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Yosemite Rafferty Creek to Vogelsang permit
Wilderness permit for overnight camping starting from the Rafferty Creek to Voge...
Yosemite Wilderness Permit — Cathedral Lakes
Yosemite National Park · California
Each entry point carries its own quota
Wilderness permit for overnight camping starting from the Cathedral Lakes trailhead in Yosemite National Park.
70% of the openings our scanner caught on Cathedral Lakes were gone within 10 minutes.
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Cathedral Lakes Quick Facts
Permit RequiredYes
Booking MethodReservation
Demand LevelExtremely High9/10
SeasonJune 18 - October 14
Cost$10 per application + $5 per person if awarded
Daily Quota25 people
Max Group Size15 people
Cathedral Lakes Permit Facts
- As of September 2026, Cathedral Lakes in Yosemite National Park, California requires a permit issued via reservation.
- Cathedral Lakes is one of the most competitive permits in the United States, rating 9/10 on PermitSnag's demand index.
- The permit season for Cathedral Lakes runs June 18 through October 14.
- The Cathedral Lakes route covers 7 miles with 1,000 feet of elevation gain, rated moderate.
- Cancelled Cathedral Lakes permits are re-released on the booking system; PermitSnag monitors availability and alerts watchers when dates open.
Key Information
Key Dates
Lottery OpensWeekly lottery, 24 weeks before entry
SeasonJune 18 - October 14
Permit Details
TypeOvernight
Booking MethodReservation
Demand Level9/10
LocationCathedral Range, Sierra Nevada, CA
Pro Tips
- •Put eight options on one application — the lottery lets you mix dates, trailheads and group sizes, and Cathedral alone is a thin bet
- •Set an alarm for 7 am Pacific exactly seven days before your date; that is when the remaining 10 of the 25 daily spots drop
- •Rent the bear canister when you pick up the permit rather than hauling one from home
- •Bring a stove — campfires are illegal in both Cathedral Lake basins, not just discouraged
- •Watch the Tioga Road status before you buy plane tickets; a closed road voids the permit with no refund
- •Camp at the lakes and you get the basin to yourself before about 8 am, after the day-hikers have gone home and before the next wave arrives
What to Expect
Route Details
Distance
7 miles
Elevation Gain
1,000 ft
Route Type
Out & Back
Duration
2-3 days
Difficulty
ModerateElevation Range
8,570 - 9,609 ft
Highlights
- •7.6 miles round trip and 1,000 feet of gain; NPS estimates 6 to 7 hours as a day hike
- •A steady forest climb that opens onto granite, with Cathedral Peak in view most of the way
- •A 0.7-mile spur near the top of the climb down to Lower Cathedral Lake; the main trail continues to Upper Cathedral Lake
- •Heavy day-hiker and JMT through-hiker traffic — NPS notes the trail "sees high traffic all season"
- •No toilet and no drinking water at the trailhead; food lockers are there
- •You cannot camp within four trail miles of Tuolumne Meadows, so the lakes are effectively the first legal camp
Best Time to Visit
The Tuolumne Meadows reservation season runs June 18 through October 14 in 2026, and outside that window this trailhead is first-come, first-served with no fee. Tioga Road usually opens late May or early June and closes with the first real snow. Late June and July bring wildflowers and mosquitoes; September gives you cold nights, thin crowds and the most stable weather of the year.
Hazards & Considerations
- !Afternoon thunderstorms, most common June through September, with very little cover once you are on open granite
- !Bears are active and food-motivated; anything scented has to live in the canister
- !Cold nights above 9,000 feet — Yosemite warns that high country temperatures run significantly cooler than the rest of the park
- !Tioga Road closes for winter and after the first significant snowfall; if the road is closed your permit is not valid and there is no refund
- !Overnight parking on Tioga Road ends October 15, including this trailhead's lot
Weather Forecast
Trailhead (5,000 ft)
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Backcountry Tips
- UV index 8. High altitude sun is intense—sunscreen and hat essential.
