🏔 Wilderness
Yosemite Wilderness (JMT Corridor)
About This Permit
Yosemite's 700,000-acre wilderness encompasses the park's most dramatic high-country terrain, including the John Muir Trail corridor through the Cathedral Range. Permits are required year-round for overnight trips, with the Donohue Pass exit quota serving JMT thru-hikers heading southbound into the Sierra.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far in advance can I book a Yosemite wilderness permit?
Advance reservations open 168 days (24 weeks) before your trip start date on recreation.gov. 60% of each trailhead quota is reserved via a weekly lottery 24 weeks out; the remaining 40% is released online 7 days before the trip date. There is no reliable day-before walk-up window — NPS advises against counting on walk-ups during peak season.
Are walk-up permits available for Yosemite wilderness?
Any unreserved permits may be available on your trip start date itself at permit stations during business hours, but NPS explicitly advises not counting on walk-ups during peak season. Your best options are the 24-week lottery and the 7-day online release.
Which Yosemite trailhead is most competitive for the JMT?
The Donohue Exit (Tuolumne Meadows area) is among the most competitive because it serves the JMT corridor southbound. Happy Isles (Valley floor) is also extremely popular in summer.
Key Facts
- State
- CA
- Season
- May – November
- Quota
- Trailhead-specific quotas; 45 people/day at Donohue Exit. 60% of each quota released via weekly lottery 24 weeks out; 40% released online 7 days out. No reliable walk-up window in peak season.
- Trailhead
- Happy Isles, Tuolumne Meadows, Glacier Point, Cathedral Lakes
- Entry Point
- Yosemite Wilderness Permit Center, Tuolumne Meadows
- Difficulty
- 4/5(Very hard)
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