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SEKI Wilderness Permit — Lodgepole — High Sierra Trail
Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks · California
Each entry point carries its own quota
Wilderness permit for Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks via Lodgepole — High Sierra Trail.
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High Sierra Trail Quick Facts
Permit RequiredYes
Booking MethodReservation
Demand LevelExtremely High9/10
SeasonMay 22 - September 26
Cost$15 per permit + $5 per person
Daily Quota30 people
Max Group Size15 people
High Sierra Trail Permit Facts
- As of September 2026, High Sierra Trail in Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, California requires a permit issued via reservation.
- High Sierra Trail is one of the most competitive permits in the United States, rating 9/10 on PermitSnag's demand index.
- The permit season for High Sierra Trail runs May 22 through September 26.
- The High Sierra Trail route covers 72.2 miles, rated strenuous.
- Cancelled High Sierra Trail permits are re-released on the booking system; PermitSnag monitors availability and alerts watchers when dates open.
Key Information
Key Dates
SeasonMay 22 - September 26
Permit Details
TypeOvernight
Booking MethodReservation
Demand Level9/10
LocationGreat Western Divide, Sierra Nevada, CA
Pro Tips
- •There is no lottery here — set a calendar reminder for six months before your entry date and book on the rolling window
- •Reserve the High Sierra Trail entry point specifically; an Alta Trail permit is void between Seven Mile Hill and Kaweah Gap and the entry point cannot be changed later
- •Camp at Nine Mile Creek on night one instead of Bearpaw Meadow to get out of phase with the standard itinerary
- •Fill up at Guitar Lake; there is no reliable water between there and Trail Camp on the east side
- •Arrange a hold with the wilderness office if you cannot reach Lodgepole by 10 am on your entry date
- •Sort the shuttle before the permit — the two ends are 72 miles apart across a mountain range
- •Request an alternate parking area through the reservation comment box at least 7 days ahead if Crescent Meadow does not suit
What to Expect
Route Details
Distance
72.2 miles
Route Type
Point to Point
Duration
6-10 days
Difficulty
StrenuousHighlights
- •72.2 miles from Crescent Meadow to Whitney Portal, or 49 miles to the John Muir Trail junction
- •Kaweah Gap at 10,700 feet at mile 20, the crossing of the Great Western Divide
- •A minimum of 6 days one way, or 10 days round trip, per NPS
- •Heavy use — the park says "due its popularity, expect to see many people"
- •Designated-site camping at Bearpaw Meadow and a one-night limit at Hamilton Lakes
- •A permit pickup in person at the Lodgepole Visitor Center, from 1 pm the day before
Best Time to Visit
The 2026 quota season runs May 22 through September 26, and the trail is best in the second half of it. Early season means dangerous creek crossings and snow at Kaweah Gap; late July through mid-September gives passable crossings, an open Whitney summit and stable weather. Outside quota season permits are self-issue with no limit and no fee, but the high country is in winter condition.
Hazards & Considerations
- !Hazardous creek crossings early in the summer; SEKI tells hikers to check conditions when picking up the permit
- !Heat and no shade along the bottom of the Kern Canyon in the middle of the day
- !Lightning above treeline at Kaweah Gap and on the Whitney summit plateau; the 1909 summit hut conducts strikes and is not a shelter
- !Altitude, which SEKI notes can begin above 8,000 feet and is treated by descending
- !No reliable water between Guitar Lake and Trail Camp on the east side
- !Discretionary search and rescue — SEKI states rescuer safety comes first and expects self-reliance
- !Marmots at the pack-cache point below the summit spur
Weather Forecast
Trailhead (5,000 ft)
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View full NWS forecast →Mountain weather changes rapidly. This forecast is a guide—always be prepared for worse conditions.
How to Get This Permit
1
Create a National Park Service account
Sign up at National Park Service if you don't have an account. Have your payment info ready.
2
Know the release schedule
Permits typically release on a rolling basis. Check the specific release time for your desired dates.
3
Be ready when permits drop
Log in a few minutes early. Have your dates, group size, and payment ready to go.
4
Monitor for cancellations
If your dates are sold out, people cancel all the time. Set up PermitSnag alerts to catch openings instantly.
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When to Go
Peak: July-SeptemberShoulder: Late May and June
Conditions
Quota season opens May 22, but creek crossings are at their most dangerous and Kaweah Gap holds snow.