Today
⛅
62°
44°
Sun
⛅
57°
44°
Mon
☁️
66°
41°
Tue
☀️
66°
38°
Wed
☀️
68°
39°
Thu
☀️
71°
45°
Fri
☀️
74°
47°
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 Recreation.gov account
Sign up at Recreation.gov 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.
When to Go
Peak: July-AugustShoulder: Late June and September
Conditions
Tioga Road is usually still closed. Yosemite's high country holds snow into June and the trailhead is unreachable by car.
Crowd Level
LowAdvantages
- +No reservation and no fee outside the June 18 to October 14 window
- +Genuine solitude if you can get there
Challenges
- !Tioga Road closed, so no vehicle access
- !Snow cover and winter conditions
- !A permit is still required and quotas still apply
Difficulty Assessment
Physical Demand2/5
Fitness and endurance required
Technical Skill1/5
Climbing, scrambling, or specialized skills
Exposure Risk1/5
Steep dropoffs and fall potential
Navigation1/5
Route finding and trail clarity
Commitment2/5
Difficulty of bailing out mid-route
Best For
First-time Sierra backpackers who want alpine scenery without a punishing walk in, and anyone starting a longer JMT trip from Tuolumne Meadows.
Recommended Experience
None beyond basic backpacking. You need to know how to pack a bear canister and how to camp legally 100 feet off water and trail.
Not Recommended For
Anyone unprepared for cold nights above 9,000 feet, or hoping for solitude — this is one of the busiest stretches of trail in the park.
About This Permit
Cathedral Lakes is a Yosemite wilderness permit for the trailhead of the same name on Tioga Road, at the west end of Tuolumne Meadows. NPS rates its permit demand "Very High" and gives the trail as 7.6 miles round trip with 1,000 feet of gain — short enough that most of the competition is for the destination rather than the mileage.
The daily quota is 25 people, released the way every Yosemite trailhead is: 15 through the weekly lottery 24 weeks out, and the remaining 10 seven days in advance at 7 am Pacific. The park is direct about the rest: "No permits are set aside for walk-ups."
The trail is on the John Muir Trail almost immediately, so this permit also functions as the low-effort entry to the Cathedral Range, Sunrise Lakes, and the 22-mile JMT descent to Yosemite Valley.
The Experience
Why It Matters
NPS rates permit demand for this trailhead "Very High," and the reason is geography rather than hype. The trail leaves Tioga Road on the west side of Tuolumne Meadows and is on the John Muir Trail within a couple of miles, which makes it the cheapest entry in the park to the high country. From the lakes you can keep going to Long Meadow, Sunrise High Sierra Camp and Sunrise Lakes, or turn south-west and walk the JMT 22 miles down to Yosemite Valley, mostly downhill.
The Route
NPS puts the round trip at 7.6 miles with 1,000 feet of gain and a 6 to 7 hour day-hike estimate, so as a backpacking trip this is a short walk in and a lot of time at the lakes. Parking is along Tioga Road on the west side of Tuolumne Meadows, and the trail heads south from the road. Overnight parking with food storage is also available at the Tuolumne Meadows Visitor Center.
The climb is continuous but never steep. The spur to Lower Cathedral Lake breaks off near the top of the climb and runs 0.7 mile one way; the main trail continues to Upper Cathedral Lake. Both basins are closed to campfires, and Yosemite's four-mile rule means you cannot camp within four trail miles of Tuolumne Meadows, so plan where you stop before you leave the car.
Beyond the lakes you are on the John Muir Trail with real options: Long Meadow and Sunrise High Sierra Camp to the south, Sunrise Lakes to the west, or the full 22 miles down the JMT to Yosemite Valley, which NPS notes is "mostly downhill" in that direction and more than 5,600 feet of climbing in reverse.
The Feeling
You leave the road in lodgepole forest and climb steadily, and the granite keeps interrupting the trees until the trees give up. Cathedral Peak stands off to the left the whole way. Near the top of the climb a spur drops 0.7 mile to Lower Cathedral Lake in its granite bowl; the main trail carries on to Upper Cathedral Lake right under the peak. Both sit above 9,000 feet, which means the nights are cold in July and the sky is very dark.
