued a public notice about camping on Hualapai land along the Colorado River in Grand Canyon. The notice stated that river runners who pay a $100 per person fee would be allowed to camp and stop for lunch anywhere along the Colorado River that abuts Hualapai Nation land. The Hualapai Nation touches the edge of the Colorado River from River Mile 164.5 to River Mile 273.9 on the east side of the river, known as river left when looking downstream.
The Hualapai Tribe alerted river runners that the Tribe would be checking river runners found camped on Tribal land for the appropriate permits the week of July 9, through July 13, 2018.
After the 2018 announcements, River Runners For Wilderness Council Member Tom Martin began working with the Hualapai Tribe and Game and Fish Department to see if the Tribe would be willing to consider reducing the fees for camping on Tribal Land. “We are grateful to the Hualapai Tribal Council and the Game and Fish Department for reducing this fee. $100 per trip for as many days as the trip takes to pass Tribal lands is a great deal for the river community and the Hualapai Tribe. It is a privilege to be able to camp on Hualapai Tribe ancestral land and have an affordable Tribal camping permit to do so” noted Martin.
River permits may be obtained by calling the Hualapai Nation Game and Fish Department at 928-769-2227 or 928-769-1122 or by email at hualapai.rafting@hualapai-nsn.gov
The Hualapai Nation public notice states clearly that the “Hualapai River Access Permit does not allow for any backcountry hiking.”
Permit holders who are finishing their river trip at the Diamond Creek Take-out will still have to pay to use the Diamond Creek take-out road, costing $55 per person plus tax if paid in advance and $60 per person plus tax if paid at the take-out. This Diamond Creek Take-out fee is applied to each person on the river trip as well as each take-out vehicle and vehicle driver.
In July of 2017, Tribal Chairman Damon Clark announced the Nation would be offering camping permits for river runners. He also stated river runners who are scouting rapids may continue to do so without any sort of permit.
River runners who chose not to camp or stop for lunch on river left between River Mile 164.5 and River Mile 273.9 and who do not use the Diamond Creek take-out are not required to pay the above fees.
River runners are reminded that the boundary between the Hualapai Tribe and the National Park Service has yet to be decided in court. That means that if you step off your boat onto dry land between River Mile 164.5 and River Mile 273.9 on the east side of the river, you are on Hualapai Tribal land, as per the Hualapai Tribe.
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