# Grand Canyon - Hualapai Land & River Access Permits



## GCPBA (Oct 22, 2009)

*GCPBA RiverNews 6/10/2018 - Hualapai Land & River Access Permits*

The Hualapai Game and Fish Department sent out the following notice on June 4th (Our delay of reporting this was due to an Idaho boating trip):

Public Notice: Hualapai River Access Permit Checks Upstream Of Diamond Creek (RM225)

The Hualapai Tribe will be conducting river access permits the week of July 9, 2018 through July 13, 2018 on the Colorado River upstream of Diamond Creek. Hualapai Tribal boundaries began (sic) at RM 164.5 to RM 287 river left.

Prior to your launch date please request a Hualapai River permit from Hualapai Game and Fish Department at 928/769-2227/1122 or by email: [email protected]. A Hualapai River Access Permit will allow for hiking or camping on Hualapai Tribal lands associated with your Colorado River Trip. A Hualapai River Access Permit does not allow for any backcountry hiking.

River Access Permits: $100 per person.
Launch or take-outs at Diamond Creek (advance permit request) $55 per person, per vehicle and per driver.
Launch or take-outs at Diamond Creek (day of arrival) $60 per person, per vehicle and per driver.

For additional information, please contact Hualapai Game and Fish Department at 928/769-2227/1122 and or email at [email protected].

(end of notice)

GCPBA reported in July, 2017, that Hualapai Chairman Damon Clarke and his associates spoke to us of an intent to require a permit "for all hiking, camping, and sightseeing on tribal lands at river left between miles 164.5 and 273.5" so they can keep track of who is where and when. We now have their intent in print. At that time they intended a $30 per person, per night fee. River runners scouting rapids at river left would not need a permit. 

The Hualapai permit requirement applies to private and commercial river runners. The Hualapai have not made it clear how they intend to check for permits and enforce this. It is not clear what the consequences would be for river runners who are ticketed for violations.

The Hualapai Nation land boundary has been in dispute for many years. Their claim is that their land extends to the middle of the river. The National Park Service (The U.S, Department of the Interior) says their land stops at the historic high water mark, from when the river was undammed. The NPS has not openly challenged the Hualapai claim.

Grand Canyon river runners have recently been told at the ranger orientation of this issue, but have not specifically been told not to hike or camp on the disputed land. Essentially, we have been told to make our own decisions regarding what we want to do at those river miles.

GCPBA will continue to discuss this issue with Grand Canyon National Park personnel.

GCPBA RiverNews is a service of Grand Canyon Private Boaters Association.
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## okieboater (Oct 19, 2004)

I am all for the tribes getting reasonable compensation for the few hours most boaters spend there at Diamond Creek. I am all for the Tribe making reasonable fees.



Seems to me the Tribe is pricing themselves out of the market for what boaters get. IE The Take out is basically a no shade gravel bar and the road out is passable but just barely.



Hopefully, more boaters will bypass Diamond Creek and take out downstream.


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## johnryan (Feb 6, 2013)

I, too, don't care if anyone wants to charge for use of their land. I'll choose to pay to use it, or go somewhere else.

But, if the NPS feels that US Government land is at the shore and up to the high water mark then I hope they push back against the Hualapai.

Why won't NSP challenge the Hualapai claim? If anyone is given a ticket by the Hualapai's would we have any hope of NPS support in a court?

Also, how would the Hualapai enforce their claim, show up to write a ticket? By boat? Helicopter? And what would happen if a guy got a ticket and ignored it? I presume the ticket is to show up in tribal court. But how could the Hualapai's make that happen, and with what threat of further legal action?

Lots of questions about this.


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## daairguy (Nov 11, 2013)

Wow, they are charging $100 a person for river access on over 120 plus miles of the canyon? This seems highly unreasonable. Good luck enforcing that!


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## GCPBA (Oct 22, 2009)

We contacted the Hualapai Game and Fish Department and asked questions similar to what johnryan wrote above. We actually called them twice and spoke with two different people. Each time we were we unable to get information of:

1. How the Hualapai would get to the river left camps in order to check people for permits.

2. What they would do if someone claimed they were following the NPS boundary claim, asserted a right to be there, and refused to identify himself. 

3. How the Hualapai would ensure that someone issued a ticket would show up in their tribal court to answer for the charges.

4. What would happen to someone if they didn't appear in tribal court.

The NPS has not yet made it clear if and how they intend to challenge the Hualapai boundary claim and their intent to issue citations on land the NPS claims as theirs.


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