Walk-Up8/10
Wind Rivers Cirque of the Towers permit
Iconic granite amphitheater. On-trail access from Big Sandy....
Walk-UpOvernightHigh Demand
Titcomb Basin Permit
Bridger-Teton National Forest / Wind River Range
Popular alpine basin beneath Gannett Peak.
“A basin of alpine lakes under the Continental Divide, in a wilderness that asks nothing of you at the trailhead and everything of you after it.”
How to get Titcomb
Titcomb is issued by the agency rather than through a booking calendar. Their page has the current process and any dates.
Official permit pagePlanning another trip? See the permits we watch.
How to get Titcomb
Titcomb is issued by the agency rather than through a booking calendar. Their page has the current process and any dates.
Official permit pagePlanning another trip? See the permits we watch.
Plan the full trip, not just the permit
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Titcomb Quick Facts
Permit RequiredYes
Booking MethodWalk-Up
Demand LevelHigh7/10
CostNo fee. Individual backpacking in the Bridger Wilderness needs no permit
This permit is not bookable online
You get this permit in person at the trailhead or ranger station, or by phone. There is no online reservation to race for, so availability alerts do not apply. We still track key dates and season info for your trip.
Official permit page →Key Information
Permit Details
TypeOvernight
Booking MethodWalk-Up
Demand Level7/10
LocationWind River Range, Wyoming, WY
Pro Tips
- •No permit for an individual trip. Organized groups and overnight stock users need a free permit from the Pinedale Ranger District, applications from April 1
- •Read Forest Order 04-03-328 if you are out longer than two weeks — the 14-day limit is per five-mile radius, not per campsite
- •Bridger-Teton lists no potable water in this wilderness. Plan to treat everything
- •Pinedale Ranger District: 307-367-4326
- •If your route crosses the Continental Divide you are on the Shoshone National Forest and under different regulations — Bridger-Teton says so on its own wilderness page
What to Expect
Route Details
Route Type
Out & Back
Duration
3-5 days
Difficulty
StrenuousHighlights
- •No permit and no fee for a normal backpacking trip
- •A free group-use permit requirement if your party is an organized group, applied for from April 1 through the Pinedale Ranger District
- •A 14-day-in-30 camping limit within any five-mile radius, under forest-wide Order 04-03-328
- •No potable water at the trailhead or in the wilderness
- •The possibility of crossing onto the Shoshone National Forest, where the regulations change
Best Time to Visit
Mid-July through early September, once the high country has melted out. Bridger-Teton's own framing of the range — elevations above 13,000 feet, with the combination of elevation and potential cold creating a truly wild feeling — is the honest summary of everything either side of that window.
Hazards & Considerations
- !Altitude. The Bridger Wilderness runs above 13,000 feet and the trails spend most of their length high
- !Weather that turns over fast — Bridger-Teton describes the combination of elevation and potential cold as creating a truly wild feeling, which is a polite way of saying summer snow happens
- !No potable water at the trailheads. Bridger-Teton lists it as unavailable at both the wilderness and at Big Sandy Trailhead, so everything gets filtered
- !Long drives on unpaved county and Forest Service roads to reach the trailheads
- !Bears. This is the Wind Rivers and food storage matters
How to Get This Permit
1
Check the agency page for the process
This permit is not sold online. Confirm where and when it is issued — and any fee — at U.S. Forest Service before your trip.
2
Arrive early
Walk-up permits are issued first-come, first-served, and quotas can fill early on weekends and holidays.
3
Have backup plans
Popular trailheads may be full. Know alternative routes or dates in case your first choice is unavailable.
Learn More
When to Go
Peak: Mid-July through AugustShoulder: Early July and September
Conditions
Snowbound at elevation and high water on the creeks below.
Crowd Level
LowAdvantages
- +Solitude
Challenges
- !Snow
- !High water
- !Road access
Difficulty Assessment
Physical Demand4/5
Fitness and endurance required
Technical Skill1/5
Climbing, scrambling, or specialized skills
Exposure Risk3/5
Steep dropoffs and fall potential
Navigation3/5
Route finding and trail clarity
Commitment4/5
Difficulty of bailing out mid-route
Best For
Backpackers who can plan an unregulated trip properly, which is harder than it sounds.
Recommended Experience
Multi-day travel at altitude and self-sufficiency a long way from help.
Not Recommended For
Anyone treating "no permit needed" as "no preparation needed".
About This Permit
Titcomb Basin sits in the Bridger Wilderness on the Bridger-Teton National Forest, in the Wind River Range. There is no quota, no lottery and no entry fee for an individual backpacking trip.
Bridger-Teton requires free permits for organized groups and for recreational livestock users in the Bridger Wilderness, and only accepts applications beginning April 1 for the current year. Applications go to the Pinedale Ranger District, which can be reached at 307-367-4326.
The wilderness itself runs 80 miles along the Continental Divide and holds the headwaters of the Green River. Bridger-Teton counts 600 miles of trail, hundreds of high alpine lakes and glaciers, with elevations above 13,000 feet — and lists potable water as not available anywhere in the system.
