California Wilderness Permits: Reservation Dates for 2026
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Trying to score wilderness permits for popular California backpacking trails can feel as hopeless as getting Taylor Swift concert tickets. Everything is gone within minutes.
You’re not alone in feeling this way – backpacking has grown in popularity in the 2020’s and everyone wants a chance to see the most popular, stunning destinations.
If you’ve ever stared at a fully booked trailhead calendar and wondered “what the heck?” – I’m here to explain how backpacking permits and quotas work for the most popular California backpacking locations and how you can successfully grab the most sought-after wilderness permits.
I’ve been backpacking in California since 2016 and have lived through the permit application fax-in and call-in days. I’ve got lots of tested tips (by yours truly!) to help you plan and prepare for permit reservation releases and what to do if you can’t get the permits you want – including some underrated, no-quota spots that still offer epic backcountry experiences (and are still in the beautiful Sierra Nevada!).
Whether you’re a planner or more of a last-minute adventurer, this guide will help you navigate California’s backpacking permit system with confidence.
What Are Backpacking Permits and Quotas?
A permit is essentially a piece of paper that acts like an admission ticket. Permits are issued by the land management agency that oversees the place you want to hike in. Having a permit to wilderness camp is required in some places, and not required in others.
You can get a permit in many different ways. Sometimes you self-register by filling one out at a visitor center or even trailhead, and other times you need to call in advance, reserve one online, or enter a lottery. You usually need to give some identifying information and indicate the trailhead you are starting from and where you intend on camping.
Permits are important because it allows the land management agency to track the use of an area or trailhead. Permit data can be critical for agencies to get more funding to maintain trails, build campsites, etc.
Quotas, on the other hand, are usually what people are the most saddened by. If there are trailhead or campsite quotas, there will definitely be permits required for your trip.
Quotas limit the number of people who can start hiking a trail on a given day, or dictate if you can camp at a certain site or backcountry camping zone on a given night.
Quotas sound evil, but they’re really not. They’re a critical tool for reducing human impact at the most popular and sought-after backcountry locations.
Could you imagine hiking out to a beautiful lake and finding 50 other people camped there? Where would those 50 people do their potty business all day? Would you have to pitch your tent right next to a dozen other strangers? It’s probably not the peaceful backcountry experience you were expecting, right?
Each park, forest, wilderness area, etc. does permits and quotas a little differently, so it’s important to do your research on the rules.
Backpacking Permit Release Dates for Popular Overnight Locations
Note: If a quota date is listed, that indicates that dates outside of that time frame are not subject to a quota, but still require a permit. These permits are typically issued immediately online, or in person at ranger stations near the trailhead. Each land agency does non-quota period permits differently, please read the “fine print” on each website.
King Range Wilderness (Lost Coast Trail)
- Permits available: October 1, 2025.
- Type of availability: Daily release on a rolling 3-month basis at 7:00 am PT (i.e. January 1, 2026 permits released on October 1, 2025; Jan 2, 2026 permits released on Oct. 2, 2025, etc.)
- Popularity: High for spring, summer, and early fall. Low for late fall and winter.
- Permit fee: $6.00 per permit, $12/person 17 years and older.
- Permits available in person? 3 in-person walk-ups available via lottery Monday-Friday at 8:00am at the King Range Visitor Center.
- Website for permit reservations.
Inyo National Forest
- Permits available: November 1, 2025.
- Type of availability: Daily release on a rolling 6-month basis at 7:00 am PT (i.e. May 1, 2026 permits released on Nov. 1, 2025; May 2, 2026 permits released on Nov. 2, 2025, etc.).
- Quota period: May 1, 2026 – November 1, 2026. There are some non-quota trails in Inyo.
- Popularity: High for most trails.
- Permit fee: $6/ permit, plus $5/ person, or $15/ person if the trip includes entry or exit of the Mt. Whitney zone.
- Permits available in person? No.
- Other info: 60% of permits are available with the 6-month reservation. 40% are released 2 weeks before the start of the trip. You can book available spots online up to the day of wilderness entry.
- Website for permit reservations.
Sierra National Forest
- Permits available: First week of January 2026.
- Type of availability: Daily release on a rolling 6-month basis at 7:00 am PT. The initial release of permits during the first week of January would include all of May and June, then it would look like: July 14, 2026 permits released on Jan. 14, 2026, etc.
