How to Get a Glen Aulin to Cold Canyon/Waterwheel Permit
The pass-through permit: same trail as Glen Aulin, but you are not allowed to stop there - you keep walking into the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne.
Check Glen Aulin to Cold Canyon/Waterwheel permit availability20
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
2-5 nights
Duration
strenuous
Difficulty
About Glen Aulin to Cold Canyon/Waterwheel
Glen Aulin to Cold Canyon/Waterwheel is the pass-through version of the Glen Aulin trailhead in Yosemite National Park. NPS issues it to parties who intend to camp beyond the Glen Aulin High Sierra Camp on their first night. NPS sets the daily quota at 20 people: 12 reservable by lottery 24 weeks in advance and 8 released first-come, first-served one week in advance. The rule that separates it from the standard Glen Aulin permit is explicit: you may not camp at the backpacker sites at Glen Aulin High Sierra Camp on your first night. NPS also lists Half Dome as unavailable with this trailhead. Reservations for the Tuolumne area run June 18 to October 14, 2026.
NPS runs Glen Aulin as two separate trailheads to keep the High Sierra Camp backpacker sites from filling with people who are only passing through. This permit is for parties heading beyond: down the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne, up Cold Canyon into the northern region of the park, or toward May Lake and Ten Lakes.
The Experience
You walk the same slabs and cascades everybody else does, and then you keep going past the camp while they set up. Below Glen Aulin the river drops through California Falls, LeConte Falls and Waterwheel Falls one after another, and the crowd is gone.
From Lembert Dome the trail follows the Tuolumne downstream. NPS puts Twin Bridges at 4.0 miles, Glen Aulin at 5.3 and Waterwheel Falls at 8.2.
The permit's defining rule is where you cannot sleep: NPS states you may not camp at the backpacker sites at Glen Aulin High Sierra Camp on your first night. Anything short of that is a different trailhead.
From there the options are long. NPS lists Pate Valley at 19.2 miles, May Lake at 12.5, Virginia Canyon at 12.7, Benson Lake at 29.5 and White Wolf at 28.7, which makes this a genuine gateway to the park's north country.
What to Expect
A daily quota of 20 people: 12 by lottery 24 weeks out, 8 released one week out
A first night that must be beyond Glen Aulin
Waterfall after waterfall below the camp, with Waterwheel Falls at 8.2 miles
Access on to Pate Valley, Virginia Canyon, May Lake and the north country
Vault toilets at the trailhead, parking at Lembert Dome
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Permit Requirements
You may not camp at the backpacker sites at Glen Aulin High Sierra Camp on your first night
Along the Tuolumne watershed, do all washing and waste disposal 300 feet from water
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
Half Dome is not available with this trailhead
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
- •Footwear that handles wet polished granite beside the cascades
- •A stove, since fires are prohibited above 9,600 feet
Hazards & Safety
Wet, polished granite alongside the falls, which is the main injury risk on this trail
A descent of thousands of feet into the Grand Canyon that has to be reclimbed
Heat in the canyon bottom in midsummer
Swift water through early-season runoff
Best Time to Visit
Reservations run June 18 to October 14 in 2026. Late June and July put the falls at full volume. September makes the canyon bottom bearable and the slabs dry.
Pro Tips
Book this one only if you genuinely intend to sleep past the camp - NPS enforces it
The falls below Glen Aulin are the whole point, so give yourself a full day for them
It is downhill in and uphill out, and the climb back is long
Pate Valley at 19.2 miles is the natural three-night objective
Eight of the twenty spots come out seven days ahead
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 to Cold Canyon/Waterwheel permit?
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Glen Aulin to Cold Canyon/Waterwheel permits require advance reservations. Book online as soon as reservations open for your desired dates.
When is the best time to visit Glen Aulin to Cold Canyon/Waterwheel?
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Reservations run June 18 to October 14 in 2026. Late June and July put the falls at full volume. September makes the canyon bottom bearable and the slabs dry.
How difficult is Glen Aulin to Cold Canyon/Waterwheel?
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Parties heading into the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne or the park's north country, with three or more days.
What gear do I need for Glen Aulin to Cold Canyon/Waterwheel?
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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, Footwear that handles wet polished granite beside the cascades, A stove, since fires are prohibited above 9,600 feet.
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