JMT North of Devils Postpile: What Early October Permits Actually Look Like

This permit covers entry into the JMT/PCT corridor north of Devils Postpile, which drops you straight into Ansel Adams Wilderness and the edge of John Muir Wilderness. Most people use it to hike north toward Thousand Island Lake, Garnet Lake, Shadow Lake, and Ediza Lake, or to start a longer JMT/PCT stretch. In early October you're in true shoulder season, and that changes the whole calculus for planning. The permit itself is a reservation-based wilderness permit through recreation.gov, tied to Inyo National Forest's zone system. Demand drops off hard after Labor Day, so getting a date in early October is a lot easier than mid-summer. That said, don't treat it as walk-up guaranteed. Book on recreation.gov as soon as you know your dates, since weekend slots still go first. By this point in the season the Reds Meadow shuttle has stopped running for the year, so you're driving your own vehicle to trailheads like Agnew Meadows or the River Trail access instead of catching a bus in from Mammoth. That's actually a plus for flexibility, but it means you need to check current Reds Meadow Road status before you go, since that road gets gated for the winter once snow starts sticking, sometimes as early as mid-October depending on the year. Water in this zone is generally reliable in early fall. Creek crossings and lake outlets along the JMT/PCT corridor are still flowing, just at lower volume than peak summer. Filter as always, and expect some sections to be down to a trickle compared to July. Overnight temps are dropping into the mid-20s to low 30s at elevation, so don't assume ice won't show up on shaded creek crossings or lake edges in the morning. Bear canisters are required, not optional, across this entire zone. Inyo National Forest treats the whole John Muir and Ansel Adams Wilderness area as bear canister country, and above 9,600 feet it's enforced pretty strictly. Since most of the camping around Shadow Lake, Ediza Lake, and the Thousand Island/Garnet Lake basin sits right at or above that line, just plan on carrying a canister the entire trip. This isn't the zone to gamble on a hang. Common mistakes people make in this window: underestimating how cold it gets once the sun drops, showing up expecting the shuttle to still be running, and skipping a check on Reds Meadow Road status the week before departure. Also worth noting, daylight is shrinking fast by early October, so build in more margin for reaching camp before dark than you would in July. Crowds thin out noticeably compared to summer. You'll still see PCT/JMT thru-hikers finishing out their season, plus weekend backpackers chasing aspen color, but it's a different feel than the July permit scramble. Fall colors in the aspen groves along the lower approach are a real draw this time of year, and the lake basins up high hold onto their late-season clarity before the first real snow. — Compiled by the PermitSnag team from agency info, ranger updates, and public trip logs.