The Experience
Why It Matters
Bridger-Teton describes the Bridger Wilderness as extending 80 miles along the Continental Divide and holding the headwaters of the Green River, with hundreds of high alpine lakes, glaciers and wide sweeping valleys, and 600 miles of trail. Titcomb is where that description stops being general.
The Route
This is an unpermitted trip in an unstaffed wilderness, which is a different kind of planning problem from a lottery. Bridger-Teton requires free permits only for organized group use and overnight stock use, applied for through the Pinedale Ranger District from April 1 each year. Everything else is on you.
The forest-wide occupancy order is the rule most people never read: Order 04-03-328 prohibits camping within the same five-mile radius for more than 14 days in any 30-day period, and returning to that radius within 30 days after hitting the limit. It runs to July 1, 2030.
Bridger-Teton also warns that visitors to the Bridger Wilderness may cross onto the Shoshone National Forest, and to be aware of changing regulations when they cross the Continental Divide.
The Feeling
Granite on both sides, water down the middle, and elevations that Bridger-Teton itself sums up as ranging above 13,000 feet with winter always just a breath away.
Rules & Regulations
- •No permit is required for an individual or family backpacking trip. Bridger-Teton National Forest states that permits are required for group use and overnight stock use in the Bridger Wilderness
- •Group-use and recreational-livestock permits are free, and the Pinedale Ranger District only accepts applications beginning April 1 for the current year
- •Forest Order 04-03-328 caps camping at 14 days in any 30-day period within the same five-mile radius. After that you have to move outside that radius for 30 days
- •Standard Wilderness Act rules apply: no motorized or mechanized equipment, including bicycles, carts and drones
Gear Checklist
Required
- Water filter or treatment — Bridger-Teton lists no potable water in this wilderness
- Bear-resistant food storage
- Layers for cold; elevations here run above 13,000 feet and Bridger-Teton describes winter as always a breath away
- Map and compass for a 600-mile trail system with no permit desk to orient you
Recommended
- Trekking poles
- A satellite messenger
- Traction if you are going early or late in the short season
Plan Your Trip
🎒
Gear Checklist
Required and recommended gear for Titcomb
🚐
Shuttle Services
Trailhead transportation options
Browse all shuttles🧭
Guide Services
Experienced wilderness guides
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Safety & Planning
🚨
Emergency Info
Emergency contacts, ranger station locations, and satellite communicator tips for Titcomb.
🐻
Food Storage
Bear canister requirements, approved container lists, and rental locations for this permit.
Titcomb FAQ
Do I need a permit to backpack in Titcomb Basin?
Not for an individual or family trip. Bridger-Teton National Forest requires free permits only for organized group use and overnight stock use in the Bridger Wilderness, and only accepts those applications beginning April 1 for the current year through the Pinedale Ranger District at 307-367-4326.
Is there a camping limit in the Bridger Wilderness?
Yes. Forest Order 04-03-328 prohibits camping within the same five-mile radius for more than 14 days in any 30-day period, and prohibits returning to camp anywhere in that radius within 30 days after reaching the limit. The order runs to July 1, 2030 and applies forest-wide.
Is there drinking water in the Bridger Wilderness?
Bridger-Teton National Forest lists potable water as not available in the Bridger Wilderness. Everything you drink out there is water you treat yourself.
How big is the Bridger Wilderness?
Bridger-Teton describes it as extending 80 miles along the Continental Divide, holding the headwaters of the Green River, with hundreds of high alpine lakes and glaciers and 600 miles of trail. Elevations range above 13,000 feet.
👥Community
Trail Conditions
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Questions
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Trip Reports
Write ReportPhotography Guide
Golden Hour
First and last light on the Divide, which runs the length of this wilderness.
Best Light
Cold clear September mornings, when the lakes go flat and hold the peaks.
Beat the Crowds
There is no quota to hide behind — go midweek, go in September, and walk one more hour than the party in front of you.
Classic Shots
- 📍Alpine lakes stacked up the basin with the Divide behind
- 📍Glacier ice under a summer sky
- 📍Camp dwarfed by granite
- 📍The Green River headwaters low down on the approach
Can't Get a Titcomb Permit?
Consider these alternatives if your preferred dates aren't available.
Cirque of the Towers
Similar ExperienceThe southern Winds equivalent, reached from Big Sandy Trailhead, with the same permit situation and a granite amphitheatre at the end of it.
No permit needed
Tradeoffs
More people, and an additional camping setback order around Lonesome Lake on the Shoshone side.
Any of the Bridger Wilderness's 600 miles of trail
Easier AlternativeBridger-Teton counts 600 miles of trail and hundreds of alpine lakes across 80 miles of the Continental Divide.
No permit needed
Tradeoffs
You lose the name recognition and gain the solitude that the name costs you.
🏕️
Where to Stay
Nearby campgrounds to complete your Titcomb trip
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