Backcountry Permit Dates and Deadlines

If you're considering a backcountry backpacking trip over the summer, now is the time to plan. Some permit lotteries are starting to open for the entire year, and others are on three to six month rolling windows, which means you should reserve your spots for June through August soon. Here are a few dates you may want to mark on your calendar along with other general permit information for the rolling window applications or reservations.

• February 1: PCT long-distance permit lottery applications open with 35 permits per day.
• February 1: Mount Whitney permit lottery applications open.
• Now through May 15: Grand Teton National Park backcountry permit requests open.
• February 15: The Enchantments permit lottery applications open. Note that the Forest Service extended the required permit season by six weeks. You'll now need overnight permits from May 15 through October 31. 
• February 16: PCT additional long-distance permit applications, an additional 15 permits per day become available. 
• March 1: Half Dome day hiking permit lottery applications open.
• March 1: Rocky Mountain National Park backcountry permit applications open.
• March 1: Glacier National Park backcountry permits online reservations open.
• March 1: Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks backcountry permit applications open. This includes the High Sierra Trail. Applications must be mailed or faxed.
• March 15: Mount Rainier National Park backcountry permit applications open and are processed in random order until April 1 when they start processing permits in the order they are received. This includes the Wonderland Trail.
• JMT permits available six months in advance. 
• Yosemite National Park backcountry permits available six months in advance.
• Grand Canyon National Park backcountry permits are accepted about 10 days before the first of the month that is four months prior to the proposed start. As an example, submit written requests on February 1 for July travel or March 1 for August travel.
• Inyo National Forest backcountry permits can be reserved up to six months in advance for the following wilderness areas:
  • John Muir Wilderness
  • Ansel Adams Wilderness
  • Hoover Wilderness 
  • Golden Trout Wilderness
• Additional Sierra Wilderness Permits
  • Desolation Wilderness permits are available for reservation, but limited to 14 per day.
  • Dinkey Lakes Wilderness permits can be reserved up to six months in advance.
  • Kaiser Wilderness permits can be reserved up to six months in advance.
• Trinity Alps permits can be reserved up to six months in advance by contacting the local ranger station. 
• Indian Peaks Wilderness permit applications are accepted at the start of the year for the full year. Apply early. Applications must be mailed or dropped off.
• Zion National Park backcountry permits can be reserved up to three months in advance. This includes The Narrows day hike permits as well. 
• Canyonlands National Park backcountry permits can be reserved up to six months in advance.

Determining which permits are necessary for certain trails or wilderness areas can be tricky. Here are a few tips to make the process smoother. 

1. Plan ahead: It's never too early to plan for your next big adventure. The more time you give yourself, the better your chances of getting a permit. We know this great website for exploring adventures across the west if you're in need of inspiration...
2. Do your homework: Know where you want to go and what trails you're going to access before starting the permit process. Then determine what permit is needed and mark your calendar for the application date or reservation window. We do our best to include all the permit information in the adventure description for each trail and wilderness area on Outdoor Project.
3. Be flexible: It's a good idea to plan an alternate trip or route so you have options when it comes time to make your reservations. You can also look at different entry points for the same area as some are more popular starting points than others. If your timing is flexible or you can travel mid-week, you have a better chance at securing your permits.
4. Go outside of high season: You'll improve your odds of getting a permit if you travel before June and after August. For a number of these areas that are accessible year round, you could skip the permit reservation shenanigans all together by planning your adventure in the the winter months.