Trailhead Information
Cathedral Lakes Trailhead
On Tioga Road at the west side of Tuolumne Meadows. The trail heads south from the road.
Restrooms
No water
Parking
Parking is along Tioga Road on the west side of Tuolumne Meadows. Overnight parking with food storage is also available at the Tuolumne Meadows Visitor Center. Overnight parking on Tioga Road ends October 15.
Getting There
Reachable only when Tioga Road is open, typically late May or early June through sometime in October or November. Tioga Road closes after the first significant snowfall, and if the road is closed your permit is not valid and there is no refund.
Nearest Services
Tuolumne Meadows. Permits are issued at the Tuolumne Meadows Wilderness Center, open 8 am to 5 pm.
Rules & Regulations
- •Wilderness permit required for any overnight stay in the Yosemite Wilderness, year-round
- •Maximum group size is 15 people, or 8 for cross-country travel more than a quarter mile off trail
- •Allowed bear-resistant canisters are required everywhere in the Yosemite Wilderness; hanging or counterbalancing food is not legal
- •Camp at least 100 feet from any water source and any trail, and at least four trail miles from Tuolumne Meadows
- •Campfires are prohibited above 9,600 feet and specifically in the Upper and Lower Cathedral Lake basins
- •Bear spray is not allowed in Yosemite
- •Bury human waste 4 to 6 inches deep and at least 100 feet from water, trails and camps; pack out toilet paper
- •Pick the permit up in person at a wilderness center the day before or the day of your start; after 11 am on the start date you must have held it for late arrival
- •Pets, wheeled vehicles, motorized equipment and drones are prohibited in wilderness
Gear Checklist
Required
- An allowed bear-resistant canister — this is a rule, not a suggestion, and rentals are available at wilderness permit stations
- Water filter, treatment or a stove to boil with
- A stove, since campfires are banned in both Cathedral Lake basins
- Warm layers for nights above 9,000 feet, including in midsummer
- Sun protection for long stretches of open granite
Recommended
- Head net and repellent for the early-summer mosquito weeks
- A topographic map — this is a junction-heavy stretch of the JMT
- Rain shell for afternoon thunderstorms
- Trowel and a bag for packing out toilet paper
- Camp shoes, because the granite is hard on feet
Plan Your Trip
🎒
Gear Checklist
Required and recommended gear for Cathedral Lakes
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Shuttle Services
Trailhead transportation options
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Guide Services
Experienced wilderness guides
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Key Landmarks
↑
1,000ft
Gain↓
1,000ft
Loss⛰️
9,609ft
High📏
3.8mi
Distance📐
5%
Avg GradeClick on a marker to view details•5 landmarks
Landmarks (5)
Cathedral Lakes FAQ
How many Cathedral Lakes wilderness permits are issued per day?
25 people a day. NPS splits that the same way it splits every trailhead: 15 are reservable by lottery 24 weeks in advance, and the other 10 go first-come, first-served seven days in advance at 7 am Pacific. Nothing is held back for walk-ups — the park says plainly that "no permits are set aside for walk-ups."
How do you get a Cathedral Lakes wilderness permit?
Through Yosemite's weekly wilderness lottery on Recreation.gov, 24 weeks before your entry date. The application period runs Sunday through Saturday and you can list up to eight options — any mix of dates, trailheads and group sizes — on one application. Only one person per travelling group may apply; groups that apply together get pulled from the lottery.
What if you miss the Cathedral Lakes lottery?
Two more shots, both real. Leftovers from each week's lottery go first-come, first-served on the Friday after that application period closes. Then the other 40% of the quota — 10 people a day here — is released seven days before the entry date at 7 am Pacific. A trailhead that has looked full all summer opens up one week out.
What are the odds of getting a Cathedral Lakes permit?
Nobody publishes them. Yosemite releases its wilderness lottery statistics as chart images with no figures in the page text, so the park states no success rate for this or any other wilderness trailhead, and any percentage you see quoted is somebody's estimate rather than an NPS number. What NPS does publish is a demand rating of "Very High" and the release schedule, which is the part you can actually act on.
