1Watch
Tell us the permit or campground you want. We check it around the clock so you never babysit a reservation page.
PermitSnag Trail Desk
We watch every permit system
so you don't have to.
Recreation.gov, state parks, and private reservation systems — get the alert the second a spot opens, then Fast Lane to the booking page.
We'll show exact matches first, then the next-best options with clear reasoning.
674 permits146K campsites1,591 alerts sent30 days
Live from the scanner
Live from the scanner
Real permit openings our scanner caught recently.
How It Works
Three steps, from wish to booked
2Alert
The second a real opening shows up, we ping you by email, push, and SMS — no refreshing, no guessing.
3Fast Lane
Open the alert and land on the booking page in two taps, while the spot still shows available.
Lottery pools
Better odds with a trail crew, not solo luck
Tracking handles cancellations. For lotteries, start a pool: each friend who joins adds another application. When five people each apply to a 10% lottery, your crew's combined shot is around 41%.
You start the pool. Friends join free. Everyone applies separately, so your group gets more shots at the same permit.
- Invite link or QR code for your crew
- Tracks who applied and who won
- One organizer, everyone else joins free
- Alerts when someone in the pool gets a win
- Included with Pro or any a la carte alert
Example crew
YM
JK
SR
MC
+
Solo
10%
4-person crew
34%
6-person target
47%
Example: 6 people can mean about 6× solo entries (odds vary by permit).
How the pool works
Apply together. Win together. Hike together.
You start the pool and send invites. Everyone applies on their own account. We keep headcount, deadlines, and outcomes in one place.
Coordinate lottery deadlines without a side spreadsheet
Share permit watchlists with the same trip crew
Cancellation tracking still runs while you wait on lottery results
Quick comparison
Solo vs crew of five
Solo applicant
10%
One application, one lottery window.
Crew of five
41%
Five applications, one shared plan.
“We chased Whitney for three seasons. PermitSnag found a cancellation in week two.”
Sarah M.
San Francisco, CA
“Got a Wave alert at 6:00am, booked at 6:02. First time it felt possible.”
Jake R.
Denver, CO
“Our 5-person JMT group had two lottery wins because we ran it as a pool.”
Mike + Crew
Portland, OR
Referral perk
Give one month, get one month
Refer a hiking partner. When they subscribe, both of you get one free month. No referral cap.
Ready To Start
Spend less time refreshing.
More time outside.
Set your first watch in under 2 minutes. We'll ping you the moment a spot opens.
Yes. PermitSnag tracks 5,066 campgroundsand 145,753 campsites alongside wilderness permits, so you can pair permit alerts with nearby camping.
Permit Directory
Browse Backcountry Permits
Find permits for day hikes, overnight backpacking, thru-hikes, canyoneering, and river trips across federal and state lands.
National Park Permits
Day-use, overnight, and wilderness permits at America's crown jewels
California Wilderness Permits
Sierra Nevada, Lost Coast, and backcountry access
Utah & BLM Permits
Red rock canyons, slot canyon permits, and desert wilderness
National Forest & Wilderness Permits
USFS wilderness areas with quota systems
Thru-Hikes & Long Trails
Multi-day point-to-point traverses and epic long-distance trails
River Permits
Multi-day rafting and river access permits
California State Park Permits
Backcountry camping and trail permits
Mountaineering & Summit Permits
High-altitude summit permits and technical climbing routes
Browse Permits by Region
National Parks Permits (64)National Forests & Wilderness Permits (108)Wild & Scenic Rivers Permits (26)Thru-Hikes & Long Trails (20)Mountaineering & Summit Permits (9)California Permits (256)Utah & BLM Permits (126)California State Parks Permits (42)State Parks Permits (26)Utah State Parks Permits (17)
Campgrounds
Browse Campsites
Monitor campsite availability across federal and state parks. Get alerts when sites open up at sold-out campgrounds.
California
8 popular campgrounds
- Crystal Springs Campground Mid-Sized Group Sites
- Potwisha Campground
- Atwell Mill Campground
- Canyon View Group Sites
- Crystal Springs Campground (Ca)
- Buckeye Flat Campground
- Indian Cove Group Campground
- Ryan Campground
Colorado
8 popular campgrounds
- Rocky Mountain National Park Glacier Basin Campground
- Rocky Mountain National Park Aspenglen Campground
- Rocky Mountain National Park Timber Creek Campground
- Blue Lake Campground - San Isabel NF (Co)
- Lake Fork Campground
- St Charles Campground - Lake Isabel
- Hovenweep Campground
- Chalk Lake Campground
Oregon
8 popular campgrounds
- Little Crater Lake Campground
- Cave Creek Campground
- Riverside Campground (Deschutes National Forest, or)
- Hebo Lake Campground
- Scout Lake Campground
- Acorn Woman Lakes Campground
- Three Creeks Lake Campground
- Big Lake West Campground
Washington
8 popular campgrounds
- Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort Campground
- Ohanapecosh Campground
- Goodell Creek Campground
- Kalaloch Campground
- Mora Campground
- Cougar Rock Campground
- Kettle River Campground
- Haag Cove Campground
Strategy
How to Win Permit Lotteries
Practical strategies to improve your odds with timing, flexibility, and group planning.
10 min read
Strategy
Cancellation Hunting Guide
Where openings show up, when to watch, and how to move quickly when they appear.
8 min read
Getting Started
Understanding Permit Systems
A clear walkthrough of lotteries, FCFS releases, and reservation windows.
8 min read
Comparison
Half Dome vs Angels Landing
Compare two iconic permit hikes by demand, difficulty, and trip fit.
12 min read
Coverage
Built for the places people actually dream about
Half Dome, Enchantments, Zion, The Wave, high-demand campgrounds, and hundreds more. If access depends on permits or cancellations, it belongs on your PermitSnag watchlist.
Expand your shortlist
Browse by region
National Park permits50+
National Forest permits100+
River permits20+
California permits200+
Utah + BLM permits120+
Thru-hike permits15+
Expanding coverage across Oregon, Washington, Colorado, and Arizona.