How to Get a Kearsarge Pass (JMT) Permit
Six and a half miles from a road-end at 9,100 feet to the John Muir Trail — the shortest legal walk onto the JMT from anywhere in the Eastern Sierra.
Check Kearsarge Pass (JMT) permit availability$6 per reservation + $5 per person
Permit Cost
3-6 days
Duration
13 miles
Distance
2,600'
Elevation Gain
strenuous
Difficulty
About Kearsarge Pass (JMT)
Kearsarge Pass is an Inyo National Forest wilderness permit for the Onion Valley trailhead, 13 miles west of Independence. The trail climbs 2,600 feet from 9,100 feet at the road to 11,700 feet at the pass, then drops into Kings Canyon National Park and meets the John Muir Trail near Bullfrog Lake, 6.5 miles from the car. Inyo runs a different reservation system from Yosemite's. There is no lottery: 60% of each trail's quota is released six months in advance at 7 am Pacific, and the remaining 40% two weeks in advance on the same day of the week. A listing showing "NR" means the first 60% is gone and the second tranche has not dropped yet. Inyo publishes no daily quota figure for this trail in prose, so this page does not state one. What the forest does state is the season — quota season runs May 1 to November 1, and outside it permits are unlimited and bookable up to two weeks ahead.
Every JMT hiker who fails the Yosemite lottery ends up looking at this trailhead. Inyo National Forest's own description puts it plainly: the trail joins the John Muir Trail near Bullfrog Lake and is "a popular choice for going to the Rae Lakes area and this section of the John Muir Trail." It is also the standard resupply exit for southbound JMT hikers, who drop over the pass to Independence and climb back the next day.
The Experience
The road ends abruptly in a bowl at Onion Valley and the trail goes straight up the wall of it. You pass Little Pothole, then Gilbert, then Flower Lakes, each one a little smaller and colder than the last, and the trees give out somewhere around the third. At the pass the whole thing flips — the Owens Valley drops away behind you and Kings Canyon opens west in a wall of granite.
Inyo National Forest describes the route in one sentence worth reading twice: "The Kearsarge Pass trail begins at an elevation of 9,100 ft. at Onion Valley and climbs through forests and alpine tundra past several lakes including Big and Little Pothole, Gilbert, and Flower Lakes on the way to Kearsarge Pass at 11,700 ft." That is 2,600 feet of climbing on the east side, most of it in the open.
From the pass the trail crosses into Kings Canyon National Park and drops toward the Kearsarge Lakes basin, joining the John Muir Trail near Bullfrog Lake 6.5 miles from the car. Sequoia and Kings Canyon rules take over at the boundary and they are stricter than the forest's: no camping within a quarter mile of Bullfrog Lake, and a two-night limit at Charlotte and Kearsarge Lakes and along the JMT from Woods Creek Crossing to Vidette Meadow.
From the junction most people go one of two ways. North on the JMT takes you into the Rae Lakes country and the Rae Lakes Loop. South takes you toward Forester Pass, Crabtree and eventually Whitney — and if you plan to finish at Whitney Portal, Inyo requires the permit to name "Mt Whitney (Trail Crest Exit)" as the exit point, because Whitney Portal carries a separate exit quota.
