Yosemite Wilderness Permits
Yosemite wilderness permits are required for every night you spend in the Yosemite Wilderness, all year. From spring to fall you reserve one on Recreation.gov for an entry trailhead and a start date. Sixty percent of each trailhead's daily quota goes out in a weekly lottery 24 weeks ahead, and the other 40% is released first come, first served seven days ahead at 7 am Pacific.
The weekly lottery takes applications Sunday to Saturday from mid-November to early May. Results come the next Monday, and winners accept and pay by Thursday. Space the lottery did not fill opens on Recreation.gov on the Friday 22 weeks ahead at 9 am Pacific, and later cancellations come back at once. Each application costs $10, plus $5 per person if you get a permit.
The table below lists all 52 Yosemite permits we track: the wilderness trailheads, plus Half Dome and the John Muir Trail, which have their own rules. Set an alert on any trailhead and PermitSnag tells you when a canceled spot opens.
Signature Experiences
The most sought-after permits in Yosemite
Half Dome
“Stand atop one of America's most iconic granite monoliths, 4,800 feet above Yosemite Valley floor.”
JMT Yosemite
“One Yosemite permit covers the whole 211-mile John Muir Trail, and only two trailheads in the park can issue it.”
Cathedral Lakes
“The shortest way into the Cathedral Range, and the one trailhead where the John Muir Trail starts at 8,600 feet instead of at the bottom of a 2,500-foot climb out of Yosemite Valley.”
Thru-Hikes & Long Trails
Epic multi-day traverses starting from Yosemite
Plan a Yosemite wilderness trip
The Yosemite permits people ask about most, and how each one is issued.
Half Dome permit
A separate lottery: preseason applications in March, plus a daily lottery during the season.
Half Dome lottery odds
What NPS published about the preseason and daily lottery results.
John Muir Trail permits
45 people a day may leave Yosemite over Donohue Pass, from two trailheads.
John Muir Trail lottery odds
What NPS does and does not publish about the Donohue Pass trailheads.
Happy Isles to Little Yosemite Valley permit
The most popular wilderness trip in the park, NPS says, and a Half Dome eligible trailhead.
Lyell Canyon (Donohue Pass eligible) permit
30 of the 45 daily Donohue Pass places, starting at Tuolumne Meadows.
Cathedral Lakes permit
A Tuolumne Meadows trailhead with 15 places by lottery and 10 one week out.
Yosemite wilderness permit guide
The weekly lottery, step by step.
Every Yosemite wilderness permit by trailhead
All 52 permits. Each trailhead is booked on Recreation.gov: the first 60% of its quota through the weekly lottery, the rest first come, first served.
| Permit | Trip type | How to book | Daily quota | Quota season | Lottery window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alder Creek permit | Overnight | Reservation | |||
| Aspen Valley (Hetch Hetchy) permit | Overnight | Reservation | |||
| Base Line Camp Road (Hetch Hetchy) permit | Overnight | Reservation | |||
| Beehive Meadows (Hetch Hetchy) permit | Overnight | Reservation | |||
| Bridalveil Creek permit | Overnight | Reservation | |||
| Cathedral Lakes permit | Overnight | Reservation | 25 people/day | June 18 to October 14 | |
| Chilnualna Falls permit | Overnight | Reservation | |||
| Cottonwood Creek (Hetch Hetchy) permit | Overnight | Reservation | |||
| Deer Camp permit | Overnight | Reservation | |||
| Glacier Point to Illilouette permit | Overnight | Reservation | 30 people/day | May 16 to October 14 | |
| Glacier Point to Little Yosemite Valley permit | Overnight | Reservation | 10 people/day | May 16 to October 14 | |
| Glen Aulin permit | Overnight | Reservation | 25 people/day | June 18 to October 14 | |
| Glen Aulin to Cold Canyon/Waterwheel permit | Overnight | Reservation | 20 people/day | June 18 to October 14 | |
| Half Dome permit | Day Use | Lottery | 225 people/day | Late May to October | Opens March 1, closes March 31 |
| Happy Isles to Illilouette permit | Overnight | Reservation | 5 people/day | April 24 to October 18 | |
| Happy Isles to Little Yosemite Valley permit | Overnight | Reservation | 25 people/day | April 24 to October 18 | |
| Happy Isles to Past LYV (Donohue Pass eligible) permit | Overnight | Reservation | 15 people/day | April 24 to October 18 | |
| John Muir Trail permit | Thru-Hike | Lottery | 45 people/day | Year-round permits, but Tioga Road typically opens mid to late June to Overnight parking prohibited on Tioga and Glacier Point Roads from October 15 | Opens 24 weeks before your entry date, Sunday 12:01 am, closes The following Saturday, 11:59 pm |
| Lukens Lake permit | Overnight | Reservation | |||
| Lukens Lake to Yosemite Creek permit | Overnight | Reservation | |||
| Lyell Canyon (Donohue Pass eligible) permit | Overnight | Reservation | 30 people/day | June 18 to October 14 | |
