Yosemite Wilderness Permit — Glacier Point to Little Yosemite Valley
Yosemite National Park · California
Glacier Point to Little Yosemite Valley starts on the rim and drops along the Panorama Trail to the one legal camp below Half Dome. Ten people a day can start here in 2026, the first night is fixed at Little Yosemite Valley, and the permit can add a Half Dome climb. It cannot be used for the John Muir Trail south.
Get an alert when Glacier Point to Little Yosemite Valley opens on your dates.
When it opens
- 24 weeks
- Lottery opens 24 weeks before your entry date, at 12:01 am Pacific60% of the quotaYou apply on Recreation.gov.
- 22 weeks
- First come, first served from 22 weeks before your entry date, at 9 am PacificYou book on the agency's site.
- 1 week
- First come, first served from seven days before your entry date, at 7 am Pacific, until three days before40% of the quotaYou book on Recreation.gov.
Source: recreation.gov, nps.gov
70% of the openings our scanner caught on Glacier Point to Little Yosemite Valley were gone within 30 minutes.
Glacier Point to Little Yosemite Valley reservation dates
We alert you to cancellations and the 7 am release. Your start day also sets your lottery week.
October 2026
- Your start date
- Same lottery week: one application covers all 7 days
- Outside the Yosemite Valley reservation season (Apr 24 to Oct 18)
YOUR START
Sunday, October 18, 2026
Your lottery week is the October 11 to 18 lottery. It opens 182 days before you start.
1 · APPLY
Sun, Apr 19, 2026 to Sat, Apr 25
Opens Sunday 12:01 am, closes Saturday 11:59 pm Pacific. Up to eight options on one application.
Passed for this start
2 · RESULTS, THEN ACCEPT
Mon, Apr 27
Results by 5 pm. Accept by Thu, Apr 30, 11:59 pm.
Passed for this start
3 · YOUR 7-DAY RELEASE
Sunday, October 11, 2026, 7:00 am PDT
The other 40% of the day's quota, first-come, first-served on Recreation.gov. Be logged in before 7.
Passed for this start
YOUR TIMELINE · LOTTERY WEEK, THEN THE LAST WEEK BEFORE YOU START
- SUN 12:01 AM · OPENSSun, Apr 19, 2026Applications open
- SAT 11:59 PM · CLOSESSat, Apr 25Applications close
- MON BY 5 PMMon, Apr 27Results
- THU 11:59 PMThu, Apr 30Accept by
- FRI 9 AMFri, May 1Leftovers go first-come
- 23 WEEKSCancellations any day. We alert you.
- 7 DAYS OUT · 7 AM PDTSun, Oct 11, 2026The other 40% open
- LAST DAY TO RESERVEThu, Oct 15Three days before you start
- YOU STARTSun, Oct 18, 2026Glacier Point to Little Yosemite Valley
Source: National Park Service, Yosemite wilderness permit reservation window, 2026 table, and the wilderness permit FAQ. Times are Pacific.
Glacier Point to Little Yosemite Valley (LYV) daily quota
10 people a day. 6 by lottery, 4 seven days out.
Counted in people, not permits
Lottery, 24 weeks out
60% of the day
6
7 days out, 7 am PDT
40% of the day
4
NPS trailheads table: Glacier Point to Little Yosemite Valley (LYV) | 6 | 4 | Vault (Drinking water available in summer) | Not eligible to exit Yosemite on the John Muir Trail. Half Dome eligible.
- daily quota
- 10people
- max group size
- 15people
How to get a Glacier Point to Little Yosemite Valley permit
As of October 2026, Glacier Point to Little Yosemite Valley in Yosemite National Park, California requires a permit issued via reservation. Glacier Point to Little Yosemite Valley is a high-demand permit, rating 8/10 on PermitSnag's demand index. Canceled Glacier Point to Little Yosemite Valley permits are re-released on the booking system, and PermitSnag alerts you the moment one opens. The permit season for Glacier Point to Little Yosemite Valley runs May 16 through October 14.
- Type
- Overnight
- Location
- Sierra Nevada, CA
Step 1: Create a Recreation.gov account
Sign up at Recreation.gov if you don't have an account. Have your payment info ready.
Step 2: Know the release schedule
Permits release on a rolling basis. Check the release time for your dates.
Step 3: Be ready when permits drop
Log in a few minutes early. Have your dates, group size, and payment ready to go.
Step 4: Monitor for cancellations
If your dates are sold out, people cancel all the time. Set up PermitSnag alerts to catch openings instantly.
More on Glacier Point to Little Yosemite Valley: Live availability activityWhen Glacier Point to Little Yosemite Valley permits open upChance of an opening
Guides: Glacier Point to Little Yosemite Valley permit guideMirror Lake to Snow Creek permit guideYosemite Falls permit guide
How much a Glacier Point to Little Yosemite Valley permit costs
Glacier Point to Little Yosemite Valley permit fee: Recreation.gov permit 445859: a $10 lottery application plus $5 per person if you win. A reservation made after the lottery costs a one-time $10 per permit plus $5 per person instead. Half Dome adds $10 per person, collected when the permit is issued.
