Do I need a permit to backpack Shoshone Lake Backcountry?
Yes. You need a permit to backpack Shoshone Lake Backcountry in Yellowstone National Park, and it is booked in advance through a reservation system rather than won in a lottery.
Permit required
What the Shoshone Lake Backcountry permit costs and covers
- Fee
- $5 per person per night plus a $10 reservation fee. The early access lottery application costs a separate, non-refundable $10.
- Group size limit
- 8 people
- Applications open
- March 1, 2026
- Applications close
- March 20, 2026
- Results
- March 25, 2026 - winners get a randomized booking time between April 1 and 25
- Season starts
- Lewis and Shoshone Lake are typically ice free in early June
- Season ends
- October 31 ends the peak permit season
What the rules require
- A backcountry permit is required and names your specific campsite and dates
- No motorboats on Shoshone Lake; motorized boats are only allowed on Lewis and Yellowstone lakes
- The Lewis River Channel is the only river reach in Yellowstone open to boating, and only to non-motorized watercraft
- Cross Shoshone Lake only at the narrows
- Food and scented items must be hung from the food pole - a minimum of 30 feet of rope - or stored in a hard-sided bear-resistant container. Soft-sided containers are not allowed
- Bathing, soaking or swimming in water entirely of thermal origin is prohibited
- No off-trail travel in thermal areas
- The Shoshone Geyser Basin is closed to stock year-round
Published rules for the Shoshone Lake Backcountry, quoted as written.
Getting one
Dates for Shoshone Lake Backcountry sell out and then come back as people cancel. PermitSnag watches Shoshone Lake Backcountry and sends you an alert the moment one reappears.
Common questions about the Shoshone Lake Backcountry permit
Do I need a permit to backpack Shoshone Lake Backcountry?
Yes. You need a permit to backpack Shoshone Lake Backcountry in Yellowstone National Park, and it is booked in advance through a reservation system rather than won in a lottery.
How much does a Shoshone Lake Backcountry permit cost?
$5 per person per night plus a $10 reservation fee. The early access lottery application costs a separate, non-refundable $10..
When can I apply for a Shoshone Lake Backcountry permit?
The application window opens March 1, 2026. It closes March 20, 2026. Results: March 25, 2026 - winners get a randomized booking time between April 1 and 25.
How many people can be on one Shoshone Lake Backcountry permit?
8 people.
When is the Shoshone Lake Backcountry permit season?
Season starts: Lewis and Shoshone Lake are typically ice free in early June. Season ends: October 31 ends the peak permit season.