Yosemite wilderness permits

Why go

Follow trails from granite valleys toward high-country lakes and passes. A wilderness trip lets you spend several days beyond the road-accessible viewpoints. Choose a route that suits your fitness, mileage, and elevation experience, then match the permit to that route rather than taking any available entry point.

Where it is

Yosemite National Park in California’s Sierra Nevada. Happy Isles starts in Yosemite Valley; Cathedral Lakes and Lyell Canyon start in the Tuolumne Meadows area. Your permit must match the trailhead where your trip begins.

When to go

Wilderness permits are required year-round, but advance reservations cover May through October. Snow, creek crossings, and seasonal road access can determine whether a trailhead is usable. Check current conditions and road openings before planning an early-season high-country trip.

Why permits are competitive

Yosemite limits entry by trailhead. NPS says popular trailheads fill very quickly when the one-week-ahead quota opens. Sixty percent of reservations are allocated through the advance process; the other forty percent open one week before entry. Party size and itinerary determine which openings you can use.

How to get a permit

The weekly lottery opens twenty-four weeks ahead. After the lottery and acceptance period, remaining advance reservations become first-come, first-served; later cancellations become available immediately. The one-week-ahead release opens at 7 am Pacific. Confirm the current schedule and permit pickup requirements before booking.

What an automated search watches

Choose the exact trailhead and entry dates for your itinerary. OpenCampsite watches reservable openings, including returned reservations; it does not apply to the weekly lottery. Happy Isles routes have different first-night and Donohue Pass rules. A Lyell Canyon or Happy Isles opening with the wrong pass eligibility may not work for a John Muir Trail trip.

Set up your search

1. Click the watch button for the zone or permit type you want.
2. Set your entry dates, trip length, and party size. Confirm the selected area fits your route.
3. Choose your available notification channels and finish creating the alert.
4. If an opening appears, follow the notification’s booking link, check the permit details, and book on Recreation.gov.

An alert does not hold inventory, guarantee a permit, or submit a lottery application.

Hiker reviews and trip reports

Recent trip reports can help you understand the approach, snow, and campsite conditions. They describe individual trips; check official advisories before setting out.

Official permit information

Location, seasonal rules, reservation process, and restrictions checked against the official permit information on October 5, 2026. Confirm the current season’s notices before booking.

NPS wilderness permit reservations and releases ↗

Recreation.gov Yosemite wilderness permit rules ↗