Crowd Level
LowAdvantages
- +Quota rarely binding this early
- +Full waterfalls on the Kaweah side
Challenges
- !Hazardous creek crossings — SEKI says to check conditions at permit pickup
- !Snow at Kaweah Gap and on the Whitney approach
- !Whitney summit likely still a technical proposition
Difficulty Assessment
Physical Demand5/5
Fitness and endurance required
Technical Skill1/5
Climbing, scrambling, or specialized skills
Exposure Risk3/5
Steep dropoffs and fall potential
Navigation2/5
Route finding and trail clarity
Commitment5/5
Difficulty of bailing out mid-route
Best For
Experienced backpackers who want a full trans-Sierra traverse and a Whitney summit without entering a lottery, and who can carry six or more days of food.
Recommended Experience
Multi-day self-supported backpacking with long food carries, and comfort at altitude — the route finishes above 14,000 feet after a week on the trail.
Not Recommended For
Anyone hoping for a short Whitney trip, anyone without a shuttle plan for the 72-mile point-to-point, and early-season parties uncomfortable with hazardous creek crossings.
About This Permit
The High Sierra Trail entry point covers trips starting from Crescent Meadow or Wolverton and travelling east on the High Sierra Trail. NPS is specific about the boundary: an Alta Trail permit is not valid for the segment between Seven Mile Hill and Kaweah Gap, so this is the permit you need for the route proper.
The daily quota is 30 people with 20 reservable, and there is no lottery. SEKI runs a rolling window — reservations open six months before the entry date and close one week before it, and unused reservable quota is released to the walk-up pool at the permit station.
The 2026 quota season runs May 22 through September 26. Outside that window permits are self-issue at visitor centers with no daily limit and no fee. Permits for this entry point are issued in person at the Lodgepole Visitor Center, from 1 pm the day before entry.
The Experience
Why It Matters
The High Sierra Trail is the west-side answer to Mount Whitney, and NPS treats it as a distinct thing rather than a variant: "a dramatic trans-Sierra route that crosses the Great Western Divide, drops to the Kern Canyon, and ultimately leads to Mount Whitney." It reaches the John Muir Trail 49 miles from Crescent Meadow, and the summit 13 miles after that. The quota is 30 people a day with 20 reservable, and there is no lottery — which makes it the most gettable permit to Whitney of any on this list.
The Route
NPS's own day-by-day breaks the trail into recognizable pieces. Day one runs 11.4 miles from Crescent Meadow to Bearpaw Meadow, mostly level, past Eagle View and across the burn from the 1980 Buckeye Fire. Day two climbs into the Divide — Lone Pine Creek at 13.1 miles, Big Hamilton Lake at 16.6, then the switchbacks past the wreckage site of a suspension bridge an avalanche tore out in 1937, through Hamilton Gorge on a ledge and tunnel the CCC cut the following summer, past Precipice Lake, and over Kaweah Gap at 10,700 feet at mile 20.
The middle of the trail is the Kern. From Big Arroyo Junction at 22.5 miles the route climbs to the Chagoopa Plateau and then drops down steep rocky switchbacks into the Kern Trench. Kern Hot Springs at 36.8 miles has a cement bathtub fed by a 115°F spring a few feet from the cold river. From there the trail runs north up a canyon that follows the Kern Canyon fault for about 25 miles, hot and dry in the middle of the day, to Junction Meadow at 42 miles.
The last stretch climbs out of the canyon to the John Muir Trail junction at 48.9 miles, Crabtree Meadow at 53.1, and Guitar Lake at 56.6 — the last campsite with water before the summit. Over Trail Crest, down 100 switchbacks to Trail Camp, and out at Whitney Portal, 72.2 miles from Crescent Meadow.
The Feeling
Half a mile of fir and sugar pine and the occasional sequoia, then the trail comes out on a south-facing slope at Eagle View and stays out. You spend the next two days walking a ledge across the head of a canyon with the Great Western Divide filling the horizon, and then you climb straight into it: switchbacks under the Angel Wings, a tunnel the CCC blasted in 1938, and Precipice Lake sitting frozen under Eagle Scout Peak in July.
Trailhead Information
Crescent Meadow
The main High Sierra Trail trailhead, on the southeast edge of the Giant Forest in Sequoia National Park.
Restrooms
No water
Parking
Parking is available at Crescent Meadow or Wolverton. Backpackers holding a wilderness permit may access the Crescent Meadow trailhead 24 hours a day, even when it is closed to normal traffic. Use the comment box on the reservation to request an alternate parking area at least 7 days ahead.
Getting There
From Visalia, take CA-198 east to the Ash Mountain entrance station and continue 16 miles to Giant Forest. Vehicles over 22 ft are not advised; in summer approach via Grant Grove and the Generals Highway. Shuttle service may be available.
Nearest Services
Permits for this entry point are issued at the Lodgepole Visitor Center, from 1 pm the day before entry. Three Rivers is the nearest town outside the park.
