Angels Landing Permit 2026
The friendliest big-name lottery in the National Park System. NPS puts the two-year average across both lotteries at about 50%, and mid-week days can reach 100%. Here's the 2026 lottery calendar.
Don't Miss Your Angels Landing Permit
Cancellations happen every day. PermitSnag monitors Angels Landing availability 24/7 and alerts you the moment a spot opens up.
Get Permit AlertsQuotas, fees, live availability, and alerts are on the Angels Landing permit page. For lottery strategy, read the full Angels Landing permit guide.
2026 Lottery Timeline
Seasonal Lottery Windows
Quarterly, for hikes 1-3 months later
| Hike dates | Opens 8am MT | Closes 11:59pm MT | Permits issued |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring: March 1 - May 31 | Opens February 13 | Closes February 25 | Permits issued February 26 |
| Summer: June 1 - August 31 | Opens April 1 | Closes April 20 | Permits issued April 25 |
| Fall: September 1 - November 30 | Opens July 1 | Closes July 20 | Permits issued July 25 |
| Winter: December 1 - February 28, 2027 | Opens October 1 | Closes October 20 | Permits issued October 25 |
Next window: October 1-20, 2026, for hikes December 1 - February 28, 2027.
Day-Before Lottery
For next-day hikes; permits issued 4pm MT, and cancelled seasonal permits roll into it
Success Rate
NPS two-year average / range by date
📅 Best Dates to Apply
NPS says the odds swing with both the day of the week and the time of year, running anywhere between 10% and 100%. Mid-week days are where the easy permits are.
- • Best days: random mid-week days, which NPS puts at 100%
- • Toughest: Memorial Day Weekend Sunday, 8% in the day-before lottery
- • NPS publishes no per-month success rate
Two blocks of dates get no permits at all in 2026 while crews work on the trail: April 20-23, 2026 and October 5-8, 2026. Dates here come from the NPS Angels Landing permits page and the four Recreation.gov seasonal permits, checked 2026-08-09.
🎯 Tips to Get a Permit
- ✓ Enter the seasonal window for your season, then the day-before lottery daily
- ✓ Target a mid-week date if you can move your hike
- ✓ Avoid holidays and peak Saturdays
- ✓ Set up PermitSnag instant alerts
🚶 No Permit Needed
- → Scout Lookout (90% of the elevation gain)
- → West Rim Trail views
- → Refrigerator Canyon
- → Walter's Wiggles switchbacks
Don't Miss Your Window
Even with great odds, plans change and permits get cancelled. We monitor 24/7 and alert you the second a spot opens.
Get Angels Landing Alerts
Be first to know when cancellations happen.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the Angels Landing seasonal lottery open in 2026?
Four times a year, not monthly. The 2026 windows are February 13-25, April 1-20, July 1-20, and October 1-20, each covering one season of hike dates 1 to 3 months later. The next one opens October 1 at 8 a.m. MT and closes October 20 at 11:59 p.m. MT, for hikes December 1 - February 28, 2027, with permits issued October 25. There's also a day-before lottery that runs every single day from 12:01 a.m. to 3 p.m. MT, with permits issued at 4 p.m. MT the same day.
What are the odds for the 2026 Angels Landing lottery?
NPS's two-year pilot program report says the overall odds in both the Seasonal Lottery and the Day-before Lottery average to about 50%. The spread by date is huge: 8% in the Day-before Lottery on Memorial Day Weekend Sunday, up to 100% on random mid-week days.
Do I need a permit for Angels Landing year-round?
Yes, the permit requirement applies year-round for the chain section above Scout Lookout. There's no cables-up/cables-down season like Half Dome - Angels Landing's chains are permanent.