Reservation7/10
Shoshone Lake
Largest backcountry lake....
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Yellowstone Backcountry Permit
Overnight backcountry camping permit for Yellowstone National Park. An early-access lottery runs in spring, then a general on-sale period opens reservations to the public, with cancellations returning to Recreation.gov.
“1,114 miles of trail, 293 numbered campsites, and a permit that names exactly which one you sleep at on which night.”
Track a specific zone— not the whole wilderness
Two ways to land it
Track cancellations or run a lottery pool
Core feature
Fast Lane tracking
We watch Yellowstone Backcountry for cancellations 24/7 and alert you when a spot opens so you can book before it's gone.
Start free cancellation watchPro or $19 alert
Lottery pool
Apply with a crew. Each person multiplies your combined odds. We coordinate invites, deadlines, and outcomes.
See plans to start a poolMost crews do both: pool for the lottery, watch for cancellations.
Better odds with a crew
Yellowstone Backcountry is a lottery. Every friend who applies adds another entry, so a crew gets more shots at the same permit than any one of you alone.
One of you runs the pool (Pro or a $19 alert). Everyone else joins free.
Yellowstone Backcountry Quick Facts
Permit RequiredYes
Booking MethodLottery
Demand LevelHigh7/10
SeasonPeak season May 15; general on-sale April 26 - October 31; non-peak season runs November 1 to May 14 with access from October 6
Cost$5 per person per night plus a $10 reservation fee. The early access lottery application costs a separate, non-refundable $10; lottery winners do not pay the $10 reservation fee again.
Yellowstone Backcountry Permit Facts
- As of August 2026, Yellowstone Backcountry in Yellowstone National Park, National Parks requires a permit issued via lottery.
- Yellowstone Backcountry is a high-demand permit, rating 7/10 on PermitSnag's demand index.
- The Yellowstone Backcountry lottery typically opens March 1, 2026 and closes March 20, 2026, with results announced March 25, 2026 - winners get a randomized booking time between April 1 and 25.
- Cancelled Yellowstone Backcountry permits are re-released on the booking system; PermitSnag monitors availability and alerts watchers when dates open.
Key Information
Key Dates
Lottery OpensMarch 1, 2026
Lottery ClosesMarch 20, 2026
ResultsMarch 25, 2026 - winners get a randomized booking time between April 1 and 25
SeasonPeak season May 15; general on-sale April 26 - October 31; non-peak season runs November 1 to May 14 with access from October 6
Permit Details
TypeOvernight
Booking MethodLottery
Demand Level7/10
LocationGreater Yellowstone
Pro Tips
- •Enter the March lottery if you want Slough Creek, Bechler, Heart Lake or Shoshone Lake - Recreation.gov names those four as the high-demand areas.
- •Check each site's own limits before you build an itinerary. Group size, stay length and travel method all vary site by site, and a 12-person site next to a 4-person site is normal.
- •Carry 35 feet of rope. The park says at least 35 feet for the food poles; Recreation.gov's site listings say 30, and the longer number is the safer one to pack.
- •Book the walk-up as your plan B rather than your last resort - at least 25% of sites are held back for it every day.
- •Build in a spare day in June and early July. High water on the unbridged crossings turns a planned itinerary into an improvised one.
What to Expect
Route Details
Route Type
Varies
Duration
Varies by itinerary. NPS allows a maximum of three consecutive nights at any one site, some campsites carry a 1- or 2-night limit, and you may book up to 14 nights on one permit if you are hiking from one campsite to the next.
Highlights
- •A permit that names a specific numbered campsite for each night
- •293 designated backcountry campsites across 1,114 miles of trail
- •Group size limits of 4 to 12 people, set per site
- •Only one group per campsite, except at four sites
- •Stays of 1 to 3 nights per site; up to 14 nights on one permit if you keep moving
- •Up to 75% of sites reservable in advance, at least 25% held for daily walk-ups
- •Pick the permit up in person at a backcountry office, up to two days ahead
Best Time to Visit
Mid-July through September. June is beautiful and largely unwalkable in the low country - high water closes fords and the mosquitoes are serious. September gives the best combination of dry trail, cool nights and elk bugling. Peak season for permits runs May 15 to October 31.
Hazards & Considerations
- !Grizzly and black bears throughout the park
- !Thermal ground. More than 20 people have died from burns after entering or falling into Yellowstone's hot springs, and the crust around them is thin and breakable
- !River fords that run high into July
- !Fire danger listed as Very High on August 9, 2026, with no restrictions currently in place
- !Bison, which are far more likely to injure you than a bear
How to Get This Permit
1
Create a Recreation.gov account
Sign up at Recreation.gov if you don't have an account. Verify your email and add payment info ahead of time.
2
Apply during the lottery window
Submit your application between March 1, 2026 and March 20, 2026. Apply for multiple dates to increase your odds.
3
Wait for lottery results
Results are typically announced March 25, 2026 - winners get a randomized booking time between April 1 and 25. Check your email and your Recreation.gov account.
