Do I need a permit to climb Longs Peak Wilderness?

What the Longs Peak Wilderness permit costs and covers

Fee

$36 Wilderness Administrative Fee per trip reservation - not per night and not per person - non-refundable, May 1 to October 31. Winter reservations are $10. Park entrance fees are separate.

Group size limit

7 people

Applications open

Not a lottery - summer reservations opened March 1, 2026 at 8:00 am MST

Season starts

May 1

Season ends

October 31

What the rules require

• A wilderness permit is required to camp overnight in the wilderness of Rocky Mountain National Park
• Individual sites take parties of 1 to 7; group sites take 8 to 12. Groups over 7 may not camp in neighbouring individual sites
• Between April 1 and October 31 all food, scented items and garbage must be in a hard-sided commercially made bear-resistant canister; no other method is permitted
• Store the canister 70 adult steps - 200 feet - from your campsite
• Maximum 7 nights June through September; 14 nights October through May, and no more than 21 nights per year
• No more than 3 consecutive nights in one camp area
• Campfires are prohibited; use portable stoves only
• Permits and dashtags must be collected in person at a Wilderness Office, and are cancelled if not picked up by noon on day one

Published rules for the Longs Peak Wilderness Permit (Overnight), quoted as written.

Getting one

Dates for Longs Peak Wilderness sell out and then come back as people cancel. PermitSnag watches Longs Peak Wilderness Permit (Overnight) and sends you an alert the moment one reappears.

Common questions about the Longs Peak Wilderness permit