How to Get a Happy Isles to Past LYV Permit
Mile zero of the John Muir Trail, and one of only two Yosemite permits that will let you walk south out of the park.
Check Happy Isles to Past LYV permit availability15 people/day, no published rate
Lottery Odds
15
People Per Day
$10 per application + $5 per person if awarded
Permit Cost
3-4 days to Tuolumne Meadows, 2-3 weeks for the full John Muir Trail
Duration
22 miles
Distance
About Happy Isles to Past LYV
This is the Yosemite wilderness permit that starts the John Muir Trail at its northern terminus and is valid all the way out of the park. NPS issues Donohue Pass eligible permits for up to 45 people per day: 15 from this trailhead and 30 from Lyell Canyon. The daily quota here is 15 people, split the standard Yosemite way — 9 through the weekly lottery 24 weeks out, 6 released seven days in advance at 7 am Pacific. No permits are held for walk-ups. Two restrictions come with it. Your first night cannot be in Little Yosemite Valley, so plan to walk past the campground. And if you are hiking the JMT as one continuous trip, this single permit covers the whole thing — NPS is explicit that you need no Whitney stamp and no permits from other national forests or parks.
Yosemite caps the number of hikers leaving the park over Donohue Pass at 45 a day. Fifteen of those 45 belong to this trailhead; the other 30 go to Lyell Canyon. That exit quota, in place since 2015, is the single tightest constraint on hiking the JMT northbound-to-southbound, and this permit is the classic version of it — the one that starts at Happy Isles at 4,035 feet and ends 211 miles later on the summit of Mount Whitney.
The Experience
The first four miles are the busiest trail in the park and you walk them with three weeks of food on your back, past two waterfalls, in a crowd of day hikers in trainers. Then you pass Little Yosemite Valley — where this permit forbids you to stop — and the crowd is simply gone. By evening you are camped somewhere above Moraine Dome with the south face of Half Dome over your shoulder and the whole Sierra ahead.
The in-park leg runs 22 miles from Happy Isles to Tuolumne Meadows with 5,900 feet of gain. From the trailhead the John Muir Trail climbs past Vernal and Nevada Falls — the Mist Trail is the shorter, steeper alternative for the same stretch — and levels into Little Yosemite Valley at about four miles.
This is where this permit differs from every other Happy Isles permit. NPS states that for the Happy Isles to Past LYV trailhead "the first night's camp can not be in Little Yosemite Valley." You keep walking, past the Half Dome and Sunrise Creek junction, and camp beyond. Yosemite's four-trail-mile rule from Yosemite Valley is satisfied long before that, but the LYV restriction is specific to this permit.
Above LYV the trail climbs under the south face of Half Dome, through Sunrise Meadow, past Cathedral Peak and drops into Tuolumne Meadows. From there it is up Lyell Canyon and over Donohue Pass at 11,056 feet, the highest point on the PCT inside Yosemite and the park's southern boundary. Cross it and you are on Inyo National Forest with one permit still covering the whole trip — no Whitney stamp, no separate permits from other forests or parks.