How much does a Cathedral Lakes wilderness permit cost?
$10 per application, plus $5 per person if you get the permit. Both are non-refundable. From roughly November through April, when the trailhead is outside the reservation season, permits are available at permit stations with no reservation and no fee — though Tioga Road is closed then.
Is a bear canister required at Cathedral Lakes?
Yes. Allowed bear-resistant canisters are required for food storage in every area of the Yosemite Wilderness, and the park is explicit that "hanging, counter balancing, or guarding food, trash or scented items is not legal." Food means more than food: drinks, trash, sunscreen, toothpaste, medication and tobacco all go in the canister. You can rent one at any wilderness permit station.
Where can you camp on the Cathedral Lakes permit?
Anywhere legal, which rules out more than people expect. You must be at least four trail miles from Tuolumne Meadows, at least 100 feet from water and trail, and on durable ground rather than vegetation or meadow. Campfires are banned above 9,600 feet and specifically in both the Upper and Lower Cathedral Lake basins, so bring a stove.
When is Cathedral Lakes accessible?
Reservations run June 18 through October 14 in 2026. The binding constraint is Tioga Road, which typically opens late May or early June and closes after the first significant snowfall. If you hold a reservation and the road is shut, Recreation.gov's own warning applies: your permit is not valid and there is no refund.
👥Community
Trail Conditions
No active conditions reported
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Photography Guide
Golden Hour
Cathedral Peak catches first and last light from the lakes. Upper Cathedral Lake sits directly under the peak, so sunrise from its shore puts the spire above still water.
Best Light
Late afternoon from Lower Cathedral Lake — the open granite bowl faces the peak, and the low sun raking across the slabs shows the glacial polish that midday light flattens out.
Beat the Crowds
The trail carries day hikers and JMT traffic all season. Overnighting is the whole advantage: day-hikers turn around by late afternoon, and everything before about 8 am belongs to whoever camped.
Classic Shots
- 📍Cathedral Peak reflected in Upper Cathedral Lake at first light
- 📍The open granite apron and lake basin at Lower Cathedral Lake in late afternoon
- 📍Cathedral Peak from the John Muir Trail where the forest opens on the climb
- 📍Echo Peak and the Cathedral Range from the ridge above the lakes
- 📍Climbers on Cathedral Peak's spire, shot long from the lakeshore
Can't Get a Cathedral Lakes Permit?
Consider these alternatives if your preferred dates aren't available.
Sunrise Lakes (no Donohue Pass)
Same AreaThe other side of the same basin, from Tenaya Lake. NPS gives it 6.8 miles round trip and 1,100 feet of gain, and it is the standard way to Clouds Rest.
Permit required
Tradeoffs
A smaller daily quota — 9 by lottery plus 6 released a week out, against Cathedral's 15 plus 10 — but a different applicant pool, and it reaches Sunrise High Sierra Camp from the west.
Rafferty Creek to Vogelsang
Similar ExperienceAlso from Tuolumne Meadows, 14.4 miles round trip and 1,600 feet of gain into the high lakes and peaks around Vogelsang.
Permit required
Tradeoffs
Twice the mileage and less famous, so permits come easier: 12 by lottery plus 8 a week out. Flush toilets at the trailhead, which Cathedral does not have.
Lyell Canyon (Donohue Pass eligible)
Same AreaThe other Tuolumne Meadows entry onto the John Muir Trail, and the only one that lets you walk south out of the park over Donohue Pass.
Permit required
Tradeoffs
A bigger quota at 30 people a day, but flat canyon walking rather than an alpine basin, and the Donohue eligibility draws every JMT hiker in the country.
Glen Aulin
Easier AlternativeNorth-west from Tuolumne Meadows down the Tuolumne River — 12.6 miles round trip, 750 feet of gain, past the waterfalls at the head of the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne.
Permit required
Tradeoffs
NPS rates demand High rather than Very High, and the quota is 15 plus 10. You trade the Cathedral Range for river and waterfall country.
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Where to Stay
Nearby campgrounds to complete your Cathedral Lakes trip
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