Reservation8/10
Highline Trail
Walk the knife-edge of the Continental Divide along Glacier's famous Garden Wall...
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ReservationOvernightHigh Demand
Glacier National Park Wilderness Permit
The single advance reservation that covers backcountry camping across all of Glacier National Park, from Goat Haunt to Two Medicine and every ranger district in between.
“One permit opens 700 miles of trail across the Crown of the Continent, where grizzlies roam turquoise lake basins and the Continental Divide splits the sky.”
Track a specific zone— not the whole wilderness
Glacier Wilderness Quick Facts
Permit RequiredYes
Booking MethodReservation
Demand LevelHigh8/10
Cost$10 application fee + $7/person/night
Max Group Size12 people
Glacier Wilderness Permit Facts
- As of July 2026, Glacier Wilderness in Glacier National Park, National Parks requires a permit issued via reservation.
- Glacier Wilderness is a high-demand permit, rating 8/10 on PermitSnag's demand index.
- The Glacier Wilderness route covers 55 miles with 9,000 feet of elevation gain with rated strenuous.
- Cancelled Glacier Wilderness permits are re-released on the booking system; PermitSnag monitors availability and alerts watchers when dates open.
Key Information
Permit Details
TypeOvernight
Booking MethodReservation
Demand Level8/10
LocationNPS
What to Expect
Route Details
Distance
55 miles
Elevation Gain
9,000 ft
Route Type
Varies
Duration
1-7 nights depending on itinerary
Difficulty
StrenuousElevation Range
3,150 - 8,100 ft
Highlights
- •One permit covers all nine ranger districts and 60-plus backcountry campgrounds
- •Itinerary-based booking, one designated campground per night
- •High passes above 7,000 feet with thousands of feet of gain and loss
- •Active grizzly and black bear habitat parkwide
- •16 mile per day limit on advance reservation itineraries
- •Snow lingering on high passes into July
Best Time to Visit
Mid-July through mid-September is the reliable window, when the high passes are clear of snow and campgrounds are open. Late July brings peak wildflowers, and mid-September offers thinner crowds and golden larch on the west side.
Hazards & Considerations
- !Grizzly and black bears throughout the park, make noise and travel together
- !Snow-covered passes and steep runout into July
- !Stream crossings that run high and cold during snowmelt
- !Rapidly changing mountain weather, including summer snow
- !Long distances from any trailhead or help
How to Get This Permit
1
Create a Recreation.gov account
Sign up at Recreation.gov if you don't have an account. Have your payment info ready.
2
Know the release schedule
Permits typically release on a rolling basis. Check the specific release time for your desired dates.
3
Be ready when permits drop
Log in a few minutes early. Have your dates, group size, and payment ready to go.
4
Monitor for cancellations
If your dates are sold out, people cancel all the time. Set up PermitSnag alerts to catch openings instantly.
When to Go
Peak: Summer monthsShoulder: Spring and Fall
Conditions
Summer offers the most reliable conditions for most wilderness areas.
Crowd Level
ModerateAdvantages
- +Longest days
- +Warmest temperatures
- +Reliable trail conditions
Challenges
- !Peak demand for permits
- !Book accommodations early
- !Weather varies
Difficulty Assessment
Physical Demand4/5
Fitness and endurance required
Technical Skill3/5
Climbing, scrambling, or specialized skills
Exposure Risk4/5
Steep dropoffs and fall potential
Navigation2/5
Route finding and trail clarity
Commitment4/5
Difficulty of bailing out mid-route
Best For
Experienced backpackers comfortable in grizzly country, on high passes, and far from a trailhead.
Recommended Experience
Prior multi-day backpacking in mountain terrain and bear-country food storage habits are strongly recommended before a Glacier wilderness trip.
Not Recommended For
First-time backpackers, anyone uneasy around bears, or hikers who cannot handle sustained elevation gain at altitude.
About This Permit
Glacier National Park sells one wilderness permit that covers backcountry camping across the entire park, from the North Fork to Two Medicine. You build an itinerary out of designated campgrounds, one night at each, and the permit ties them into a legal route. About 3,000 standard advance reservations are released each spring through a March request period on Recreation.gov, with roughly 30 percent of all sites held back for walk-up permits issued the day before or day of your trip.
Because the advance reservations for the well-known routes sell out within days, watching permit 4675321 for cancellations is the practical way to land the dates and campsites you want once the initial release is gone.
The Experience
Why It Matters
This is the whole-park wilderness permit for Glacier, not a single trail. Every backcountry night in the park runs through Recreation.gov permit 4675321, whether you are stringing together the Northern Loop from Goat Haunt, camping under Grinnell Glacier out of Many Glacier, or walking the Continental Divide Trail through the park. Advance reservations move in a March request period and roughly 3,000 standard reservations sell out fast, so the routes people actually want fill months ahead. Watching for cancellations on this permit is often the only way to get the campsites and dates you planned around.
