How to Get a Woods Creek Permit
Mist Falls, Paradise Valley, and the easier clockwise direction around the Rae Lakes Loop.
Check Woods Creek permit availability25
People Per Day
NPS charges $15 each trip plus $5 per person within the quota season, paid on Recreation.gov permit 445857.
Permit Cost
3-5 days
Duration
strenuous
Difficulty
About Woods Creek
Cedar Grove - Woods Creek is a Sequoia and Kings Canyon wilderness entry point at Roads End, and the clockwise start for the Rae Lakes Loop. NPS publishes a 25-person daily quota for this entry point, of which 20 are reservable. The 2026 quota season runs May 22 to September 26, with reservations available six months to one week before the entry date and released daily at 7:00 AM Pacific. Outside that season, from September 27 2026 to May 20 2027, permits are free, self-issued and not subject to daily entry limits. NPS states this permit does not allow you to start the Rae Lakes Loop in the counter-clockwise direction, which requires the Bubbs Creek entry point instead.
NPS names Woods Creek as the entry point to start the popular Rae Lakes Loop in the easier clockwise direction, with access to the John Muir and Pacific Crest Trails at Woods Creek Crossing. It calls it a popular trail with many people at any given time, which is the honest description of the most-walked route in Kings Canyon.
The Experience
The first miles follow the South Fork Kings River past Mist Falls, which is loud and crowded and worth it. Above the falls Paradise Valley opens out flat and wide, and then the trail climbs all day up Woods Creek to the suspension bridge that everyone photographs.
From Roads End the trail runs up the South Fork Kings River past Mist Falls into Paradise Valley. NPS puts the first allowable camping 6.5 miles from Roads End at Lower Paradise Valley, where designated sites only are permitted.
Above Paradise Valley the trail climbs Woods Creek to the crossing, where the John Muir and Pacific Crest Trails come through. Turning south takes you into the Rae Lakes basin and over Glen Pass to close the loop down Bubbs Creek.
Camping limits: designated sites only in Lower Paradise Valley, a two-night limit for Paradise Valley, Charlotte Lake and Kearsarge Lakes, and no camping within a quarter mile of Bullfrog Lake.
What to Expect
A 25-person daily quota, of which 20 are reservable, per NPS
Permits issued at the Roads End Contact Station, with parking at Roads End
Mist Falls and Paradise Valley in the first 6.5 miles
First camping at Lower Paradise Valley, in designated sites only
A quota season of May 22 to September 26, 2026, with free self-issue permits outside it
Get Woods Creek Alerts
Be first to know when cancellations happen.
Permit Requirements
The first allowable camping is 6.5 miles from Roads End at Lower Paradise Valley
This permit does not allow you to start the Rae Lakes Loop in the counter-clockwise direction
Use designated sites only in Lower Paradise Valley
Park-allowed portable animal-resistant food storage containers are required May 1 to October 31 in the Bubbs and Woods Creek drainages
No camping within 0.25 miles of Bullfrog Lake
Two-night camping limit for Paradise Valley, Charlotte Lake and Kearsarge Lakes
Maximum group size is 15
Permits must be physically picked up and validated at a wilderness office
Gear & Preparation
Required Gear
- •A park-allowed portable animal-resistant food storage container, required May 1 to October 31 here
- •Water treatment
- •Sun protection for the exposed river section below Paradise Valley
- •Warm layers for the Rae Lakes basin
Hazards & Safety
Heat on the open river section between Roads End and Mist Falls
High water at Mist Falls in spring, where the rock beside it is slick
Bears through Paradise Valley, which is why containers are required
Afternoon storms above Woods Creek Crossing
Best Time to Visit
The quota season is May 22 to September 26 in 2026. Late May and June give the best Mist Falls flow. July and August are hot low down but clear on Glen Pass. September is the quietest month inside the quota season.
Pro Tips
Clockwise is the easier direction on the Rae Lakes Loop, and Woods Creek is the only way to start it
Six and a half miles before you can camp, so treat day one as a full day
Lower Paradise Valley is designated sites only, so arrive with time to find one
Five of the 25 daily spots are held back from reservations for walk-ups at Roads End
Reservations release daily at 7:00 AM Pacific, from six months to one week out
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 Woods Creek permit?
+
Woods Creek permits require advance reservations. Book online as soon as reservations open for your desired dates.
When is the best time to visit Woods Creek?
+
The quota season is May 22 to September 26 in 2026. Late May and June give the best Mist Falls flow. July and August are hot low down but clear on Glen Pass. September is the quietest month inside the quota season.
How difficult is Woods Creek?
+
Parties doing the Rae Lakes Loop clockwise, which is the easier direction, and anyone heading for the JMT at Woods Creek.
What gear do I need for Woods Creek?
+
Essential gear includes: A park-allowed portable animal-resistant food storage container, required May 1 to October 31 here, Water treatment, Sun protection for the exposed river section below Paradise Valley, Warm layers for the Rae Lakes basin.
Don't Miss Your Woods Creek Permit
Cancellations happen every day. PermitSnag monitors Woods Creek availability 24/7 and alerts you the moment a spot opens up.
Get Permit Alerts