The Glacier Point to Little Yosemite Valley hike
Glacier Point to Little Yosemite Valley landmarks
- 1Glacier Point
Trailhead on the Glacier Point Road, closed in winter and typically open from mid May.
- 2Illilouette Fall
NPS mileage along the Panorama Trail. No camping at the top of the fall.
- 3Little Yosemite Valley
Required first night. Backpacker sites, bear boxes, composting toilets, communal fire rings.
- 4Half Dome
NPS mileage from Glacier Point. Available on this permit for every person listed, at $10 per person.
- 5Merced Lake
The onward objective up the Merced canyon for a longer trip.
Glacier Point to Little Yosemite Valley: what makes it different
Glacier Point to Little Yosemite Valley starts on the rim and drops along the Panorama Trail to the one legal camp below Half Dome. Ten people a day can start here in 2026, the first night is fixed at Little Yosemite Valley, and the permit can add a Half Dome climb. It cannot be used for the John Muir Trail south.1,5
Getting to the start
The Park Service lists it under Wawona and Glacier Point Road, with permits issued at the Wawona Visitor Center. The trailhead has a vault toilet, and drinking water is available there in summer.1
For 2026 reservations on this road run May 16 to October 14. Glacier Point Road has no vehicle access when it is closed, usually from sometime in November to late May or June, and overnight parking on it is not allowed from October 15. Recreation.gov says the road typically opens in mid-May and that a permit for a closed road is not refunded.1,5
Arrive by 11 am on your start date or put the permit on hold for late arrival, which you can do on Recreation.gov only within a week of the start. A Mountain Shop report reached the ranger station with minutes to spare before the time limit would have returned its permit to the pool.2,6
The first leg
The Mountain Shop writers walked 7.2 miles along the Panorama Trail. They started at 7,200 feet and dropped about 1,300 feet over 2 miles to Illilouette Falls before climbing again by switchbacks and descending to the bridge at Nevada Fall.6
An Outbound listing gives the sequence with altitudes: Glacier Point about 7,200 feet, Illilouette Falls 5,800, Nevada Fall 5,971, then 0.6 miles of John Muir Trail to the campground. The same listing says to fill up on water at Nevada Fall.8
The Park Service lists Glacier Point to Yosemite Valley as 11.5 miles one way with 1,100 feet of gain, high demand, and notes that hikers either camp in the Illilouette basin or go to Little Yosemite Valley.4
Terrain and difficulty
Recreation.gov calls this a slightly longer but easier and very scenic way to reach Little Yosemite Valley than starting in the Valley. The trail is mostly downhill at the start, with the climb after the Illilouette bridge as the main effort.5,6
Past Little Yosemite Valley the Half Dome trail is 3 miles and more than 2,000 feet of climbing to the base of the dome, according to a 2023 guided trip that started at 2 am to be on the cables at sunrise.7
Quota at this entry point
- 2026 daily quota at Glacier Point to Little Yosemite Valley, overnight wilderness: 10 people a day. 6 through the lottery 24 weeks ahead and 4 first come, first served one week ahead, per the NPS table. Recreation.gov availability for this permit would not load.1
Rules specific to this entry point
You must spend the first night at the Little Yosemite Valley campground, and no extra reservation or permit is needed for the campsite. Recreation.gov adds that dispersed camping is not allowed in that area.1,5
The campground has bear boxes and composting toilets, and fires are allowed only in the communal rings. Bears have taken food from backpackers here.5,3
Everyone on the permit can add Half Dome at pickup for $10 each, and the permit works only for overnight backpackers. The Park Service says it is not eligible to exit Yosemite on the John Muir Trail. Camping on top of Half Dome is banned.1,2,3
Where it leads
Half Dome from the campground, and Clouds Rest. The Park Service names this camp as the first night for an overnight Half Dome trip, and the Outbound listing continues past it to the Half Dome and Clouds Rest junction.8,1
Panorama Point sits just past the Illilouette bridge. One 2017 hiker review says it is not marked and turns off to the left about half a mile on.9
What trip reports say
The Mountain Shop trip walked in to the Little Yosemite Valley backpacker campground with permits for both camp and Half Dome, then went up the dome the next day.6
The hikeology group reached Little Yosemite Valley from the Illilouette side and found the campground a relief, with pit toilets and a close view of the back of Liberty Cap and Half Dome. Mosquitoes were the main complaint. They set alarms for 2 am.7
An Outbound author who did the route with a heavy pack called the final climb toward Clouds Rest grueling, and said to carry water from Nevada Fall.8
When to go from here
Mosquitoes and snowmelt are the timing issues in the reports: the July 2023 group met them in a heavy snow year and had to reroute around swollen creeks. Glacier Point Road must be open, which Recreation.gov puts typically in mid-May.7,5
Compare with nearby entry points
- Happy Isles to Little Yosemite Valley: Happy Isles to Little Yosemite Valley also fixes the first night at the campground, but starts on the Valley floor with a 9.6 mile round trip and 2,150 feet of gain, and holds 15 lottery plus 10 week-ahead people. This one holds 6 plus 4.1
- Glacier Point to Illilouette: Glacier Point to Illilouette starts at the same point but forbids the Little Yosemite Valley camp the first night, holds 18 plus 12 people and has no Half Dome add-on.1,5
- Mono Meadow: Mono Meadow is the other Glacier Point Road trailhead that is Half Dome eligible. It holds 12 plus 8 and has no toilet at the trailhead.1,2
Rules every Yosemite wilderness trailhead shares
- Any overnight stay in the Yosemite Wilderness needs a permit, all year; day hikes need none unless they go to Half Dome. Each trailhead has a daily quota.10
- Reservations cover trips May through October. 60% of each quota goes by weekly lottery on Recreation.gov 24 weeks ahead; the other 40% opens first come, first served at 7 am Pacific seven days ahead.11
- The fee is $10 per application plus $5 per person once a permit is issued, none of it refundable. Collect the permit in person the day before or the morning you start.11
- Groups are 15 people at most, or 8 for cross-country hiking. Bear canisters are required throughout the wilderness, and you camp at least four trail miles from Yosemite Valley, Tuolumne Meadows, Glacier Point, Hetch Hetchy and Wawona.