The Route
Glacier's wilderness permit is a build-your-own-route system. You pick a chain of designated campgrounds, one per night, and the permit ties them together into a legal itinerary. Popular strings include the Highline to Granite Park traverse along the Garden Wall, the Gunsight Pass route past Gunsight and Lake Ellen Wilson, the Dawson-Pitamakan loop out of Two Medicine, and the long walk north from Many Glacier over Stoney Indian Pass to Goat Haunt. The nine booking districts (Goat Haunt, Lake McDonald, Many Glacier, North Fork, St. Mary, Two Medicine, Walton, the Undesignated Zone, and the Continental Divide Trail corridor) each cover a cluster of campgrounds, and a single trip can cross several of them.
Most routes gain and lose thousands of feet crossing named passes above 7,000 feet. Snow lingers on north-facing passes into July, and the high sites often do not open until mid-July. By late September the season closes down as campgrounds shut for winter.
The Feeling
You wake to a windless morning at a lakeside campsite, the peaks across the water still holding last night's snow. The bear cables sag with your food bag ten feet up. There is no cell signal, no road noise, just the sound of a creek and the knowledge that the nearest trailhead is a full day behind you. Glacier's backcountry does not feel visited. It feels earned.
Rules & Regulations
- •Wilderness permit required for every backcountry overnight stay
- •$10 non-refundable application fee plus $7 per person per night
- •Advance reservations open in a March request period, general on-sale May 1, 2026 at 8:00 AM MT
- •About 30 percent of sites held for walk-up permits (day before or day of)
- •Group size up to 12, with separate large-group (9-12) reservations
- •Camp only at your assigned designated campground each night
- •Store all food and scented items on the provided bear cables or poles
- •Campfires allowed only in designated sites with a fire ring, where posted
Gear Checklist
Required
- Bear spray, carried where you can reach it fast
- Bear-resistant food storage plus cord for hanging where cables are absent
- Rain gear and warm layers for fast weather swings
- Water filter or treatment
- Map and compass or GPS for pass crossings
Recommended
- Trekking poles for the long descents off the passes
- Sturdy boots for snow-covered high routes early season
- Binoculars for spotting bears and goats at a distance
Plan Your Trip
🎒
Gear Checklist
Required and recommended gear for Glacier Wilderness
🚐
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Trailhead transportation options
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Key Landmarks
↑
9,000ft
Gain↓
9,000ft
Loss⛰️
8,100ft
High📏
18.0mi
Distance📐
3.6%
Avg GradeClick on a marker to view details•5 landmarks
Landmarks (5)
12,453 permits and 8,294 campsites secured by PermitSnag users
Glacier Wilderness FAQ
How do I get a Glacier Wilderness permit?
Glacier Wilderness permits use a reservation system. PermitSnag sends lottery open, deadline, and results reminders; you can also enable cancellation alerts if spots open later.
When is the best time to visit Glacier Wilderness?
Check with the managing agency for current season dates. Weekdays generally have better availability than weekends.
How competitive is the Glacier Wilderness permit?
This permit has a demand score of 8/10, making it highly competitive. We recommend having backup dates and using PermitSnag's cancellation alerts.
What if I can't get a Glacier Wilderness permit?
Cancellations happen daily. Set up alerts with PermitSnag to get notified the moment a spot opens up. We check availability every 2-3 minutes, 24/7.
👥Community
Trail Conditions
Questions
Trip Reports
Write ReportPhotography Guide
Golden Hour
Sunrise from any camp east of the Continental Divide sets the red argillite peaks on fire. Elizabeth Lake and Cosley Lake glow first.
Best Light
Morning light works best for the east-side peaks and the distinctive red rock. West-side lake basins hold soft light into the evening.
Beat the Crowds
North Fork, Walton, and the Goat Haunt districts see a fraction of the traffic of the Logan Pass corridor. Midweek starts beat the weekend rush for walk-up sites.
Classic Shots
- 📍Grinnell Glacier basin from the Many Glacier approach
- 📍Gunsight Lake with the surrounding cirque reflected at dawn
- 📍Mountain goats along the Highline near the Garden Wall
- 📍Stoney Indian Lake framed by the pass
- 📍Waterton Lake from the Goat Haunt shore
Can't Get a Glacier Wilderness Permit?
Consider these alternatives if your preferred dates aren't available.
Highline Trail Permit
Same AreaThe Garden Wall traverse from Logan Pass to Granite Park Chalet, done as a day hike or a one-night backcountry trip on this same permit.
Permit required
Tradeoffs
A single signature route rather than a build-your-own multi-day itinerary.
Many Glacier Backcountry
Same AreaCampgrounds in the Grinnell Glacier and Swiftcurrent basin, some of the most requested sites in the park.
Permit required
Tradeoffs
Same permit system, but the Many Glacier district fills first, so cancellation watching matters most here.
Two Medicine Backcountry
Same AreaThe quieter southeast corner of the park, home to the Dawson-Pitamakan loop and easier permit odds.
Permit required
Tradeoffs
Fewer glaciers on show than the north, but noticeably better availability.
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