Wolverton
The alternate parking and starting point for the High Sierra Trail entry point, joining the route above Crescent Meadow.
Restrooms
No water
Parking
Named by the park as an alternative to Crescent Meadow for High Sierra Trail parties.
Getting There
Reached from the Generals Highway near Lodgepole, closer to the visitor center where the permit is issued.
Nearest Services
Lodgepole Visitor Center, which issues permits for this entry point.
Rules & Regulations
- •A High Sierra Trail permit is required between Seven Mile Hill and Kaweah Gap; an Alta Trail permit is not valid there
- •Maximum party size is 15 on trail and 12 off trail, dropping to 8 off trail on Mt. Whitney and in the Whitney and Crabtree Creeks area
- •Camp only in designated sites at Bearpaw Meadow — not at the Bearpaw High Sierra Camp or the ranger station
- •One night camping limit at Hamilton Lakes; two nights in the Crabtree and Whitney Creek area and at Guitar Lake; no camping at Timberline Lake or in the Mt. Whitney shelter
- •Camp further than 100 ft from water where possible and never within 25 ft; camping within 100 ft is allowed only in well-established sites
- •Store food in an allowed animal-resistant container, an animal-resistant box, or by counter-balance hanging; where there are no boxes or trees you must use a portable container
- •Fires are prohibited above 9,000 ft in the Kaweah and Tule River drainages and at Hamilton Lakes, and above 10,000 ft in the Kern River drainage
- •Pets are prohibited; wheeled vehicles and motorized equipment are prohibited; caching food or equipment is prohibited
- •Bury human waste at least 6 inches deep and 100 ft from trails, camps and water, and pack out used toilet paper
- •Permits are issued in person only, from 1 pm the day before entry; arrange a hold if you cannot arrive by 10 am on the entry date or the reservation is released to walk-ups
- •An entrance fee is required at all trailheads
Gear Checklist
Required
- An allowed animal-resistant food container — required wherever there are no food boxes or suitable trees
- A stove, given the campfire bans across most of the route's elevation bands
- Water treatment; SEKI's instruction is to boil, treat or filter
- A resupply-free food carry for 6 or more days, or a plan to exit at Whitney Portal
- Layers for a route that runs from the Giant Forest to 14,505 feet
Recommended
- Trekking poles for the steep rocky switchbacks into and out of the Kern Trench
- Bags for packing out toilet paper
- A satellite device you actually know how to operate — SEKI warns not to rely on one to summon help
- A shuttle or car plan for Whitney Portal, 72 miles and a mountain range from your car
- Something to swim in for Kern Hot Springs
Plan Your Trip
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Gear Checklist
Required and recommended gear for High Sierra Trail
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Key Landmarks
Crescent Meadow
Trailhead on the southeast edge of the Giant Forest. Backpackers with a wilderness permit may access it 24 hours a day, even when it is closed to normal traffic.
Bearpaw Meadow
First night for most parties. Camp only in the designated sites, not at the Bearpaw High Sierra Camp or ranger station.
Big Hamilton Lake
Beneath the Angel Wings. One night camping limit. Brook, rainbow and golden trout.
Precipice Lake
Under the north wall of Eagle Scout Peak, often frozen into mid-summer.
Kaweah Gap
The crossing of the Great Western Divide.
Kern Hot Springs
A cement tub fed by a 115°F spring beside the cold Kern River. Designated sites only, and they are heavily used.
John Muir Trail junction
Where the High Sierra Trail meets the JMT. NPS gives 49 miles from the starting point.
Guitar Lake
The last campsite with water before the summit. Two-night limit in the Crabtree and Whitney Creek area and at Guitar Lake.
Mount Whitney summit
14,505 ft (NAVD88). The summit spur leaves the main trail 100 yards below Trail Crest and runs 2.4 miles.
Whitney Portal
The eastern end of the traverse, 72.2 miles from Crescent Meadow.
High Sierra Trail FAQ
How long is the High Sierra Trail?
NPS gives two numbers, and both matter. It is 49 miles from Crescent Meadow to the junction with the John Muir Trail, and from there "about 13 more miles (21 km) to the summit of Mount Whitney." The full traverse from Crescent Meadow to Whitney Portal is 72.2 miles. The park calls for a minimum of 6 days one way, or 10 days round trip.
What is the High Sierra Trail daily quota?
30 people, of which 20 are reservable. The rest is held for walk-ups at the Lodgepole Visitor Center, and unused reservable quota is released to the walk-up pool as well. Bearpaw High Sierra Camp guests are exempt from the entry quota and fee if they stay overnight at the camp only; the quota and fees apply if they camp elsewhere.
How do you reserve a High Sierra Trail permit?
