How to Get a Glen Aulin Permit
Five miles downstream to a camp at the top of the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne, then a day of doing nothing but walking to waterfalls.
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People Per Day
Recreation.gov permit 445859 lists a $10 reservation fee and a $5 per-person use fee, plus a $10 lottery registration fee for the weekly lottery.
Permit Cost
1-3 nights
Duration
moderate
Difficulty
About Glen Aulin
Glen Aulin is a Tuolumne Meadows wilderness trailhead in Yosemite National Park, following the Tuolumne River downstream to the Glen Aulin High Sierra Camp. NPS sets the daily quota at 25 people: 15 reservable by lottery 24 weeks in advance and 10 released first-come, first-served one week in advance. That is one of the larger Tuolumne quotas, which makes it a realistic target for a party that missed out elsewhere. The permit carries a hard first-night rule. You must camp at the established backpacker sites at Glen Aulin High Sierra Camp on your first night. NPS also notes Half Dome is not available with this trailhead, so a Half Dome day requires the separate day-use permit. Reservations for the Tuolumne area run June 18 to October 14, 2026.
NPS describes this trail as following the Tuolumne River to Glen Aulin High Sierra Camp, from where backpackers can day hike to the many waterfalls along the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne River downstream. It is the classic basecamp trip in Tuolumne: one moderate walk in, then a string of cascades you can reach with a daypack.
The Experience
The river does the work here. It slides across acres of bare granite, drops over Tuolumne Falls, and then stacks up waterfall after waterfall below the camp. Glen Aulin sits in a pocket of forest at the bottom of the descent, and the sound never lets up.
From the Lembert Dome parking area the trail follows the Tuolumne downstream over open slabs. NPS mileages put Twin Bridges at 4.0 miles and Glen Aulin at 5.3.
The permit is specific about the first night: you must camp at the established backpacker sites at Glen Aulin High Sierra Camp. Fires are allowed only in the established communal fire rings there. If your plan is to push past Glen Aulin on night one, that is a different trailhead entirely, the Glen Aulin to Cold Canyon/Waterwheel pass-through permit.
Once you are camped, the waterfalls are the point. NPS lists Waterwheel Falls at 8.2 miles from the trailhead, which makes it a straightforward day hike from camp and back.
What to Expect
A daily quota of 25 people: 15 by lottery 24 weeks out, 10 released one week out
A required first night at the Glen Aulin backpacker sites
Vault toilets at the trailhead per the NPS trailhead table
Bear lockers and communal fire rings at the Glen Aulin camp
Waterwheel Falls at 8.2 miles, reachable as a day hike from camp
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Permit Requirements
Camp at the established backpacker sites at Glen Aulin High Sierra Camp on your first night
Fires are permitted only in the established communal fire rings
Maximum group size is 15 people, or 8 for cross-country hiking more than a quarter mile off trail
Allowed bear-resistant food canisters are required throughout Yosemite Wilderness
Along the Tuolumne watershed, do all washing and waste disposal 300 feet from water
Half Dome is not available with this trailhead - it needs a separate day-use Half Dome permit
If Tioga Road is closed on your date the permit is not valid and there is no refund
Gear & Preparation
Required Gear
- •An allowed bear-resistant food canister - NPS says bears are active and have obtained food from backpackers here
- •Water treatment
- •A daypack for the waterfall walk below camp
- •Traction-friendly footwear for wet granite around the falls
Hazards & Safety
Wet, polished granite beside the cascades, which is where people slip
Swift water in the Tuolumne through early summer runoff
Active bears at the camp and in the Tuolumne parking areas
A 5.3-mile descent to camp that has to be reclimbed on the way out
Best Time to Visit
Reservations run June 18 to October 14 in 2026. The falls are at their loudest in late June and July when the Tuolumne is still high. By September the river has dropped and the slabs are dry and easy walking.
Pro Tips
Park at Lembert Dome - NPS names it for this trailhead specifically
It is downhill to camp and uphill home, so budget more time for the walk out than the walk in
Do the waterfall day hike early: the slabs get hot and the light goes flat by late morning
This is one of the larger Tuolumne quotas, so the seven-day release is a genuinely good shot
If you want to sleep beyond Glen Aulin on night one, you need the pass-through permit, not this one
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 Glen Aulin permit?
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Glen Aulin permits require advance reservations. Book online as soon as reservations open for your desired dates.
When is the best time to visit Glen Aulin?
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Reservations run June 18 to October 14 in 2026. The falls are at their loudest in late June and July when the Tuolumne is still high. By September the river has dropped and the slabs are dry and easy walking.
How difficult is Glen Aulin?
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Parties who want one moderate walk in and then a basecamp with waterfalls in every direction.
What gear do I need for Glen Aulin?
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Essential gear includes: An allowed bear-resistant food canister - NPS says bears are active and have obtained food from backpackers here, Water treatment, A daypack for the waterfall walk below camp, Traction-friendly footwear for wet granite around the falls.
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