Sources
- Trailhead Information, Yosemite National Park, National Park Service. Read 2026-10-15.
- Wilderness Permits Frequently Asked Questions, Yosemite National Park, National Park Service. Read 2026-10-15.
- Wilderness Regulations, Yosemite National Park, National Park Service. Read 2026-10-15.
- Yosemite Valley Trails, Yosemite National Park, National Park Service. Read 2026-10-15.
- Yosemite National Park Wilderness Permits, Glacier Point to Little Yosemite Valley division, Recreation.gov. Read 2026-10-15.
- Trip Report: Yosemite Backpacking Trip and Half Dome Climb, Mountain Shop. Read 2026-10-15.
- 3 Days in the Yosemite Backcountry + Summiting Half Dome, hikeology. Read 2026-10-15.
- Backpack to Clouds Rest from Glacier Point, The Outbound Collective. Read 2026-10-15.
- Panorama Trail Hiker Reviews, YosemiteHikes.com. Read 2026-10-15.
- Wilderness Permits, Yosemite National Park, National Park Service. Read 2026-10-15.
- Wilderness Permit Reservations, Yosemite National Park, National Park Service. Read 2026-10-15.
When to hike Glacier Point to Little Yosemite Valley
Weather Forecast
Trailhead
Backcountry Tips
- Day 4: 83% chance of precipitation. Pack rain gear.
- Day 5: 73% chance of precipitation. Pack rain gear.
- Snow expected: Check current trail conditions before departing.
Today
48°
28°
Thu
45°
31°
Fri
34°
28°
24%
Sat
37°
29°
83%
Sun
42°
27°
73%
Mon
56°
28°
Tue
57°
38°
Glacier Point to Little Yosemite Valley rules, gear and safety
Safety & planning
Emergency Info
Emergency contacts, ranger station locations, and satellite communicator tips for Glacier Point to Little Yosemite Valley.
Food Storage
Bear canister requirements, approved container lists, and rental locations for this permit.
Gear Checklist: Required and recommended gear for Glacier Point to Little Yosemite Valley · Shuttle Services: Trailhead transportation options · Guide Services: Experienced wilderness guides
Some links may be affiliate links. Purchases support PermitSnag at no extra cost to you.
Glacier Point to Little Yosemite Valley FAQ
Where do I spend the first night on a Glacier Point to Little Yosemite Valley permit?
At the Little Yosemite Valley campground. The Park Service says no additional reservation or permit is required for the campsite.
Can I climb Half Dome with this wilderness permit?
Yes. Ask for the Half Dome add-on when you pick up the permit; it costs $10 per person and is only for overnight backpackers.
Do I need to be at the ranger station by a certain time?
Yes. If you will arrive after 11 am on the start date you must put the permit on late-arrival hold on Recreation.gov, which opens one week before, or the reservation is canceled.
Glacier Point to Little Yosemite Valley trail conditions and trip reports
Trail Conditions
No active conditions reported
Sign in to report trail conditions.
Questions
No questions yet
Be the first to ask about Glacier Point to Little Yosemite Valley.
Alternatives to a Glacier Point to Little Yosemite Valley permit
Where to stay near Glacier Point to Little Yosemite Valley
- Upper Pines CampgroundYosemite National Park
- Lower Pines CampgroundYosemite National Park
- North Pines CampgroundYosemite National Park
- All California campgrounds
Plan the full trip, not just the permit
Build your full itinerary start to finish
Add your dates and get a day-by-day plan: what needs a permit, what gear to bring, and one link to share with your whole group to coordinate every step.
No permit needed to start
One tick helps us more than you’d think
Google lets you pick the sites it highlights for you. Add PermitSnag and our permit pages get marked as one of yours in AI Overviews and AI Mode.
Takes less than a minute.