Four Pass Loop Permit

Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness · Colorado

Sold by zone, one night at a time

Colorado's most iconic backpacking loop—27 miles crossing four 12,000+ ft passes through the heart of the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness.

Watch your Four Pass Loop itinerary

Four Pass Loop is booked one camp or zone per night, in order. Build your plan and we'll alert you the moment each night opens — so you can grab cancellations and lock your loop leg by leg.

Start date (night 1)

Nights

Miles per day

Route default for Four Pass Loop is 12.

Your nightly camps and zones

Nights on this route are not all the same. A zone is an area you pitch anywhere inside, following Leave No Trace setbacks. A camp is a numbered site the permit assigns you. Each night below says which one you are booking.

Each night has to move forward along the route and stay within 12 miles of the night before, so later nights offer fewer camps and zones. 12 is our starting guess for this route — change it and the camps and zones on offer change with it. Nothing here is filtered by what is available — build the trip you want and we'll watch for it to open.

Already booked a night? Tap Have it and we'll only watch the nights you still need. Pro

N1zone

N2zone

N3zone

Party

70% of the openings our scanner caught on Four Pass Loop were gone within 10 minutes.

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.

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Four Pass Loop Quick Facts

Permit RequiredYes

Booking MethodReservation

Demand LevelExtremely High9/10

SeasonJuly - September

Cost$10 per person, per night from May 1 to October 31 (children 16 and under free) + $6 non-refundable reservation fee

Max Group Size10 people

Four Pass Loop Permit Facts

As of September 2026, Four Pass Loop in Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness, Colorado requires a permit issued via reservation.
Four Pass Loop is one of the most competitive permits in the United States, rating 9/10 on PermitSnag's demand index.
The permit season for Four Pass Loop runs July through September.
The Four Pass Loop route covers 26 miles with 11,000 feet of elevation gain, rated strenuous.
Cancelled Four Pass Loop permits are re-released on the booking system; PermitSnag monitors availability and alerts watchers when dates open.

Live availability activity →When Four Pass Loop permits open up →Chance of an opening →Four Pass Loop permit itinerary →Do I need a Four Pass Loop permit? →

Key Information

Key Dates

SeasonJuly - September

Permit Details

TypeBackpacking

Booking MethodReservation

Demand Level9/10

LocationElk Range, Colorado, CO

Pro Tips

•Be logged in at 8 am Mountain on the release date. February 15 covers April through July; June 15 covers August through November.
•Never say camp when you mean zone. Your permit is for a zone and a night, and camping outside it is a citation - the only designated-site zones in this wilderness are Conundrum, Crater Lake and Capitol Lake.
•East Fork (7 groups) and Upper Snowmass (6) are the tightest quotas on the loop. Build the itinerary around them and the rest usually falls into place.
•Book the Maroon Scenic Area parking or bus the moment the confirmation email arrives. It is a separate reservation with limited spaces.
•Two permits per person per calendar year, and they cannot overlap dates - so a partner booking the second half of a longer trip is worth planning for.
•Rent the canister in Aspen if you do not own one. The rule is enforced by removal from the wilderness, not a warning.

What to Expect

Route Details

Distance

26 miles

Elevation Gain

11,000 ft

Route Type

Loop

Duration

3 to 5 days

Difficulty

Strenuous

Elevation Range

9,580 - 12,500 ft

Highlights

•26 miles with about 11,000 feet of vertical gain, over four passes above 12,000 feet
•Three to five days for most parties
•Zone camping, not campsites - reserve a zone for each night and pitch anywhere inside it
•Zone quotas per night: North Fork 17 groups, Maroon 15, Snowmass Lake 13, Crater Lake 11, Geneva Lake 8, East Fork 7, Upper Snowmass 6
•Total group size capped at 10 if you reserve multiple campsites
•A separate parking or bus reservation if you start at the Maroon Scenic Area
•No toilets anywhere in the wilderness
•Best window is July to September; October to late June means snow-covered passes

Best Time to Visit

July through September - the Forest Service says so in the permit text itself. From early October to late June, campsites, trails and mountain passes are snow-covered and trailheads may be inaccessible; avalanche hazards exist and snow makes route finding difficult. The Four Pass Loop is often snow-bound from October through June. If you are not prepared to travel and camp on snow, plan for summer.