What to Expect
6.5 miles from the trailhead to the John Muir Trail junction, per Inyo National Forest
2,600 feet of climbing on the east side, from 9,100 feet to an 11,700-foot pass
A staircase of lakes — Little Pothole, Gilbert, Flower — then open alpine tundra
A rule change at the crest: Sequoia and Kings Canyon camping restrictions replace forest ones
Heavy use, because this is the standard JMT access and resupply route from the east
A separate exit quota if you plan to finish at Whitney Portal
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Permit Requirements
Wilderness permit required year-round for overnight trips in the John Muir Wilderness
Maximum group size is 15 people; groups cannot combine to exceed 15
Bear-resistant container use is required in the Kearsarge Pass area
Camping within 100 feet of lakes, streams or trails is prohibited, and never within 50 feet
Campfires are prohibited in the Kearsarge Pass / Onion Valley area, including Golden Trout Lakes and Robinson Lake, and above 10,400 feet south of the Glacier Divide
Park rules apply once you cross into Kings Canyon: no camping within a quarter mile of Bullfrog Lake, two-night limits at Charlotte and Kearsarge Lakes and along the JMT from Woods Creek Crossing to Vidette Meadow
To finish a trip at Whitney Portal, the permit must specify the exit point "Mt Whitney (Trail Crest Exit)" — Whitney Portal has its own exit quota
Print the permit before 10 am on the entry date or the reservation is cancelled as a no-show
Bury waste six to eight inches deep and at least 100 feet from water, trails or campsites
Wheeled and mechanical devices including drones are prohibited; shortcutting switchbacks is prohibited
Gear & Preparation
Required Gear
- •A bear-resistant container — required in the Kearsarge Pass area, not optional
- •A stove, since campfires are prohibited throughout this area
- •Water treatment
- •Layers for an 11,700-foot pass, where afternoon weather turns fast
- •Sun protection for a mostly shadeless 2,600-foot climb
Recommended Gear
- •A California Campfire Permit, which Inyo requires to operate a stove
- •Trekking poles for the switchbacked climb and the descent back over the pass
- •Downloaded maps — Inyo warns most of the forest has no cell service
- •Printed permit, since printing is what stops the 10 am no-show cancellation
- •Bags for packing out toilet paper
Hazards & Safety
Altitude: the trailhead is already at 9,100 feet and the pass is at 11,700, with no gradual approach
Afternoon thunderstorms on an exposed alpine crossing
Snow on the pass early and late in the quota season
Bears at the trailhead and through the lakes basin — Inyo requires containers here for a reason
Onion Valley Road is a mountain road that climbs 13 miles from Independence and is usually closed by snow in winter
No cell service on most of the route
Best Time to Visit
Inyo's quota season runs May 1 through November 1, and that is roughly the usable window too. July through September is the reliable stretch: the pass is clear, the lakes are open, and the JMT traffic is at its peak. Outside quota season there is no limit on the number of permits and you can book up to two weeks ahead, but the pass carries snow and the road can be shut.
Pro Tips
Six months out at 7 am Pacific is the real release moment — mark the date your entry date minus six months
If you see "NR", set a second alarm for two weeks before entry on the same weekday as your entry date
Name "Mt Whitney (Trail Crest Exit)" at reservation time if you plan to finish at Whitney Portal; it cannot be improvised later
Print the permit before 10 am on your entry date or it is cancelled as a no-show
Sleep at Onion Valley the night before — 9,100 feet at the trailhead is already altitude
Cancel at least 12 full days out if plans change and the per-person fee comes back automatically
100+ wilderness permits, extensive backcountry experience
This guide is based on personal experience obtaining wilderness permits and is regularly updated to reflect current policies and strategies.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a Kearsarge Pass (JMT) permit?
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Kearsarge Pass (JMT) permits require advance reservations. Book online as soon as reservations open for your desired dates.
When is the best time to visit Kearsarge Pass (JMT)?
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Inyo's quota season runs May 1 through November 1, and that is roughly the usable window too. July through September is the reliable stretch: the pass is clear, the lakes are open, and the JMT traffic is at its peak. Outside quota season there is no limit on the number of permits and you can book up to two weeks ahead, but the pass carries snow and the road can be shut.
How difficult is Kearsarge Pass (JMT)?
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Backpackers heading for the Rae Lakes country or the southern John Muir Trail, and JMT hikers who want a realistic permit instead of a Yosemite lottery ticket.
What gear do I need for Kearsarge Pass (JMT)?
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Essential gear includes: A bear-resistant container — required in the Kearsarge Pass area, not optional, A stove, since campfires are prohibited throughout this area, Water treatment, Layers for an 11,700-foot pass, where afternoon weather turns fast, Sun protection for a mostly shadeless 2,600-foot climb.
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