- Popularity: Low – moderate.
- Permit fee: $6/ permit, plus $5/ person, or $15/ person if the trip exits in the Mt. Whitney zone.
- Permits available in person? No. Walk-up permits only online, beginning 14 days prior to trip start date.
- Other info: You can start in the Sierra National Forest and continue into any adjacent wilderness area, including Yosemite National Park, Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Park, and Inyo National Forest. Travel must be continuous.
- Website for permit reservations.
Yosemite National Park
- Permits available: November 2, 2025.
- Type of availability: Weekly lottery on a rolling 24-week basis (i.e. lottery is open from January 4th – 10th, 2026 for hiking dates beginning June 21st – 27th, 2025). See the full chart here.
- Quota period: April 24, 2026 – October 18, 2026.
- Popularity: High for the summer season, moderate-high for spring and fall. Most trails are extremely popular.
- Permit fee: $10 per lottery entry. $5 additional per person once a successful permit is booked.
- Permits available in person? In-person walk-ups are available at certain locations from October 20th, 2025 – April 23rd, 2026. Online “walk-ups” are available 1 week before trip start date. In the quota season, there is very limited in-person walk-up availability.
- Other info: Once the lottery for the week has run, any leftover permits will be released for general sale and ready to book immediately. They will remain available until 3 days before the trip start date.
- Website for permit reservations.
- Yosemite Permits can be confusing. Read my full Yosemite Wilderness Permit Guide for all of the nitty gritty details to plan your trip.
Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Park
- Permits available: November 22, 2025.
- Type of availability: Daily release on a rolling 6-month basis at 7:00 am PT (i.e. May 26, 2026 permits released on Nov. 26, 2025; May 27, 2026 permits released on Nov. 27, 2025, etc.).
- Quota period: May 22, 2026 – September 26, 2026.
- Popularity: Moderate – high.
- Permit fee: $15/ permit, plus $5/ person.
- Permits available in person? Yes. A small portion of permits are available at the ranger station closest to your desired starting trailhead beginning at 1:00 pm the day before wilderness entry. Read more here.
- Other info: Online reservations will stop one week prior to wilderness entry date. All unreserved permits will become eligible for in-person walk-ups. During the non-quota dates (September 28, 2025 – May 26, 2026), all permits are obtained in-person only.
- Website for permit reservations.
Desolation Wilderness
- Permits available: November 22, 2025.
- Type of availability: Daily release on a rolling 6-month basis at 7:00 am PT (i.e. May 26, 2026 permits released on Nov. 26, 2025; May 27, 2026 permits released on Nov. 27, 2025, etc.).
- Quota period: May 22, 2026 – September 30, 2026.
- Popularity: Moderate – high.
- Permit fee: $6/ permit, plus $5/ person for one night stays, or $10/ person for stays of 2-14 nights.
- Permits available in person? Yes. A small portion of permits are available on the day of wilderness entry. You’ll pick them up at the Placerville Ranger Station or Lake Tahoe Basin Supervisor’s Office. The stations open at 8:00 am. You should anticipate getting there earlier for popular spots (between 6-7 am).
- Website for permit reservations.
Humboldt – Toiyabe National Forest – Hoover Wilderness
- Permits available: Mid-January 2026.
- Type of availability: Daily release on a rolling 6-month basis at 7:00 am PT (i.e. July 20, 2026 permits released on Jan. 20, 2026; July 21, 2026 permits released on Jan. 21, 2026, etc.).
- Quota period: June 15, 2026 – October 15, 2026.
- Popularity: Low – moderate.
- Permit fee: $6/ permit, plus $8/ person.
- Permits available in person? No.
- Other info: 50% of permits are available 6 months in advance, the remaining 50% are available online 3 days prior to wilderness entry.
- Website for permit reservations.
Catalina Island (Trans-Catalina Trail)
- Permits available: December 1, 2025 (8 AM PT) for January 2026 dates; January 1, 2026 for February – December 2026.
- Type of availability: All campsites for February thru December 2026 are released on 1/1/2026 at 12:00 AM PST.
- Popularity: High for all seasons.
- Permit fee: Each campsite has a different cost per person, but the permit itself is free.
- Permits available in person? No. But you can try calling the Catalina Island Conservancy for booking help.
- Website for campsite reservations.
Lassen Volcanic National Park
- Permits available: Ongoing.