Hazards & Considerations

!Afternoon thunderstorms on four passes above 12,000 feet, with no shelter and nowhere to descend quickly
!Early-summer snowmelt making the river crossing perilous, per the Forest Service's own warning
!Deep snow persisting on the passes until late in the summer
!Altitude - you sleep high and cross higher, repeatedly
!Black bears; this is why the canister rule is enforced with citations
!Loose Elk Range rock, which is what the Maroon Bells are notorious for
!October to late June: snow-covered campsites, trails and passes, avalanche hazard, and difficult route finding

Weather Forecast

Trailhead (9,580 ft)

⚠️

Backcountry Tips

Today: Freezing temps at elevation. Bring insulation even if warm below.
Tomorrow: Freezing temps at elevation. Bring insulation even if warm below.
Day 3: 95% chance of precipitation. Pack rain gear.

Today

☁️

61°

38°

Sun

☁️

60°

41°

25%

Mon

🌧️

57°

43°

95%

Tue

❄️

59°

40°

62%

Wed

🌧️

57°

40°

59%

Thu

🌧️

54°

41°

49%

Fri

🌧️

55°

37°

22%

View full NWS forecast →Mountain weather changes rapidly. This forecast is a guide—always be prepared for worse conditions.

How to Get This Permit

Create a Recreation.gov account

Know the release schedule

Permits typically release on a rolling basis. Check the specific release time for your desired dates.

Be ready when permits drop

Monitor for cancellations

If your dates are sold out, people cancel all the time. Set up PermitSnag alerts to catch openings instantly.

Book at Recreation.gov

Learn More

Best booking times Cancellation hunting Recreation.gov tips

When to Go

Peak: July through SeptemberShoulder: Late June and early October

Conditions

Snow-covered. The Forest Service says campsites, trails and passes are snow-covered from early October through the end of June, with avalanche hazard and difficult route finding.

Crowd Level

Low

Advantages

+Permits are freely available
+Waterfalls and creeks at full volume
+Nobody else out there

Challenges

!Snow-covered passes and avalanche hazard
!Perilous river crossings from snowmelt
!Trailheads may be inaccessible to vehicles

Difficulty Assessment

Physical Demand5/5

Fitness and endurance required

Technical Skill2/5

Climbing, scrambling, or specialized skills

Exposure Risk3/5

Steep dropoffs and fall potential

Navigation2/5

Route finding and trail clarity

Commitment4/5

Difficulty of bailing out mid-route

Best For

Fit backpackers who are acclimatised or willing to spend a night high before starting. Four 12,000-foot passes in three to five days is the whole difficulty; the trail itself is established and signed.

Recommended Experience

Previous nights above 10,000 feet and a couple of 3,000-foot days with a pack. Know how to read a building thunderstorm and how to bail off a pass.

Not Recommended For

Anyone arriving from sea level the day before, anyone unwilling to be moving at dawn to beat storms, and anyone who will not carry a bear canister - that one gets you removed from the wilderness.

About This Permit

The Four Pass Loop is a 26-mile circuit in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness that climbs over four passes higher than 12,000 feet, with roughly 11,000 feet of vertical gain. The Forest Service says it takes between three and five days depending on your party's ability and on trail and weather conditions.

Overnight permits come from Recreation.gov only - ranger stations do not issue them - and they are booked by zone. You reserve a spot in each zone you plan to camp in, for each night, and then camp anywhere within it. That is different from Conundrum Hot Springs, Crater Lake and Capitol Lake in the same wilderness, which are booked as designated campsites. Get this backwards and you are camped outside your permit.

Permits are released in blocks: April 1 - July 31 dates go on sale February 15, August 1 - November 30 dates on June 15, and December 1 - March 31 dates on October 15, all at 8 am Mountain time. The fee is $10 per person per night from May 1 through October 31, children 16 and under free, plus a non-refundable $6 reservation fee. You are limited to two permits per person per calendar year and a maximum stay of seven nights.

Bear canisters are not a recommendation here. Food, trash and scented items must be in an IGBC-approved bear-resistant container, and the Forest Service says visitors without one will be ticketed and required to leave.

The Experience

Why It Matters

The Four Pass Loop is a zone permit, not a campsite permit, and getting that distinction right is the difference between a legal trip and a citation. There is no Snowmass Lake Camp or Geneva Lake Camp to book. There are zones - Maroon, North Fork, East Fork, Snowmass Lake, Geneva Lake, Upper Snowmass - and you reserve a spot in the zone you intend to sleep in, for each night you sleep there, and then you camp anywhere within it. Elsewhere in the same wilderness, Conundrum Hot Springs, Crater Lake and Capitol Lake do work by designated site, which is exactly why people get it wrong.