| Lyell Canyon (no Donohue Pass) permit | Overnight | Reservation | 10 people/day | June 18 to October 14 | |
| Mather Ranger Station (Hetch Hetchy) permit | Overnight | Reservation | |||
| May Lake permit | Overnight | Reservation | |||
| May Lake to Snow Creek permit | Overnight | Reservation | |||
| McGurk Meadow permit | Overnight | Reservation | |||
| Miguel Meadow (Hetch Hetchy) permit | Overnight | Reservation | |||
| Mirror Lake to Snow Creek permit | Overnight | Reservation | |||
| Mono Meadow permit | Overnight | Reservation | |||
| Mono/Parker Pass permit | Overnight | Reservation | |||
| Murphy Creek permit | Overnight | Reservation | |||
| Ostrander (Lost Bear Meadow) permit | Overnight | Reservation | |||
| Pohono Trail (Glacier Point) permit | Overnight | Reservation | |||
| Pohono Trail (Taft Point) permit | Overnight | Reservation | |||
| Poopenaut Valley (Hetch Hetchy) permit | Overnight | Reservation | |||
| Porcupine Creek permit | Overnight | Reservation | |||
| Rafferty Creek to Vogelsang permit | Overnight | Reservation | 20 people/day | June 18 to October 14 | |
| Rancheria Falls (Hetch Hetchy) permit | Overnight | Reservation | |||
| Smith Peak (Hetch Hetchy) permit | Overnight | Reservation | |||
| South Fork Tuolumne River permit | Overnight | Reservation | |||
| Sunrise Lakes (no Donohue Pass) permit | Overnight | Reservation | 15 people/day | June 18 to October 14 | |
| Tamarack Creek permit | Overnight | Reservation | |||
| Ten Lakes permit | Overnight | Reservation | 40 people/day | June 18 to October 14 | |
| Westfall Meadow permit | Overnight | Reservation | |||
| White Wolf Campground permit | Overnight | Reservation | |||
| White Wolf to Aspen Valley permit | Overnight | Reservation | |||
| White Wolf to Pate Valley permit | Overnight | Reservation | |||
| White Wolf to Smith Meadow permit | Overnight | Reservation | |||
| Yosemite Creek permit | Overnight | Reservation | |||
| Yosemite Falls permit | Overnight | Reservation | 25 people/day | April 24 to October 18 | |
| Young Lakes via Dog Lake permit | Overnight | Reservation | 20 people/day | June 18 to October 14 | |
| Young Lakes via Glen Aulin Trail permit | Overnight | Reservation | 10 people/day | June 18 to October 14 |
Every figure is agency-published.
Other California Areas
Explore more wilderness permits in the region
Permit guides for Yosemite
Yosemite Permit FAQ
Do I need a wilderness permit in Yosemite?
Yes, for any night in the Yosemite Wilderness, all year. That covers backpacking and overnight climbing. A day hike needs no wilderness permit, except Half Dome, which has its own permit.
How do I get a Yosemite wilderness permit?
Pick an entry trailhead and a start date, then apply on Recreation.gov. Sixty percent of each trailhead's quota goes out in the weekly lottery 24 weeks ahead. The other 40% is released first come, first served seven days ahead at 7 am Pacific. The trip leader or an alternate then picks up the permit in person at a wilderness center, the day before or the morning of the start.
When does the Yosemite wilderness permit lottery open?
Every week. Each lottery takes applications Sunday to Saturday for start dates 24 weeks out, from mid-November through early May. Results come on Monday and winners must accept and pay by Thursday. You may apply once per weekly lottery, with up to eight options on one application.
How much does a Yosemite wilderness permit cost?
$10 per application, plus $5 per person if you receive a permit. NPS says the fees are non-refundable. From about November through April, permits are issued at permit stations without a reservation or a fee.
How many people get a Yosemite wilderness permit each day?
Each trailhead has its own daily quota, counted in people. Cathedral Lakes, for example, has 15 places by lottery and 10 one week out, and Happy Isles to Little Yosemite Valley has the same. NPS sets no permits aside for walk-ups.
Can I get a Yosemite wilderness permit after the lottery?
Yes. Space the lottery did not fill opens on Recreation.gov on the Friday 22 weeks ahead, and NPS says later cancellations become available immediately. The 40% held back opens seven days ahead at 7 am Pacific. Set an alert on your trailhead and PermitSnag tells you when a canceled spot opens.
Which Yosemite wilderness permit do I need for the John Muir Trail?
For a southbound hike that starts in Yosemite, a permit marked Donohue Pass eligible. Only two trailheads carry it, and together they allow 45 people a day: 15 from Happy Isles past Little Yosemite Valley and 30 from Lyell Canyon. If you start outside Yosemite, the agency that manages your start trailhead issues your permit. NPS adds one exception: a route that leaves Yosemite over Donohue Pass also needs a Yosemite permit.