There is no lottery. SEKI uses a rolling window: reservations open six months before the entry date and can be made up to one week before it. For the 2027 season that window runs November 21, 2026 to March 25, 2027. The 2026 quota season itself is May 22 to September 26.
Do you need a High Sierra Trail permit or will the Alta Trail do?
You need the High Sierra Trail entry point. NPS states that "a High Sierra Trail permit is needed to access the High Sierra Trail between Seven Mile Hill and Kaweah Gap. A permit for the Alta Trail is not valid for travel on this segment." The park lists this among the most commonly confused entry points, and your entry point cannot be changed after you reserve.
How much does a High Sierra Trail permit cost?
$15 per wilderness permit, non-refundable, plus $5 per person which is refundable if you cancel more than a week before the entry date. Walk-up permits cost the same. A park entrance fee is required on top of that. SEKI says 80% of the fees fund projects in the parks.
Where can you camp on the High Sierra Trail?
Mostly where you like, with specific exceptions that catch people out. Bearpaw Meadow is designated sites only, and not at the Bearpaw High Sierra Camp or ranger station. Hamilton Lakes has a one-night limit. Guitar Lake and the Crabtree and Whitney Creek area have a two-night limit, Timberline Lake is closed to camping, and you cannot camp in the Mt. Whitney shelter.
When do you pick up a High Sierra Trail permit?
In person at the Lodgepole Visitor Center, from 1 pm the day before your entry date. There is no night drop. If you cannot get there by 10 am on your entry date, contact the wilderness office to hold the permit for late arrival, or the reservation is cancelled and your space goes to the walk-up pool.
Can you finish the High Sierra Trail at Whitney Portal?
Yes — the trail's east end is Whitney Portal, 72.2 miles from Crescent Meadow, and a SEKI permit is valid for continuous travel into Inyo National Forest. The logistics are the hard part: there is no road connection between the two ends inside the park, and the drive around is most of a day.
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Trail Conditions
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Photography Guide
Golden Hour
Evening on the ledge traverse above the Middle Fork, where the trail faces east across the canyon and the Great Western Divide catches the last of the light.
Best Light
Midday at Precipice Lake, when the ice and the dark north wall of Eagle Scout Peak have enough light to separate. NPS notes the lake often stays frozen into mid-summer.
Beat the Crowds
NPS says outright to expect many people. The pressure is front-loaded: Bearpaw Meadow and Hamilton Lakes are where everyone's day one and day two land. Shift the schedule by camping at Nine Mile Creek on night one, which NPS lists at 8.8 miles for hikers taking a more leisurely trek, and you are out of phase with the rest of the trail for a week.
Classic Shots
- 📍Precipice Lake under the north wall of Eagle Scout Peak, frozen into mid-summer
- 📍The Angel Wings above the Hamilton Creek switchbacks
- 📍Big Hamilton Lake from the sweeping switchbacks north of it
- 📍Kaweah Gap at 10,700 feet, looking back across the Divide
- 📍The Kern Trench from the descent off the Chagoopa Plateau
- 📍Guitar Lake at dawn with Whitney's west face above it
Can't Get a High Sierra Trail Permit?
Consider these alternatives if your preferred dates aren't available.
Mt. Whitney Trail (Overnight) — Inyo National Forest
Similar ExperienceReach the same summit from the east in two or three days instead of six to ten, on Inyo's 60-person daily quota.
Permit required
Tradeoffs
Far shorter, but it goes through the February Mt Whitney Lottery, where the High Sierra Trail has no lottery at all.
Lakes Trail (Pear and Emerald Lakes)
Easier AlternativeThe short Lodgepole-area trip into Pear and Emerald Lakes, in designated sites, with a three-night combined limit.
Permit required
Tradeoffs
A few days rather than a week and no Whitney, but SEKI notes that camping at Emerald or Pear Lake on the first night requires the Lakes Trail entry point, which is walk-up only.
Rae Lakes Loop
Similar ExperienceThe other classic SEKI multi-day, a loop from Roads End in Kings Canyon over Glen Pass and down Woods Creek.
Permit required
Tradeoffs
A loop rather than a traverse, so no car shuttle. SEKI limits camping to one night per lake between Dollar Lake and Glen Pass and two nights in Paradise Valley.
Kearsarge Pass (JMT)
Similar ExperienceAn eastern entry onto the John Muir Trail 6.5 miles from the road, for the southern JMT stretch the High Sierra Trail joins.
Permit required
Tradeoffs
A different agency with a six-month and two-week release rather than SEKI's rolling window, and it skips the Great Western Divide and the Kern Canyon entirely.
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Where to Stay
Nearby campgrounds to complete your High Sierra Trail trip
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