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General, How-To's & Resources, National Parks
Don’t miss your opportunity to visit some of the most sought-after National Parks in the United States. From Zion National Park to Rocky Mountain National Park permit, we’ve got you covered.
We have compiled all of the national park permit information for the 12 most popular National Parks to ensure you get every opportunity to secure the necessary permits if you plan to hike or camp overnight.
Permit requirements will vary from park to park. Not all National Parks require permits. Some may require them just to enter the park, like Rocky Mountain National Park, and others may just require permits to access specific trails, like Angels Landing in Zion National Park. Permit types can include hiking permits for some popular day hikes, backcountry/wilderness permits for overnight hikes, or car reservations for entrace.
Most of the time you won’t need a permit for day hikes. There are just a handful of day hikes that require a permit, such as the Half Dome cables, Angels Landing, and the Wave.
Popular backcountry camping trails such as the Grand Canyon Rim to Rim trail or the John Muir trail can be difficult to secure permits for. We recommend setting a calendar reminder so you are able to apply as soon as they are available.
Most day hikes do not require permits. However, some popular trails in Zion National Park and Yosemite National Park do require them.
Permits are required to camp overnight in the backcountry almost everywhere. The only exception is Joshua Tree National Park in Southern California, where you do not need a permit to backcountry camp.
On the other hand, there are two parks that prohibit backcountry camping. They are Cuyahoga Valley National Park and Acadia National Park.
In an effort to control crowds, some National Parks have implemented a timed-entry system. Make sure you check to make sure you have a slot before leaving because they will NOT let you in without one, and you may not be able to enter the park at all if all of the slots are sold out.
National Parks With a Timed-Entry System in Place:
Blue Ridge Parkway Scenic Landscape Appalachian Mountains Ridges Sunrise Layers over Great Smoky Mountains
Closest Hub: New York
Hiking Permits: Not required for day hikes.
Backcountry Permits: Required to camp overnight, year-round, and in designated campsites only.
Apply for the permit up to 30 days before your first night on the NPS backcountry permit website for up to a 7-night permit.
Parking: Starting March 1, 2023, all park visitors parking for longer than 15 minutes must purchase parking tags.
Closest Hub: Salt Lake City and Denver
Hiking Permits: Not required for day hikes.
Backcountry Permits: Backcountry Permits are required year-round, but the process of getting the permit varies by season.
Peak Season Backcountry Permits (May 15th – October 31st): Permits are available through an early access lottery system on Recreation.gov, which runs from March 1st to March 20th. Then there is a general on-sale period which begins on April 26th for the remaining permits.
Non-Peak Season Backcountry Permits (November 1st – May 14th): Permits are available via Recreation.gov beginning October 6th.
Closest Hub: Denver
Hiking Permits: Rocky Mountain National Park permits are not required for day hikes.
Backcountry Permits: Required year-round. Summer 2024 permits are available beginning on March 1st via Recreation.gov.
Timed Entry Permits: Reservations are required to enter the park from May 26th to October 22nd. One permit is for the Bear Lake Road Corridor, and a separate permit is for the rest of the park. So do your research to ensure you can access the hike you plan to do with the permit you apply for. Timed-entry permits are available beginning May 1st.
Closest Hubs: Salt Lake City and Las Vegas
Hiking Permits: Beginning in 2024 Wilderness permits will be required for day-long activities. This includes canyoneering trips to the Left Fork (Subway) and the top-down route of the Virgin River Narrows. Permits are also required to attempt Angels Landing. Visit the park site for the most up-to-date information.
Closest Hub: Las Vegas
Hiking Permits: No permit required for day hikes.
Backcountry Permits: Permits are required for any camping in the backcountry, except for the developed campsites on the North and South Rims
Beginning in 2024 there is a new application process. Permits are available via a monthly lottery and can be purchased up to 6 weeks before your start date. Permits are available at Recreation.gov. After the lottery, any remaining permits will be available for reservation.
Closest Hub: Salt Lake City and Denver
Hiking Permits: Not required for day hikes.
Backcountry Permits: Permits are required for all overnight hikes. Summer reservations are available for hikes from May 1st to October from the park’s website. They are available for reservation from January 10th to May 15th only. If you miss these dates, permits are available in-person on a first-come first-served basis.
Closest Hub: Chicago
Hiking Permits: Not required for day hikes.
Backcountry Permits: No backcountry camping is permitted at Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Furthermore, there is no camping available anywhere in the park.
Closest hub: New York
Hiking permits: Not required for day hikes.
Backcountry Permits: Backcountry camping is not permitted in Acadia National Park.
Vehicle Reservation for Cadillac Summit Road: Vehicle reservations are required from May 22nd to October 27th. Reservations open February 22nd.
Closest hub: Seattle
Hiking Permits: Not required for day hikes.
Backcountry Permits: Permits are required year-round for all overnight stays in the backcountry. Permits are available on a rolling basis, up to six months in advance. Reservations for the summer season open on April 15th.
Closest Hub: Los Angeles
Hiking Permits: Not required for day hikes.
Backcountry Permits: Permits are not required for backcountry camping within the park or the surrounding area.
Closest Hub: San Francisco
Hiking Permits: Permits are not required for most day hikes. However, permits are required to attempt Half Dome when the cables are up.
Half Dome Permits: Permits are available via a lottery system for all visits from May 24th to October 15th. The preseason lottery runs from March 1st – 31st and the daily lottery runs from May 22 to October 13th, and you must apply two days in advance.
Backcountry Permits: Permits are required to camp overnight in the backcountry. They are available via lottery at least 24 weeks in advance.
Closest Hub: Seattle
Hiking Permits: Permits are not required for day hikes.
Backcountry Permits: Wilderness permits are required to camp in the backcountry in Glacier National Park. These permits are on sale from May 1st to September 3oth, and are available in-person or online.
Vehicle Reservations: Beginning May 2024, reservations will be required for the west side of Going-to-the-Sun Road and North Fork. In addition, Many Glacier goes live on July 1st.
Now that you are armed with all the permit and reservation information for the 12 most popular National Parks, you can begin planning your adventure. Escape Camper Vans has many professionally curated itineraries from all our locations, and they are the perfect starting point for any trip.
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