Ansel Adams Wilderness Permit 2026
Gateway to the High Sierra, with Thousand Island Lake and the John Muir Trail. There is no lottery: permits are first-come reservations on Recreation.gov, released in two waves.
Don't Miss Your Ansel Adams Wilderness Permit
Cancellations happen every day. PermitSnag monitors Ansel Adams Wilderness availability 24/7 and alerts you the moment a spot opens up.
Get Permit Alerts2026 Permit Timeline
First Release (60% of quota)
Second Release (40% of quota)
Quota Season
Fees (Inyo side)
🏔️ Popular Entry Points
Agnew Meadows
Most competitive. Access to Thousand Island Lake and the JMT. Book the morning your date releases.
Rush Creek
Less competitive alternative from the June Lake side, with access to Waugh Lake and beyond.
The 2-Week Release
40% of every quota is held back until two weeks out. Sold-out trailheads get a second life at 7 AM PT.
Plan Ahead for 2026
Popular entry points fill quickly on release day, and cancellations trickle back all season. Set up alerts so you never miss one.
Get Ansel Adams Wilderness Alerts
Be first to know when cancellations happen.
Where these permits are actually sold
Ansel Adams entry trailheads are issued as Inyo National Forest permits, and the trail runs into the JMT quota a day later.
- Inyo National Forest wilderness permitsEvery Eastern Sierra trailhead quota in one place, from Whitney Portal to the Ansel Adams entries. Each trailhead has its own daily cap.
- John Muir Trail Yosemite entry permitsThe Donohue Pass-eligible trailheads, where a northbound-to-southbound JMT actually starts. Quota belongs to the trailhead, not the trail.
- Mount Whitney day hike permitThe 14,505-foot finish line for half the Sierra. February lottery, 100 day hikers a day, and cancellation alerts after it.