Mark your calendars with the permit lottery and opening dates of the nation’s most popular National Parks to secure advanced reservations for backpacking permits and overnight camping spots! Advanced permit reservations can be obtained a few ways: through annual lotteries, rolling or seasonal lotteries, or during advanced reservation windows. Most National Parks hold a small number of permits and campsites for walk-ups, but competition can be fierce and still requires a bit of luck. Below are the 2026 opening dates and entry windows for backcountry and wilderness locations that can be obtained through the park’s booking platform, rec.gov.
Not all National Parks have implemented a quota system for backcountry campsites and trail. For those parks, you may still need to obtain a permit in advance, either online or through the Wilderness Information Center within the park, before entering the backcountry but are guaranteed access. Below are a list of the National Parks that have implemented a quota for some, or all, of their trailheads and backcountry campsites.
Annual Lotteries for National Park Reservations
Annual lotteries happen once a year. It does not matter when during the lottery application period you enter, so long as you enter before the window closes. Lottery entry fees are typically $6 – $10.
- February 1 – March 1: Mount Whitney Wilderness Permit
- February 10 – March 3: Mount Rainier National Park Wilderness Permits / Wonderland Trail
- February 15 – March 1: Enchantments / Alpine Wilderness
- March 1 – 20: Yellowstone National Park Backcountry Permits
- March 1 – 31: Half Dome Preseason Lottery
- March 2 – 13: North Cascades National Park Backcountry Permits
- March 15: Glacier National Park Wilderness Permits
Rolling Date Lotteries for Backcountry Permits
Rolling date lotteries occur several times throughout the year, for specific booking windows. Like annual lotteries, it does not matter when during the lottery application period you enter, so long as you enter before the window closes.
- Coyote Buttes North / The Wave – 4 months prior, open monthly
- Grand Canyon Backcountry Permits – 4.5 months prior, open monthly
- Yosemite National Park / John Muir Trail Permits – 24 weeks prior, open weekly
Advanced Reservation Dates for National Parks
Permit dates become available for advanced reservations either on a singular date for the whole season, or on a rolling basis determined by each individual park, similar to how campground reservations are handled in most National Parks.
- Canyonlands National Park – opens quarterly
- Grand Teton National Park / Teton Crest Trail – opens January 7, 2026
- Sequoia/King’s Canyon National Park (SEKI) – rolling six months prior, beginning Nov 22, 2025 for reservations starting May 22, 2026
- Olympic National Park – opens April 15, 2026
- Rocky Mountain National Park – opens March 1, 2026
- Zion National Park and Narrows Overnight Permits – opens quarterly
Annual Lottery Permit Details
Mt Rainier – Wonderland Trail and Northern Loop Permits
Mount Rainier National Park requires wilderness permits for all overnight trips, including those along the 93 mile Wonderland Trail that circumnavigates the mountain.
| Lottery Opens: | Feb 10, 2026 (7am PT) – Mar 3, 2026 (7pm PT) |
| Results Announced: | March 14, 2026 |
| Early Access Period: | Saturday March 21 (7am PT) – Sat April 18, 2025 |
| General Reservations: | 7am PT April 25, 2025 |
| Lottery Type: | Early access slot to make a reservation from available inventory |
| Walk-Up Availability: | Yes; approximately one third of campsites are reserved for walk-up |
| Entry Link: | Mount Rainier National Park Wilderness Permit |
The Enchantments – Alpine Lakes Wilderness Camping
There are five zones within the Enchantments: Core Enchantments, Colchuck Lake, Stuart Lake, Snow Lakes, and Eightmile/Caroline. A Core Enchantments permit allows overnighting any zone. The lottery has become exponentially popular Day hiking is allowed with a self-issue permit at the trailhead, but you will need a valid National Forest Recreation Day Pass to park.