4
If unsuccessful, monitor cancellations
Permits get cancelled daily. Peak cancellation times are 24-48 hours before the trip date.
5
Set up PermitSnag alerts
Get notified when cancellations happen. Pro and $19 single-permit alerts are checked about every minute, 24/7; free accounts are checked hourly.
Difficulty Assessment
Physical Demand3/5
Fitness and endurance required
Technical Skill2/5
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 comfortable being genuinely alone in grizzly country, on trails that are often faint and frequently unbridged.
Recommended Experience
Bear-country camping, river fords, and enough navigation to tell a bison trail from a real one. The exposure rating is about thermal ground and wildlife, not about heights.
Not Recommended For
First-time backpackers, and anyone unwilling to carry and practise with bear spray.
About This Permit
A backcountry permit is required year-round for all overnight stays in Yellowstone's backcountry, and each permit specifies a designated campsite and dates for you and your group. There are 293 of those campsites across 1,114 miles of trail. Group sizes are limited to 4 to 12 people depending on the site, stays run 1 to 3 nights, and except for four sites only one group is allowed per campsite.
The 2026 season ran on an early access lottery: applications March 1 to 20, notification March 25, and a randomized access window for winners between April 1 and April 25 - note the park's own page gives that window as both April 1-24 and April 1-25 in different places. General on-sale for peak season, May 15 to October 31, opened April 26. Non-peak season, November 1 to May 14, opens for booking on October 6.
Fees are $5 per person per night plus a $10 reservation fee, charged year-round whether you book on Recreation.gov or in person at a backcountry office. The early access lottery application is a separate non-refundable $10, and if you win it you do not pay the $10 reservation fee again.
A reservation is not a permit. Between May 15 and October 31 you pick the permit up at a backcountry office, up to two days before your trip. Recreation.gov names Slough Creek, the Bechler area, Heart Lake and Shoshone Lake as the high-demand areas worth entering the lottery for.
As of the park's August 9, 2026 situation report, fire danger is Very High with no current fire restrictions, and since July 29 the park's rivers and streams have been closed to fishing daily from 2 pm to sunrise because of high water temperatures and low stream flows.
The Experience
Why It Matters
Yellowstone's backcountry is bigger than most national parks put together and almost nobody uses it. The whole system runs on designated sites: you do not get a zone or a general area, you get a site number, and your permit says which nights you have it. That is what makes it plannable - and what makes the good sites go fast.
The Route
The park publishes the shape of the system plainly: 1,114 miles of trails and 293 designated backcountry campsites, each with limits on group size and stock, campsite stays ranging from 1 to 3 nights, and group sizes limited to 4 to 12 people. Except for four sites, only one group is allowed per campsite - so when you have a site, you have it to yourself. If your group exceeds a site's limit you need a second permit, and you must cook and sleep separately.
One permit can carry up to 14 nights if you are hiking site to site, with a maximum of three consecutive nights at any one site and some sites capped at one or two. Up to 75% of the campsites may be reserved in advance and at least 25% are left for walk-up permits daily.
The Feeling
Two miles from a boardwalk full of people you are on your own with bison trails, thermal steam rising off a meadow, and a food pole to hang everything from at night. Bear spray on your hip is not a precaution here, it is equipment.
Trailhead Information
Bechler Ranger Station Trailhead (9K1)
NPS trailhead 9K1 in the Bechler Area. Bechler is also one of the park's backcountry permit offices, so you can collect the permit where you start.
Restrooms
No water
Getting There
Along the Cave Falls Road, just north of the southern park boundary.
Notes
NPS lists the backcountry offices as Mammoth, Tower, Bridge Bay, Grant Village, South Entrance, West Yellowstone and Bechler. From May 15 to October 31 you pick the permit up in person at one of them, up to two days before the trip; from November 1 to May 14 you call the Central Backcountry Office instead.
Cave Falls Trailhead (9K2)
NPS trailhead 9K2 in the Bechler Area, on the Bechler River Trail and the South Boundary Trail.
Restrooms
No water
Getting There
Along the Cave Falls Road, just north of the southern park boundary.
Notes
NPS says the fording of Fall River near the Cave Falls Trailhead is wide and dangerous, and not recommended.
DeLacy Creek Trailhead (7K2)
NPS trailhead 7K2 in the Grant Area, and the short way to Shoshone Lake: a 5.8-mile there-and-back to the shore.
Restrooms
No water
Notes
NPS lists two amenities here, an information kiosk or bulletin board and the trailhead itself. No toilet.
Shoshone Lake / Dogshead Trailhead (8K1)
NPS trailhead 8K1, the longer approach to Shoshone Lake by way of the Lewis River Channel: a 10.8-mile there-and-back.
Restrooms
No water
Getting There
Approximately 5 miles (8 km) south of the Grant Village intersection, just north of Lewis Lake on the west side of the road.
Notes
NPS lists a vault or composting toilet among the three amenities here, and marks the trailhead with a caution that grizzly bears frequent the area.