The Route

The loop from the Maroon Lake trailhead is 26 miles with roughly 11,000 feet of vertical gain and takes most parties three to five days depending on ability, trail and weather. It crosses four passes above 12,000 feet - West Maroon, Frigid Air, Trail Rider and Buckskin - linking alpine lakes and basins under the Elk Range peaks.

What you book is a sequence of zone-nights. The Forest Service publishes a quota for each: Maroon takes 15 groups a night, North Fork 17, Snowmass Lake 13, Crater Lake 11, Geneva Lake 8, East Fork 7 and Upper Snowmass 6. Within each zone, most permits are for parties of 1-4, with a handful of 5-10 permits in Maroon, North Fork and Snowmass Lake. Total group size is capped at 10 if you reserve multiple campsites.

If you start at Maroon Lake you also need a parking or bus reservation for the Maroon Scenic Area - there are only so many parking spaces, and the link to book it comes in your permit confirmation email.

The Feeling

You climb out of the Maroon Valley in the dark to beat the afternoon storms, and by mid-morning you are on a pass at 12,000-something feet looking at the next one. Then you drop, and do it again. Four times. The Elk Range is loose, dark rock and improbably green basins, and by the third pass your legs have stopped negotiating.

Trailhead Information

Maroon Lake Trailhead

Primary

The standard Four Pass Loop start, in the Maroon Scenic Area above Aspen.

Restrooms

No water

Parking

A parking or bus reservation for the Maroon Scenic Area is required and separate from the permit. Spaces are limited, so you may end up on a bus ticket. The booking link arrives with your permit confirmation email.

Getting There

Central Colorado near Aspen, Carbondale and Crested Butte. Trailhead parking is limited across the wilderness - the Forest Service asks people to carpool.

Nearest Services

Aspen. Local retailers rent and sell IGBC-approved bear canisters, which are mandatory.

Notes

Trailheads are marked on the Forest Service's Overnight Permit Zone Map. From early October to late June, campsites, trails and passes are snow-covered and trailheads may be inaccessible to vehicles.

Snowmass Creek Trailhead

Alternate

Alternative approach from the Snowmass Lake side of the loop.

Restrooms

No water

Getting There

Access is from the Snowmass Village side rather than Maroon Lake, which avoids the scenic-area parking reservation.

Notes

Same permit and the same zone quotas apply. Parking is limited here too.

Rules & Regulations

•Permits are available only through Recreation.gov - ranger stations do not issue them
•Reserve a spot in each zone for each night you camp there, and camp only in your reserved zone
•Conundrum Hot Springs, Crater Lake and Capitol Lake are designated campsites, not zones
•Two permits per person per calendar year, and permits cannot overlap dates
•Maximum stay is seven nights per permit
•Food, trash and scented items must be in an IGBC-approved bear-resistant container - no container means a ticket and being required to leave
•$10 per person per night May 1 through October 31; 16 and under free
•Group size is capped by the campsite, with a total of 10 if multiple campsites are reserved
•Campfires are prohibited above 10,800 feet anywhere in the wilderness, including Snowmass Lake, and at all designated sites at Conundrum, Crater and Capitol Lakes
•Dogs must be on leash everywhere in the wilderness and are prohibited in the Conundrum Hot Springs Zone
•The permit holder or named alternate trip leader must be present, with the printed permit and photo ID
•There are no toilets - WAG bags are highly recommended, or dig a cat hole six to eight inches deep at least 200 feet from water, camp and trails

Gear Checklist

Required

An IGBC-approved bear canister or Ursack - mandatory, and enforced
A bathroom plan: WAG bags or a trowel. There are no toilets in this wilderness
Shelter and layers for above 12,000 feet, where afternoon storms are the norm not the exception
Printed permit and photo ID, carried by the permit holder or alternate
A stove - fires are prohibited above 10,800 feet, which covers most of where you will camp

Trekking poles for four descents off 12,000-foot passes
Microspikes if you go before mid-July; deep snow persists on the passes late
Water shoes for the river crossing, which the Forest Service warns is perilous in early-summer snowmelt
A pre-dawn start plan and a headlamp, because the passes want to be crossed before afternoon storms
A copy of the Overnight Permit Zone Map, so you know exactly where your zone starts and stops

Plan Your Trip

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Gear Checklist

Required and recommended gear for Four Pass Loop

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Shuttle Services

Trailhead transportation options

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Guide Services

Experienced wilderness guides

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Key Landmarks

↑

11,000ft

Gain

↓

11,000ft

Loss

⛰️

12,500ft

High

📏

22.3mi

Distance

📐

9.4%

Avg Grade

Click on a marker to view details•16 landmarks

Landmarks (16)

Safety & Planning

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Emergency Info

Emergency contacts, ranger station locations, and satellite communicator tips for Four Pass Loop. Sign up to track this permit.

