We monitor permit availability 24/7 so you don't have to. Here's the technical breakdown of how we help you snag permits before anyone else.
Select permits you want
Pro every minute, free hourly
Instant notification
Fast Lane to the permit page
Our monitoring system runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Here's what happens behind the scenes:
Scan frequency is what the paid plans buy. Pro and $19 single-permit watches are checked about every minute; free watches are checked hourly. That is 60x the frequency, and it is the difference between catching a cancellation and reading about it.
Permit systems like Recreation.gov have rate limits to prevent abuse. We've calibrated our scan frequency to be as fast as possible while staying within these limits. Going faster would risk getting blocked, which would hurt all our users.
When we detect a change in availability (a new opening, a cancellation, or quota changes), we immediately process the change and trigger alerts for all users tracking that permit. The entire process from detection to alert delivery typically takes under 10 seconds.
When a permit you're tracking becomes available, we notify you through multiple channels to maximize your chances of seeing the alert in time.
Instant push notifications to your iOS device. Opens directly to Fast Lane.
Text message alerts that work even without data. Includes booking link.
Detailed email with all permit details and direct booking link.
Not all alerts are created equal. We prioritize based on several factors:
70% of the openings our scanner caught on Enchantments Core Zone were gone within 10 minutes.
When seconds count, Fast Lane gives you an edge. Here's how it works:
Opens the exact permit page, not a search
The link carries the permit and, where the provider honors it, your entry date
Names what you have to pick
Group size, and the starting area or site that opened, so you are not hunting the grid
Saves the search
You skip finding the right permit page. You still complete the booking yourself
Fast Lane works by constructing a URL to the right permit page. We never store your Recreation.gov password, credit card, or any other payment information. You always complete the booking on the official site with your own account.
No. We give you the best possible chance by alerting you immediately when permits become available, but popular permits often get booked within seconds. Your success depends on how quickly you can complete the booking after receiving our alert.
PermitSnag monitors continuously, 24/7, across all your tracked permits. You'd have to refresh each permit page every few minutes, around the clock, to match our coverage. Plus, Fast Lane saves the search: it opens the exact permit page and names the starting area and site that opened.
PermitSnag checks availability the same way any browser does. We don't use bots to book permits or store your credentials. You complete the booking yourself on the official site.
Plans change. People get sick, schedules shift, or they decide to try for a different permit. Most cancellations happen close to the trip date when plans fall through.
Tools That Feel Human
Every feature is designed to get you from "maybe" to "booked" with less friction and fewer dead ends.
An Enchantments permit opens, you tap the alert, and you land on that permit's page on Recreation.gov. No hunting through tabs for the right page while everyone else races you.
Typical race window
Under 3 minutes
Goal
Open checkout first
If The Wave is closed, we suggest nearby permits like Coyote Buttes South. Your trip plan stays moving.
Read our cancellation-hunting tipsTrack timing for lotteries like JMT and Whitney, with calendar-ready reminders.
How permit systems and deadlines workPaid watches get checked more often around lottery drops, weather shifts, and busy weekends for places like Zion permits and holiday campsites.
Where We Fit
PermitSnag
Monitor permit and campsite cancellations, then move to checkout with minimal friction.
Wanderlog
Good for itinerary building and notes, but not designed for permit release timing or cancellation races.
Recreation.gov
Required for reservations, but manual refresh and fragmented discovery make hard permits easy to miss.
Explore coverage across National Parks, National Forests, California, Utah + BLM, and 7,087 campgrounds covering 278,634 campsites.
Browse all tracked permitsSet up your first permit alert in under 2 minutes.
Every permit on this list is sold a different way. Open one to see the form we watch it with.