Rules & Regulations
- •A backcountry permit is required year-round for all overnight stays in the backcountry
- •Maximum three consecutive nights at any one site; some sites are limited to one or two
- •If your group exceeds a site's limit you need a second permit and must cook and sleep separately
- •Secure all food and scented items by hanging them from the food poles or storing them in a bear-resistant food container. Soft-sided containers are not allowed
- •Carry bear spray and know how to use it
- •Bathing, soaking or swimming in water entirely of thermal origin is prohibited
- •No off-trail travel in thermal areas
- •A reservation is not a permit - collect the permit in person
Gear Checklist
Required
- Bear spray, on your hip rather than in the pack
- Rope for the food poles - the park says at least 35 feet, though Recreation.gov's site listings say 30, so carry 35
- A hard-sided bear-resistant container if you prefer one to hanging; soft-sided containers are prohibited
- Water treatment
- Layers for nights that drop below freezing at 8,000 feet in any month
Recommended
- Shoes you can ford in - most long Yellowstone routes cross unbridged water
- A head net for the mosquito peak in late June and July
- Trekking poles for river crossings
- A map, because bison trails braid off the real one constantly
Plan Your Trip
🎒
Gear Checklist
Required and recommended gear for Yellowstone Backcountry
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Key Landmarks
Bechler area
The southwest corner, and the other high-demand district NPS calls out by name. Waterfalls and hydrothermal features, gated by river fords that NPS says are not crossable early in the season.
Slough Creek
Sites 2S1 through 2S6. NPS limits campers to 3 consecutive nights in the Slough Creek drainage from June 15 to September 15.
Lottery Statistics
Competitive
estimated success rate
Get detailed lottery statistics and tips. Sign up to track this permit.
Boost Your Chances
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Safety & Planning
Yellowstone Backcountry FAQ
Do I need a permit to camp in the Yellowstone backcountry?
Yes, year-round, for every overnight stay. The permit names a designated campsite and dates for you and your group. It costs $5 per person per night plus a $10 reservation fee.
When does the lottery open for a Yellowstone backcountry permit?
For 2026 the early access lottery took applications from March 1 to March 20, notified successful applicants on March 25, and gave them a randomized booking time between April 1 and April 25. General on-sale for the May 15 to October 31 peak season opened April 26. The non-peak season, November 1 to May 14, opens for booking on October 6.
How many people can stay at a Yellowstone backcountry campsite?
It depends on the site. The park sets group size limits of 4 to 12 people per campsite, and except for four sites only one group is allowed per campsite. If your party exceeds a site's limit you need a second permit and have to cook and sleep separately.
How many nights can I stay on one Yellowstone backcountry permit?
Up to 14, if you are hiking from one campsite to the next. There is a maximum of three consecutive nights at any one site, and some sites carry a one-night or two-night limit of their own.
Can I get a walk-up backcountry permit in Yellowstone?
Yes. The park reserves up to 75% of campsites for advance booking and leaves at least 25% for walk-up permits daily. Even with an advance reservation you still collect the permit in person at a backcountry office, up to two days before your trip during the May 15 to October 31 season.
Do I need a bear canister in Yellowstone?
Not necessarily - the park's rule is to secure all food and scented items either by hanging them from the food poles, which needs at least 35 feet of rope, or by storing them in a bear-resistant food container. Soft-sided containers are not allowed. Carry bear spray regardless.
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Write the First ReportPhotography Guide
Golden Hour
Steam off a backcountry thermal feature at sunrise, when the temperature difference makes it visible from a mile away.
Best Light
Cold mornings. Yellowstone's thermal areas photograph best when it is near freezing and the whole basin is smoking.
Beat the Crowds
Two miles from any trailhead is usually enough. The Lamar and Hayden valleys carry the wildlife-watching crowd along the road and almost none of it walks.
Classic Shots
- 📍Backcountry geyser basins with no boardwalk in the frame
- 📍Bison trails braiding across an open meadow
- 📍A numbered campsite marker with a food pole behind it
- 📍Elk in the meadows at first light in September
- 📍The Absaroka Range from a high pass in the park's east
Can't Get a Yellowstone Backcountry Permit?
Consider these alternatives if your preferred dates aren't available.
Shoshone Lake
Same AreaThe park's second-largest lake, reachable only on foot or by paddle, with 24 designated sites around it.
Permit required
Tradeoffs
One of the four areas Recreation.gov names as high-demand, so worth the lottery. Boat-accessible sites are walk-up only before June 10.
Bechler River
Same AreaCascade Corner in the park's southwest, with more waterfalls than the rest of Yellowstone combined.
Permit required
Tradeoffs
Also on the high-demand list, and with a hard timing constraint - the park does not recommend trips before July 10 because of flooding in Bechler Meadows.
Grand Teton Backcountry Permit
Similar ExperienceZone-based camping in the Tetons an hour south, with roughly two thirds of permits held for walk-ups.
Permit required
Tradeoffs
Far better walk-up odds and far more dramatic terrain, but a bear canister is mandatory there and the camping is zone-based rather than site-based.
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