- Type of availability: Daily release on a rolling 90-day basis at 7:00 am PT (i.e. March 17, 2026 permits released on December 17, 2025, April 1, 2026 permits released on January 1, 2026, etc.).
- Popularity: Low – Non-quota.
- Permit fee: $6/ permit + $5/person.
- Permits available in person? No.
- Other info: There is no quota for wilderness permits in Lassen National Park. All permit reservations must be made online. Permits are required year-round. Bear canisters are required from April 16 – November 30.
- Website for permit reservations.
Joshua Tree National Park
- Permits available: Ongoing.
- Type of availability: Daily release on a rolling 6-month basis at 7:00 am PT (i.e. February 15, 2026 permits released on July. 16, 2025).
- Popularity: Moderate.
- Permit fee: $6/ permit.
- Permits available in person? Yes, at Park Headquarters.
- Other info: Boy Scout Trail Zone and Pine City Zone are the only areas with quotas and camping is in designated sites.
- Website to learn more.
Mt. Whitney – Day Hiking & Overnight
- Permits available: February 1 – March 1, 2026
- Type of availability: Lottery system. All entries must be submitted by 11:59 pm PT on March 1, 2026.
- Quota period: May 1, 2026 – November 1, 2026.
- Popularity: High.
- Permit fee: $6/ entry, plus $15/ person.
- Permits available in person? No.
- Other info: The lottery is for overnight and day hiking trips into the Mt. Whitney zone. This lottery is not for Mountaineer’s Route trips. Read the extensive information about the lottery here. All unclaimed lottery permits will be released on April 21, 2026 at 7:00 am PT if you are not successful in the lottery.
- Website for permit reservations.
Half Dome Cable Permits – Day Hiking
- Permits available: March 1 – March 31, 2026
- Type of availability: Lottery system. All entries must be submitted by 11:59 pm PT on March 31, 2026.
- Quota period: May 22, 2026 – October 15, 2026 (depends on the cable installation dates).
- Popularity: High.
- Permit fee: $10/ lottery entry, plus $10/ person.
- Permits available in person? No.
- Other info: The lottery is for day hiking trips on the Half Dome Cables. There is a 2-day advance lottery online for last-minute planners.
- Website for permit reservations.
Point Reyes National Seashore
- Permits available: Every single day – there is no special quota or open period.
- Type of availability: Varies per campsite. There are 3-month and 14-day rolling releases at 7:00 am PT.
- Popularity: High
- Campsite fee: $30/ site (max 6 people)
- Permits available in person? No.
- Other info: Due to the specific nature of the campsite reservations and which ones are available on shorter notice, please read all of the information on the “Facility Information” tab here. You don’t need to clarify at booking which trails you decide to hike to get to your campground, but you should plan this out in advance. Every campsite is hike-in only.
- Website for campsite reservations.
California Campfire Permits
These aren’t talked about a ton, but you actually need a Campfire Permit if you plan to operate a stove on forest land in California!
These are good for each calendar year, and all you need to do is watch a short video on fire safety, take a quiz, and you’ve got your permit. I print a couple out and keep one in my pack and a few in my car glove box.
Tips For Getting Overnight Backpacking Permit Reservations on Rec.gov
Be an Early Bird
Reading this post is a really great start: you’re figuring out when the reservation windows open ahead of time. But the next step is being on the website and signed-in to your account at least 10 minutes before the permit reservations are released.
You’ll want to refresh your webpage immediately at the release time and be ready to click on your preferred trail and date.
Fast Internet & Know How the System Works
Like I said above, you need to be early & fast and be ready to click immediately for certain permits.
These systems are not the most elegant. There can be 2-3 screens and questions to answer before you even get to see the calendar (it’s actually pretty annoying).
So I recommend doing a “test run” before you try to get a permit on the date you want. Go onto the permit page and pretend like you’re going to make a reservation a few days in advance and see what the interface is like and what you need to fill out before seeing the availability calendar.
This will help you when you’re trying to get your permit if it’s a “click immediately” kind of permit release.
Have a Plan B (and C, D, and E)
If you really want to go backpacking in a certain wilderness area, have a few trails you’d be interested in hiking. If nothing is available for your “Plan A” when you click, go back and immediately click on your “Plan B” option.
