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Sierra National Forest Wilderness Permits

Wilderness Permit

Notify on Availability Reserve

Overview

Required year-round for overnight trips into the Ansel Adams, John Muir, Dinkey Lakes, and Kaiser Wilderness areas on the west side of the central Sierra Nevada. 44 trailheads across the four wildernesses. Permits are valid for continuous travel into adjacent Sequoia, Kings Canyon, and Yosemite National Parks or Inyo National Forest.

Bottom Line

Not a lottery -- uses a rolling FCFS window identical to Inyo, so cancellation alerts are very effective. Demand is moderate compared to Inyo; most trailheads outside peak JMT corridors have availability midweek. The 40% second release 2 weeks ahead is the best window for pickups. Off-season (Nov - Apr) is wide open, no quota. The Whitney exit toggle filters to Ansel Adams and John Muir trailheads for trips exiting at Whitney Portal via Trail Crest -- this is a routing filter, not a separate quota cap.

Quotas and Reservations

Quota season May 1 - Nov 1. Rolling window, not lottery:

  • 60% released 6 months ahead (e.g. Jul 4 opens Jan 4)
  • 40% released 2 weeks ahead, same day of week
  • Opens 7:00 AM Pacific daily on recreation.gov
  • Permits released during the first week of January, then rolling 6 months ahead
  • Cancellations return within 24 hours

Whitney Exit

Trips ending at Whitney Portal via Trail Crest must select "Exiting Mt. Whitney" when reserving. This charges the higher Whitney Zone fee ($15/person instead of $5) but does not consume a separate exit quota on the Sierra NF side -- unlike Inyo, which enforces a 25/day exit cap.

Fees

  • $6 non-refundable reservation fee per permit
  • $5/person recreation fee for most trailheads
  • $15/person for permits exiting at Mt. Whitney
  • No discounts for passes, military, seniors, or children -- all people count

Group Size

  • Max 15 people per group (day and overnight)
  • Max 25 head of stock

Permit Pickup

  • Call the Sierra NF up to 3 days before your trip: Prather office (559-855-5355) or North Fork office (559-877-2210)
  • Permits picked up 1-2 days before entry date or on entry date
  • No-shows processed after arrival date
  • Signed permit must be in group leader's possession at all times

Cancellation

  • Refund of per-person fee if cancelled 12+ days before entry
  • $6 reservation fee is never refunded
  • Entry trail and date changes require a new reservation
  • Group size changes allowed if quota space available

JMT / PCT

Sierra NF permits are valid for continuous JMT through-hikes originating from Sierra NF trailheads, including travel through Inyo NF, Sequoia/Kings Canyon, and Yosemite. Follow local regulations in each jurisdiction (bear canisters, campfire restrictions, group size limits). No pets in National Parks.

Availability