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Indian Peaks Wilderness Permits

Wilderness Permit

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Overview

Itinerary-based overnight permit for Indian Peaks Wilderness, Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests, Colorado. 73,391 acres along the Continental Divide between Boulder County (east) and Grand County (west). 17 backcountry zones with per-zone quotas -- you need a separate permit for each zone you camp in. 34 bookable divisions including individual sites (1--7 people) and group sites (8--12). Four zones require camping in designated sites only: Diamond Lake, Jasper Lake, Crater Lake, Caribou Lake. Four Lakes zone is closed to overnight camping May 1--Nov 15. Elevations 8,400--13,500 ft. Popular zones include Diamond Lake, Jasper Lake, Pawnee Pass, Isabelle Glacier, Crater Lake, and Caribou Lake. About 30 miles west of Boulder, 60 miles from Denver.

Bottom Line

Two-phase FCFS system -- no lottery. Full Season in Advance permits release the first Tuesday of March at 8:00 AM MT on recreation.gov for the entire June 1--Sep 15 season. Popular zones (Diamond Lake, Jasper Lake, Pawnee Pass) sell out within minutes of opening. A second pool of 3 Days in Advance permits releases starting late May, going on sale daily at 8:00 AM MT for dates three days out -- these provide a real second chance at sold-out zones. Cancellations return to inventory immediately; this is where alerts are most valuable. Modifications to itinerary, group size, entry/exit points, and pet count are allowed before the permit is downloaded/printed. Start date cannot be changed -- must cancel and rebook. East-side zones near Brainard Lake are the most competitive; west-side zones accessed from Monarch Lake and Roaring Fork tend to have better availability.

Reservations

Permit season: June 1 -- September 15. Two separate permit pools:

  • Full Season in Advance (recreation.gov/permits/4675318): all dates for the full season release the first Tuesday of March at 8:00 AM MT
  • 3 Days in Advance (recreation.gov/permits/4675319): additional permits released daily at 8:00 AM MT starting late May, bookable for 3 days out
  • Build an itinerary selecting one backcountry zone per night -- one permit per zone per trip
  • Cancellations return to availability immediately -- no set release schedule
  • Permit is printable starting 7 days before entry date via recreation.gov account
  • Once downloaded or printed, the permit is considered issued -- no further modifications or cancellations allowed

Off-season (Sep 16 -- May 31): no overnight permit required for groups of 1--12.

Zones and Quotas

  • 17 backcountry zones, each with a daily quota for individual and group permits
  • Individual sites: groups of 1--7 people
  • Group sites: groups of 8--12 people (or people + pack stock combined)
  • Max group size: 12 people (including pack stock), year-round
  • Designated-site-only zones: Diamond Lake, Jasper Lake, Crater Lake, Caribou Lake -- camping only at marked sites
  • Four Lakes zone: closed to overnight camping May 1--Nov 15
  • Stock-prohibited zones: Crater Lake, Four Lakes, Diamond Lake, Upper Cascade Creek, Diamond Lake Trail

Fees

  • $11 total per permit ($6 non-refundable recreation.gov fee + $5 non-refundable Forest Service fee)
  • Flat rate per permit, not per person or per night
  • Same fee structure for both Full Season and 3 Days in Advance permits

Cancellation and Modification

  • Cancel any time prior to 7 days before trip -- no refunds, but releases the quota for others
  • Once downloaded/printed, permit is considered issued -- cannot cancel or modify
  • Before downloading: may modify itinerary zones, group size, entry/exit points, number of pets
  • Start date cannot be changed -- must cancel and rebook a new reservation

Additional Permit Requirements

This may not be the only permit needed for your trip:

  • Brainard Lake Timed Entry: required Jun--Oct for upper trailheads (Long Lake, Mitchell Lake, Niwot). Separate day-use and overnight timed-entry reservations on recreation.gov.
  • Arapaho NRA Pass: required year-round for trailheads within ANRA (Monarch Lake, Roaring Fork, Junco Lake, Doe Creek)
  • Large Group Day Use Permit: groups of 8--12 doing day hikes Jun 1--Sep 15 need a separate permit per zone
  • Bear canisters: required year-round near all Indian Peaks trailheads and everywhere in Diamond Lake and Jasper Lake zones; recommended everywhere

Rules

  • Campfires prohibited on the entire east side of the Continental Divide
  • Campfires also prohibited west-side at Crater Lake, Caribou Lake, Columbine Lake, Pawnee Lake, Gourd Lake, and Upper Cascade Creek
  • Campsites must be 100+ ft from lakes, streams, and trails
  • Pets allowed but must be on a hand-held leash at all times
  • No motorized equipment (including drones) or mechanized transport (including bicycles)
  • Purify all water -- Giardia is common

Availability