| Lottery Opens: | Feb 15, 2026 (7am PT) – Mar 1, 2026 (midnight PT) |
| Results Announced: | March 17, 2026 |
| General Reservations: | April 1, 2026 7am PT |
| Lottery Type: | Specific entry date, camping zone, and party size |
| Daily Lottery: | Yes; must be within a 1 mile geofence of the Leavenworth Ranger Station |
| Walk-Up Availability: | Day-hike only |
| Entry Link: | Enchantments Permit Advanced Lottery |
Yellowstone National Park Backpacking Permit Lottery
| Lottery Opens: | March 1, 2026 (8am MT) – March 20, 2026 (midnight PT) |
| Results Announced: | March 25, 2026 |
| Early Access Period: | April 1 – 24, 2026 |
| General Reservations: | April 26, 2026 |
| Lottery Type: | Early access slot to make a reservation from available inventory |
| Walk-Up Availability: | Yes; approximately 25% of backcountry campsites are held for walk-up |
| Entry Link: | Yellowstone National Park Backcountry Permits |
Half Dome Pre-Season Lottery
| Lottery Opens: | March 1, 2026 – March 31, 2026 |
| Results Announced: | April 10, 2026 |
| Lottery Type: | Awarded for specific date |
| Daily Lottery: | Yes; apply online two days before desired hiking date |
| Walk-Up Availability: | No |
| Entry Link: | Half Dome Permits |
North Cascades National Park Backcountry Permit Lottery
| Lottery Opens: | March 2, 2026 – March 13, 2026 (9pm PT) |
| Results Announced: | March 20, 2026 |
| Early Access Period: | March 24 – April 21, 2026 |
| General Reservations: | April 29, 2026 (7am PT) |
| Lottery Type: | Early access slot to make a reservation from available inventory |
| Walk-Up Availability: | Yes; approximately 30% of campsites are reserved for walk-up |
| Entry Link: | North Cascades National Park Backcountry Permits |
Glacier National Park Backpacking Permit Lottery
| Lottery Opens: | March 15, 2026 (12am – 11:59pm MT) |
| Results Announced: | March 17, 2026 |
| Early Access Period: | March 21 – April 30, 2026 |
| General Reservations: | May 1, 2026 |
| Lottery Type: | Early access slot to make a reservation from available inventory |
| Walk-Up Availability: | Yes; 30% of campsites are reserved for walk-up permits |
| Entry Link: | Glacier National Park Wilderness Permits |
Mt Whitney Day Use and Overnight Permit Lottery
Mt Whitney Overnight permits can also be used to hike the John Muir Trail (JMT) in the northbound (NOBO) direction, exiting in Yosemite.
| Lottery Opens: | Feb 1, 2026 – March 1, 2026 |
| Results Announced: | March 15, 2026 |
| General Reservations: | April 22, 2026 (7am PST) |
| Lottery Type: | Awarded for specific date |
| Walk-Up Availability: | No, but 40% of available spots are released online two weeks prior to entry date |
| Entry Link: | Mt Whitney Permit Lottery |
Rolling Date Lottery Permit Details
Coyote Buttes North / The Wave Permit Lotteries
| Lottery Opens: | 4 months prior to the entry month January lottery → May entry dates February lottery → June entry dates March lottery → July entry dates April lottery → August entry dates May lottery → September entry dates June lottery → October entry dates July lottery → November entry dates August lottery → December entry dates September lottery → January entry dates October lottery → February entry dates November lottery → March entry dates December lottery → April entry dates |
| Results Announced: | First day the month following the entry month (e.g. January lottery results announced February 1st) |
| Lottery Type: | Awarded for specific date |
| Daily Lottery: | Yes; the daily lottery application opens two days prior to entry date (6am – 6pm local Utah/Navajo Nation time) and must be submitted from within the Geofence perimeter |
| Walk-Up Availability: | No |
| Entry Link: | Coyote Buttes Advanced Permit Lottery |
Grand Canyon National Park Backcountry Permit Lottery
Grand Canyon backcountry permits are required for anyone wanting to camp inside the canyon or attempting a popular Rim-to-Rim or Rim-to-River backpacking trip. A full table of the lottery schedule along with details on the process of obtaining walk-up permits can found at Grand Canyon National Park website.
Lottery Opens: | 4.5 months prior to the entry month ending at 5pm MST January 2026 entry dates → August 15, 2025 – September 1, 2025 February 2026 entry dates → November 17, 2025 – December 1, 2025 March 2026 entry dates→ November 17, 2025 – December 1, 2025 April 2026 entry dates → November 17, 2025 – December 1, 2025 May 2026 entry dates → December 15 – January 1, 2026 June 2026 entry dates → January 14 – February 1, 2026 July 2026 entry dates → February 13 – March 1, 2026 August 2026 entry dates → March 16 – April 1, 2026 September 2026 entry dates → April 15 – May 1, 2026 October 2026 entry dates→ May 13 – June 1, 2026 November 2026 entry dates → June 15 – July 1, 2026 December 2026 entry dates → July 16 – August 1, 2026 |
| Results Announced: | Second day of the month, the day after the application closes |
| Lottery Type: | Early access slot to make a reservation from available inventory |
| General Reservations: | First day of the month, 3 months prior to entry date (e.g April entry dates open January 1st) |
| Walk-Up Availability: | Yes, a small number of campsites at Havasupai Gardens and Cottonwood Campground are reserved for single night walk-up itineraries |
| Entry Link: | Grand Canyon Backcountry Permits |
Yosemite National Park / John Muir Trail SOBO Permits
In addition to providing access to the Yosemite backcountry, a Yosemite wilderness permit is also required for those seeking to hike the John Muir Trail (JMT) over Donohue Pass. A full table of the lottery schedule along with details on the process of obtaining walk-up permits can found on the Yosemite National Park website.
