--- title: "Yosemite wilderness permits: dates & how to apply" url: https://parksahead.com/permits/yosemite-wilderness/ verified_on: 2026-10-15 sources: - https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/wpres.htm - https://www.recreation.gov/permits/445859 attribution: "Data Source: Recreation.gov" --- # Yosemite wilderness permits: dates & how to apply ## Short answer 60% by lottery 24 weeks before start date; leftovers first come, first served from about 22 weeks out; 40% released 7 days ahead. Next window: - Weekly lottery, 24 weeks ahead (60%): 24 weeks before. Source: https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/wpres.htm - First come, first served: about 22 weeks before, until 7 days before. Source: https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/wpres.htm - One-week release (40%): 7 days before. Source: https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/wpres.htm Booking: https://www.recreation.gov/permits/445859 Verified: 2026-10-15 ## Last verified Last verified October 15, 2026 against the official pages below. ## Cite this page Parks Ahead, “Yosemite wilderness permits: dates & how to apply”, https://parksahead.com/permits/yosemite-wilderness/, last verified October 15, 2026. CONFIRMED. Confirmed rule. ## Key dates ### Weekly lottery, 24 weeks ahead (60%) 24 weeks before (NPS: wilderness permit reservations https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/wpres.htm) ### First come, first served about 22 weeks before, until 7 days before (NPS: wilderness permit reservations https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/wpres.htm) ### One-week release (40%) 7 days before (NPS: wilderness permit reservations https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/wpres.htm) ## Where to apply Yosemite National Park Wilderness Permits: Check current availability on Recreation.gov. https://www.recreation.gov/permits/445859 No availability data. Recreation.gov's public RIDB data has none, and we don't scrape it. Pages link each facility's booking page for current availability. ## How it works Recreation.gov. $10 processing fee per application, plus $5 per person if you receive a permit (both non-refundable). Reservations are only available for trips May through October; permits are required all year. ## Fees ### Yosemite National Park Wilderness Permits Fees (as of October 15, 2026) > The processing fee is $10 per application. If you receive a wilderness permit, an additional fee of $5 per person applies. These fees are non-refundable and non-transferable. NPS: wilderness permit reservations https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/wpres.htm Weather: NWS forecast: Yosemite Valley https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=37.7456&lon=-119.5936 Alerts: NPS: current alerts and conditions https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/conditions.htm ## Before you apply - **Pick your entry trailhead and start date first.** NPS says wilderness permits are reserved by entry trailhead and date of entry ([NPS: Wilderness Permit Reservations](https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/wpres.htm)). - **Start with the weekly lottery.** NPS says your "best chance of success" is the weekly lottery (its timing is listed above) ([NPS](https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/wpres.htm)). - **Be ready to accept and pay.** Everyone gets results the following Monday, and successful applicants must accept and pay by Thursday. "Failure to accept and pay by Thursday will result in the reservation being canceled without a refund" ([NPS](https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/wpres.htm)). - **Know the limits.** You can apply only once per weekly lottery, and you can hold no more than six active (future) reservations at a time ([NPS](https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/wpres.htm)). ## Common mistakes - **Treating the confirmation letter as your permit.** "A reservation confirmation letter is not a valid permit." The trip leader or alternate must pick up the permit in person at a wilderness center, either the day before (8 am to 5 pm) or the same day (8 am to 11 am, unless it's held on Recreation.gov for a late arrival up to 5 pm) ([NPS](https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/wpres.htm)). - **Assuming winter trips don't need a permit.** NPS says "Wilderness permits are required all year," even in months when reservations aren't offered ([NPS](https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/wpres.htm)). - **Leaving it to the last minute.** The latest you can make a reservation is three days before a trip. After that, unreserved permits are given out in person at wilderness centers only on the trip's start date, during business hours, and NPS says after-hours permits will not be available ([NPS](https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/wpres.htm)). - **Calling the reservations office in late fall.** NPS says the office that processes reservation applications is closed from the third week of October until mid-November, on federal holidays, and for lunch ([NPS](https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/wpres.htm)). ## What changed this year TBA. As of Oct 15, 2026, the official page doesn't announce rule changes for the coming season. Check [NPS: Wilderness Permit Reservations](https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/wpres.htm). ## Tips - **Want Half Dome on a backpacking trip?** NPS says backpackers, including anyone spending the night in Little Yosemite Valley, should apply for Half Dome permits with their wilderness permit rather than through the day-hiker lottery ([NPS: Half Dome permits](https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/hdpermits.htm)). - **Same-day permits are for same-day starts only.** NPS says in-person permits are only available for same-day starts because of reduced capacity in backpackers campgrounds, a result of the Tuolumne Meadows Campground closure ([NPS](https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/wpres.htm)). - **To get a same-day permit you must already be in the park,** either by reservation or by entering during non-peak hours if a reservation is required at the time ([NPS](https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/wpres.htm)). - **Big wall climbers:** a permit is required for all overnight big wall climbers. NPS says these permits are free and not limited in number ([NPS](https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/wpres.htm)). Parks Ahead is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by the National Park Service or Recreation.gov. Data Source: Recreation.gov