You can also look at your maps and see if there’s another (less popular) trailhead that can bring you to the spot you want to visit. While it might take 1-2 more days of hiking, you’ll probably discover more beauty along the way!
What To Do If You Can’t Win a Permit Reservation
Try For Less Popular Dates
Weekends are always the most popular, so maybe you can get a couple days off work and try to start your trip in the middle of the week instead.
Mid-summer is also the most popular time to hike. Trying to backpack before Memorial Day or the 4th of July or after Labor Day will have less competition.
And speaking of holidays, those are some of the most popular times to go backpacking, so try to avoid those dates as much as possible.
Explore Less Popular Trails
Everyone wants to backpack the Rae Lakes Loop in Sequoia or to Lake Aloha in Desolation Wilderness. But guess what? There are really beautiful places just surrounding those ones that see a fraction of the permit requests.
Do a little bit more research on nearby trails (guidebooks are great for this) and be surprised by their splendor!
Hike in Non-Quota Areas
While I’ve focused on locations that need reservations in this post, there are lots of places in California that don’t have quotas in place and don’t need reservations to go backpacking – like the Shasta-Trinity National Forest!
You can find these places all over California – you just need to do a little research to find some great spots.
Check For Cancellations
Cancellations happen all the time. It’s hard to monitor it yourself though, which is why a tool like Outdoor Status is so awesome. It scans recreation.gov every 10 minutes checking for permit cancellations for the trailhead or camping area you pick out and immediately texts you when it finds an opening!
→ Set up a tracker for only $15 here!
Reminder: Permit Reservations vs. Actual Permits – They’re Different!
When you “get a permit” online, you’re actually making a permit reservation.
The fine print varies depending on which park or forest you’ll be backpacking in, but in some places – like Yosemite and Sequoia-Kings, you don’t actually have a permit until you pick it up from a wilderness ranger at the correct wilderness center.
If you just print the reservation page or screenshot it on your phone – it’s not a valid permit and a ranger can fine you for not having a legitimate permit.
So make sure you’re following directions and reading all of the “need to know” information when reserving online!
California Wilderness Permit Frequently Asked Questions
What Happens If I Go Backpacking Without a Permit?
Backcountry rangers patrol the trails in the wilderness and expect you to show a signed permit if asked for one. Penalties for not having a permit range from hefty fines to being escorted out of the wilderness.
When I hiked the Rae Lakes Loop one year, there were 2 law enforcement rangers standing at the trailhead and asked every single person who was ending the trail to show them a permit and they were actively writing tickets to everyone who didn’t have one!
Do You Need a Permit to Backpack Everywhere in California?
No, you don’t!
But you will need a California Campfire Permit at all of these locations if you plan to make a fire (where allowed) or use a backpacking stove.
Which Places in California Don’t Require Permits for Backpacking?
There are multiple places that don’t require permits – like Los Padres National Forest, Tahoe National Forest, Plumas National Forest, Ventana Wilderness, and Mendocino National Forest.
There are even more places that require permits but you don’t need to make advance reservations and there are no quotas! Golden Trout Wilderness, Stanislaus National Forest, Lassen Volcanic National Park, Death Valley National Park, Jennie Lakes Wilderness, Trinity Alps Wilderness, and Henry Coe Wilderness are a few. You just need to show up to a visitor center or trailhead to self-register your trip!
What If I Can’t Plan My Life 6 Months in Advance?
Try backpacking in one of the non-quota wilderness areas like I mentioned above!
You can also put a permit tracker on a more popular permit once you have your vacation dates finalized.
Many popular places have last-minute permits available for online booking: anywhere from 1 day to 2 weeks in advance! You’ll still need to be speedy on the computer to get them, but this allows for last-minute adventures.
Don’t Let the Permit System Stop Your Adventure
I know the California wilderness permit process can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to keep you from an incredible trip.
With the right prep (and maybe a little tech help), you can explore your dream trails. I’ve used every tactic in this guide over the years – from waking up early on release days to scoring last-minute permits with Outdoor Status, and they’ve helped me backpack through some of the most iconic places in California (and beyond!)
And if you don’t want to deal with the fuss of permit reservation systems, opting for a non-quota area to backpack will save you stress and money!
No matter what route you take, I hope this guide helps you hit the trail with more confidence, fewer headaches, and way more time spent soaking in those views.
➡️ Check out this guide for some more guidance planning your first backpacking trip!