What to Expect
22 miles and 5,900 feet of gain just to reach Tuolumne Meadows, before the trail even leaves the park
The busiest four miles in Yosemite, under a full multi-week pack
No camping in Little Yosemite Valley on the first night — this trailhead specifically forbids it
Donohue Pass at 11,056 feet as the park's southern boundary
One permit for the whole John Muir Trail if you hike it continuously
Half Dome eligible — add it at permit pickup for $10 per person
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Permit Requirements
Wilderness permit required for any overnight stay in the Yosemite Wilderness, year-round
First night's camp cannot be in Little Yosemite Valley on this trailhead's permit
Camping is not permitted between Yosemite Valley and Little Yosemite Valley, on top of Half Dome, or at Lost Lake
Maximum group size is 15 people, or 8 for cross-country travel more than a quarter mile off trail
Allowed bear canisters are required throughout Yosemite; hanging food is not permitted anywhere in the park and there are no exceptions for through-hikers
The permit is valid only for continuous travel — exiting the wilderness during the itinerary invalidates it. Crossing a road on foot and one night in the Tuolumne Meadows or White Wolf backpackers campground are the exceptions
Exiting the wilderness by passing through Yosemite Valley invalidates the permit
Half Dome permits for backpackers are added at pickup for $10 per person and are not valid for day hikers
Camping limit is 30 nights per calendar year in Yosemite, and 14 nights from May 1 to September 15
Bear spray is prohibited in Yosemite
Gear & Preparation
Required Gear
- •An allowed bear canister for the entire trip — rentable at any wilderness permit station, and a legal requirement rather than advice
- •Water treatment for the whole route
- •Cold-weather layers; Donohue Pass is at 11,056 feet and the high country runs far colder than the valley
- •A stove, since campfires are banned above 9,600 feet
- •Rain and wind shell for afternoon thunderstorms, most common June through September
Recommended Gear
- •A resupply plan — Yosemite Valley and Tuolumne Meadows post offices accept General Delivery packages, Tuolumne roughly mid-June to mid-September
- •Trekking poles for the loaded climb out of the valley
- •Grippy gloves if you are adding Half Dome
- •Maps for the sections beyond Yosemite; local rules change at every boundary
- •Bags for packing out toilet paper
Hazards & Safety
Afternoon thunderstorms across exposed high country, most common June through September
Snow on Donohue Pass into early summer, and hazardous stream crossings including the Lyell Fork of the Merced
Wet granite on the Mist Trail alternative below Nevada Fall
Bears everywhere on this corridor — the canister requirement is enforced
Altitude, with the pass at 11,056 feet only a few days after starting at 4,035
A blown itinerary: this permit is valid only for continuous travel, and stepping out of the wilderness voids it
Best Time to Visit
The Yosemite Valley reservation season runs April 24 through October 18 in 2026, but the JMT window is narrower than that. High passes hold snow into early July and stream crossings are dangerous while they do; September gives cold nights, shorter days and the most stable weather of the year. Ranger stations do not accept food packages, so build the trip around the post office windows instead.
Pro Tips
Apply for Lyell Canyon on the same application — it holds 30 of the 45 daily Donohue permits against this trailhead's 15
Plan the first night past the Half Dome junction; camping at Little Yosemite Valley is not allowed on this permit
Mail resupply to Tuolumne Meadows General Delivery marked "hold for hiker until [date]", or it goes back after 14 days
Add Half Dome at the permit counter for $10 a person instead of entering the March day-hiker lottery
Leave the car in Yosemite Valley or Tuolumne Meadows — long-term parking is free and needs no reservation
Do not break the trip by driving anywhere mid-itinerary; travel by vehicle at any point invalidates the permit
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 Happy Isles to Past LYV (Donohue Pass eligible) permit?
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Happy Isles to Past LYV (Donohue Pass eligible) permits require advance reservations. Book online as soon as reservations open for your desired dates.
When is the best time to visit Happy Isles to Past LYV (Donohue Pass eligible)?
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The Yosemite Valley reservation season runs April 24 through October 18 in 2026, but the JMT window is narrower than that. High passes hold snow into early July and stream crossings are dangerous while they do; September gives cold nights, shorter days and the most stable weather of the year. Ranger stations do not accept food packages, so build the trip around the post office windows instead.
How difficult is Happy Isles to Past LYV (Donohue Pass eligible)?
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John Muir Trail hikers who want the classic northbound-to-southbound start from Yosemite Valley, and long-distance backpackers comfortable carrying multi-week loads over 11,000-foot passes.
What gear do I need for Happy Isles to Past LYV (Donohue Pass eligible)?
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Essential gear includes: An allowed bear canister for the entire trip — rentable at any wilderness permit station, and a legal requirement rather than advice, Water treatment for the whole route, Cold-weather layers; Donohue Pass is at 11,056 feet and the high country runs far colder than the valley, A stove, since campfires are banned above 9,600 feet, Rain and wind shell for afternoon thunderstorms, most common June through September.
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