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Food Storage

Bear canister requirements, approved container lists, and rental locations for this permit. Sign up to track this permit.

Four Pass Loop FAQ

How do I get a Four Pass Loop permit?

Through Recreation.gov, on the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness Overnight Permits page. Ranger stations do not issue them. Permits release in blocks at 8 am Mountain time: February 15 for April 1 - July 31 dates, June 15 for August 1 - November 30, and October 15 for December 1 - March 31.

Do I book campsites or zones on the Four Pass Loop?

Zones. You reserve a spot in each zone you plan to camp in, for each night, and then camp anywhere within that zone - there is no Snowmass Lake Camp or Geneva Lake Camp to book. Conundrum Hot Springs, Crater Lake and Capitol Lake elsewhere in the same wilderness do work by designated campsite, which is where the confusion comes from.

What are the Four Pass Loop zone quotas?

Per night, the Forest Service allows 17 groups in North Fork, 15 in Maroon, 13 at Snowmass Lake, 11 at Crater Lake, 8 at Geneva Lake, 7 in East Fork and 6 in Upper Snowmass. Most permits are for parties of 1-4, with a few 5-10 permits in Maroon, North Fork and Snowmass Lake.

How much does a Four Pass Loop permit cost?

$10 per person per night from May 1 through October 31, with children 16 and under free, plus a non-refundable $6 reservation fee per permit. The Forest Service says 95% of the fee goes back into stewardship of the wilderness.

How long is the Four Pass Loop and how many days does it take?

26 miles from the Maroon Lake trailhead with approximately 11,000 feet of vertical gain, over four passes higher than 12,000 feet. The Forest Service says it takes between three and five days depending on the party's ability and on trail and weather conditions.

Are bear canisters required on the Four Pass Loop?

Yes. Food, trash and any scented items must be stored in an IGBC-approved bear-resistant container, and the Forest Service states that visitors without one will be ticketed and required to leave. Local retailers in Aspen rent and sell approved containers.

What is the group size limit on the Four Pass Loop?

Ten. Group size is limited to the maximum allowable at the campsite, with total group size capped at 10 if multiple campsites are reserved. Within the loop zones, most permits cover 1-4 people and only Maroon, North Fork and Snowmass Lake have 5-10 permits at all.

Do I need a parking reservation for the Four Pass Loop?

If you start at the Maroon Scenic Area, yes - a parking or bus reservation, booked separately from the permit through a link in your confirmation email. Parking spaces are limited, so you may need to take a bus ticket instead.

Can I have a campfire on the Four Pass Loop?

Not above 10,800 feet, which covers Snowmass Lake and most of where you will camp on this loop. Fires are also prohibited at all designated sites at Conundrum Hot Springs, Crater Lake and Capitol Lake. Bring a stove.

👥Community

Trail Conditions

No active conditions reported

Questions(2)

What is the best direction and daily itinerary for a Four Pass Loop permit trip?

0 votes·1 answer·Jun 25

How do you get a Four Pass Loop permit, and is Maroon Lake trailhead parking separate?

0 votes·1 answer·Mar 18

Trip Reports(2)

Write Report

🏔️

Four Pass Loop Permits: Booking the Late-July Reservation Window

Four Pass Loop

5.0

Jul 25-28, 2026

Four Pass Loop in early July: snow on all four passes before the wildflower rush

Four Pass Loop

4.0

Jul 2-5, 2026

Photography Guide

Golden Hour

First light on the Maroon Bells from the Crater Lake side, and evening light on Snowmass Peak from across Snowmass Lake.

Best Light

Early. You want to be on the passes before the afternoon build-up anyway, and that is also when the Elk Range has any colour in it.

Beat the Crowds

Maroon Lake is a scenic-area crowd; two miles up it is a permit-quota crowd, which is a very different thing. Going counter-clockwise puts you out of phase with most parties.

Classic Shots

📍The Maroon Bells reflected in Maroon Lake before sunrise
📍Snowmass Peak from the Snowmass Lake shore at dusk
📍Looking back down the North Fork from Frigid Air Pass
📍Geneva Lake basin in early morning
📍The switchbacks up Buckskin Pass with the Bells behind you

Can't Get a Four Pass Loop Permit?

Consider these alternatives if your preferred dates aren't available.

Conundrum Hot Springs

Same Area

The other headline trip in the same wilderness, on the same Recreation.gov permit - 20 designated campsites a night at a hot spring above 11,000 feet.

Permit required