Putting Money Where the Fun Is

This article was written by Friends of the Bridger-Teton, who steward the 3.4 million-acre BTNF (the third largest US forest in the lower 48), balancing recreation, conservation, and ranching. — www.btfriends.org

“I’m excited that folks who enjoy the Snake River have the opportunity to contribute to the health of the river and facilities along it and see positive improvements happen along it down the road,” says Louis Shahan, River Program Manager, BTNF Jackson District, about the new fee program that went into effect May 1 on the Wild and Scenic Snake River Canyon. 95% of the money collected from the fee—$5/vehicle/day or $40/season pass—stays with the BTNF and is earmarked specifically for Snake River projects.

Not only will the bulk of the fees go back into the Snake River, but Shahan and the rest of the river program team, which includes staff from Friends of the Bridger-Teton and the Grand Teton Association, will be looking to river users to identify how they want this money spent.

“We’re going to be reaching out to the community and river users to see what they would like to see done on the river,” Shahan says. One thing already on the radar is paving more of the road down to the Astoria put-in/take-out. “There are some major potholes coming down to that location after you turn off the highway and they’re only getting bigger,” Shahan says. “I know that will an appreciated fix.”

Many popular stretches of rivers in other national forests have required fees for years. “Our section of the Snake is up there with some of the busiest river systems in the U.S. It’s pretty common for there to be some kind of fee on these rivers,” says Shahan.

River users can purchase day or season passes. As of early June, users can purchase day passes at kiosks at boat ramps. Kiosks accept both physical credit cards and also tap. Season passes can be purchased at recreation.gov.

The river team will be patrolling the parking lots for proof of permits at all developed access points along the Snake, which includes Astoria, Pritchard, Elbow, East Table, West Table, the Big Kahuna/Lunch Counter overlook, and Sheep Gulch. Vehicles without proof of a permit will be issued a reminder slip that offers the opportunity to purchase a day permit or season pass. Share proof of a valid permit and there’s no additional fine. Vehicles that don’t come into compliance could face an $80 fine (the fine itself is $50 and there is a $30 processing fee).

“We want to give people the opportunity to come into compliance before ticketing them,” Shahan says. “We like the idea of second chances.”

It is not just private river users that pay the new fee. Anyone over the age of 15 rafting the Snake with an outfitter pay $3 each. Last summer, outfitters took about 82,000 people down the Snake. “The outfitters have been tremendous with their support of this new system and we couldn’t be more thankful,” Shahan says.

Permits are required from May 1–November 1 for recreating anywhere within the Snake River Corridor within ¼ mile from each bank of the Snake River, from the Hoback River confluence to 1 mile above the Alpine Junction Bridge. Incidental stops, like pausing for a few minutes to snap a photo or to use the restroom does not require a permit.

Disabled veterans, Gold Star families, and Tribal members with documentation are not required to pay fees. Fees are waived for all river users on: Wyoming Kids Fishing Day (June 10, 2025), National Get Outdoors Day (June 14, 2025), Juneteenth (June 19, 2025), 4th of July (July 4, 2025), and Labor Day (Sept. 1, 2025).

If you’d like to weigh in with ideas for how the fees collected this summer are spent to enhance the Snake River starting next summer, email sm.fs.jd_srp@usda.gov.