| Lottery Opens: | 24 weeks prior to the entry date in weekly intervals First application window opens Nov 2, 2025 for April 24 – May 2, 2026 starts Last application window opens April 19, 2026 for October 11 – 18, 2026 starts |
| Results Announced: | Two days after the application window closes |
| Lottery Type: | Awarded for specific date |
| General Reservations: | Available each Friday beginning at 9am (PT) |
| Walk-Up Availability: | Technically possible, but unlikely; 40% of permits become available for online reservations seven days in advance of a given start date. |
| Entry Link: | Yosemite National Park Wilderness Permits |
Advanced Reservation Permit Details
Grand Teton Backpacking Permit Reservations
| Availability Opens: | January 7, 2026 8am MT |
| Walk-Up Availability: | Yes; approximately 2/3rd of all backpacking permits are available for walk-up |
| Entry Link: | Grand Teton National Park Backcountry Permits |
Sequoia/Kings Canyon (SEKI) – High Sierra Trail and Rae Lakes
Permits in the SEKI region offer access to several popular backpacking routes, including the High Sierra Trail and Rae Lakes Loop.
| Availability Opens: | 6 months prior at 7am PT on a rolling daily basis (e.g. permits for May 22, 2026 become available November 22, 2025) |
| Walk-Up Availability: | Yes; a portion of each trailhead quota (ranging from 20% – 40%) is held for walk-up permits. Certain trailhead permits, including those for the popular Lakes Trail, are walk-up only. |
| Entry Link: | Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Wilderness Permits |
Olympic National Park Wilderness Permits
| Availability Opens: | April 16, 2026 7am PT/10am ET |
| Walk-Up Availability: | Yes, but no campsites are reserved exclusively for this purpose |
| Entry Link: | Olympic National Park Wilderness Permit |
Rocky Mountain National Park Backpacking Permits
| Availability Opens: | March 1, 2026 8am MT |
| Walk-Up Availability: | Yes, but no campsites are reserved exclusively for this purpose |
| Entry Link: | Rocky Mountain National Park Wilderness Permits |
Zion National Park and Overnight Narrows Permits
Advanced reservation opening dates for both classic backpacking trips along the Zion Traverse as well as single overnight trips within the Narrows are the same, but permits must be obtained via separate permits and rec.gov links..
| Availability Opens: | January 1 – March 31, 2026 entry dates → December 5, 2025 10am MT April 1 – June 30, 2026 entry dates → March 5, 2026 10am MT July 1 – September 30, 2026 entry dates → June 5, 2026 10am MT October 1 – December 31, 2026 entry dates → September 5, 2026 10am MT |
| Walk-Up Availability: | Yes; 50% of backcountry campsites are reserved for walk-ups. Campsites are designated either as reservable in advanced or held for walk-up. |
| Entry Link: | Zion Overnight Narrows Permits Zion National Park Overnight Wilderness Permits |
Canyonlands National Park Backpacking Permits
Canyonlands backpacking permits, including the popular Needles and White Rim area, are available on a seasonal basis for hikers, mountain bikers and 4WD itineraries.
| Availability Opens: | December 10 – March 9, 2026 entry dates → August 10, 2025 8am MT March 10 – June 9, 2026 entry dates → November 10, 2025 8am MT June 10 – September 9, 2026 entry dates → February 10, 2026 8am MT September 10 – December 9, 2026 entry dates → May 10, 2026 8am MT December 10, 2026 – March 9, 2027 entry dates → August 10, 2026 8am MT |
| Walk-Up Availability: | Yes, but no campsites are reserved exclusively for this purpose |
| Entry Link: | Canyonlands National Park Overnight Backcountry Permits |
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