Which national park permits are awarded by lottery?

20 permit systems at the national parks use a lottery, including Half Dome cables permit (Yosemite), Half Dome cables permit (Yosemite), Yosemite wilderness permit (Yosemite), North Pines Campground early access lottery (Yosemite), Angels Landing permit (Zion), Angels Landing permit (Zion). The rest of the limited permits here are first-come or standard reservations.

What are the odds of winning the Half Dome lottery?

The park's own figures: 22% application success rate in 2024 (preseason; calculated on whole application (all choices)); 22% application success rate in 2023 (preseason); 1.0% weekday choices success rate in 2024 (preseason; calculated on all individual date choices). Weekdays are far easier than weekends.

Where do these odds come from?

Only from pages the parks and Recreation.gov publish themselves, quoted as printed. Where a park publishes only how many permits exist (not how many people applied), we say so rather than estimate a success rate.

Are the 2027 dates known?

Mostly not yet. Where a lottery runs on a fixed annual rule (for example Half Dome's preseason lottery every March), the 2027 window is shown as computed from that rule; parks usually confirm dates a few months ahead. The reservation calendar lists every dated release we know of.

Permits & lotteries

National park permit lotteries, with the real odds

Last verified October 5, 202636 permit systems13 publish statistics

Half Dome, Angels Landing, the Grand Canyon river, Glacier’s backcountry, the synchronous fireflies: the hikes and trips you can only do with a permit you had to win. Windows, fees and group limits from the official pages — and where a park publishes how many people applied, the actual success rates, quoted as printed.

Lotteries: 20
With published odds: 13
First-come systems: 14
Hardest to win: 2.9%; North Pines Campground early access lottery

Need the dates in your calendar? The reservation calendar lists every application window and release we know of, with an .ics feed.

The odds

How hard is each lottery to win?

Share of applications that won, as each park printed it — hardest first. Tap one for its windows and fees.

North Pines Campground early access lotteryYosemite · 20222.9%North Cascades backcountry permits · early access lotteryNorth Cascades · 2026 · computed from published counts14%Half Dome cables permit · daily lotteryYosemite · 202419%Grand Canyon noncommercial river trip · weighted lotteryGrand Canyon · 202419%Half Dome cables permit · preseason lotteryYosemite · 202422%Angels Landing permit · seasonal lotteryZion · 2022-2023~50%Yellowstone backcountry camping · early access lotteryYellowstone · recent years~73%

Rates are for the whole application unless noted; single dates (a summer Saturday on Half Dome) are far harder. Lotteries that publish only permit counts are listed below without a rate.

20 lotteries

Every lottery, with its window and fees

Congaree · Permit lottery

Congaree synchronous firefly viewing event - pass lottery

2027 not yet posted

Vehicle event pass for one night of Congaree's synchronous firefly viewing event (park closes to others in the evening).

Application window: 10:00 AM EST Tuesday, April 7, 2026 to 10:00 AM EST Tuesday, April 14, 2026; one entry per household
Results: Friday, April 17, 2026
Fees: $1 non-refundable service fee; awarded applicants pay the remaining $24 (total $25) in 2026 ($20 total in 2025)
Group limit: One passenger vehicle per pass, maximum 8 passengers

Official statistics, as printed

145 — passes per night, 2026 (each event night)
145 — passes per night, 2025 (each event night, May 14-21, 2025)

Apply / book →Source (updated May 11, 2026)

Glacier · Permit lottery

Glacier wilderness camping - early access lotteries (large group and standard group)

2027 not yet posted

Lottery for an assigned date/time to build one advance wilderness camping reservation (no itinerary submitted with the application); about 70% of wilderness campsites are reservable in advance.

Application window: Large group (9-12 campers): March 1, 2026, 12:00 am-11:59 pm MT. Standard group (1-8 campers): March 15, 2026, 12:00 am-11:59 pm MT. All applications in the 24-hour window have equal chance
Results: Large group: March 3, 2026 (email from wilderness permit staff). Standard group: March 17, 2026 (email with booking date/time); winners book March 21 - April 30, 2026
Fees: $10 non-refundable lottery application fee; reservations $7 per person per night camping fee plus $10 administrative fee (non-refundable)
Group limit: Standard group 1-8 campers; large group 9-12 campers (only five large-group advance reservations per year)

Official statistics, as printed

3,000 — standard group advance reservations offered by lottery, 2026 (standard group lottery (1-8 campers), March 15, 2026)
5 — large group advance reservations offered by lottery, 2026 (large group lottery (9-12 campers), March 1, 2026)

Apply / book →Source (updated February 23, 2026)

Grand Canyon · Permit lottery

Grand Canyon backcountry permit - monthly early access lottery

2027 announced

Randomly assigned early-access time slot to reserve an overnight backcountry itinerary (below-rim and above-rim use areas, including corridor campgrounds) for a given start month.

Application window: Two-week window from the 16th of the month (5 months before the start month) to 5 pm MST on the 1st (4 months before). Recreation.gov 2027 listings, e.g. March 2027 starts: Oct 16, 2026 to Nov 2, 2026; April 2027: Nov 16 to Dec 1, 2026
Results: Applicants notified on the 2nd of the closing month (NPS schedule); remaining space opens to everyone at 8 am on the 1st of the following month
Fees: $10 per permit or lottery application (non-refundable) plus $15 per person per night below rim or $4 per person per night above rim
Group limit: Small groups 1-6 people, large groups 7-11; no group larger than 11 may camp in the same campground or use area

Apply / book →Source (updated September 8, 2026 (NPS page); Recreation.gov listing modified 2026-09-11)

Grand Canyon · Permit lottery

Grand Canyon noncommercial river trip - weighted lottery (Lees Ferry to Diamond Creek, 12-25 days)

Standing rule

Self-guided (private) river trip launch date through Grand Canyon; applicants' odds are weighted by recent trip history.

Application window: Main lottery: online for the first three weeks of February (launch dates for the following year). Follow-up lotteries typically open around noon Tuesday and close at noon MST Thursday
Results: Main lottery results by the end of February; follow-up results usually by Thursday evening
Fees: $25 lottery application (once per launch year); $200 small-trip or $400 standard-trip deposit if awarded; $20 entrance fee per participant (16+); $90 per participant added after permit issued, plus $100 late charge
Group limit: Must be 18+; no one may be listed on more than one lottery application

Official statistics, as printed

8451 / 1599 / 19% — main lottery applicants / went on a noncommercial trip same year / percent, 2024 (lottery year 2024)
9245 / 1517 / 18% — main lottery applicants / went on a noncommercial trip same year / percent, 2023 (lottery year 2023)
8447 / 1228 / 15% — main lottery applicants / went on a noncommercial trip same year / percent, 2022 (lottery year 2022)
7816 / 1619 / 21% — main lottery applicants / went on a noncommercial trip same year / percent, 2021 (lottery year 2021)
7277 / 1283 / 18% — main lottery applicants / went on a noncommercial trip same year / percent, 2020 (lottery year 2020)
6725 / 1522 / 23% — main lottery applicants / went on a noncommercial trip same year / percent, 2019 (lottery year 2019)
6650 / 1621 / 24% — main lottery applicants / went on a noncommercial trip same year / percent, 2018 (lottery year 2018)
5550 / 1474 / 27% — main lottery applicants / went on a noncommercial trip same year / percent, 2017 (lottery year 2017)

Apply / book →Source (updated March 12, 2025 (weighted lottery page); statistics report covers 2024)

Grand Canyon · Permit lottery

Phantom Ranch lodging lottery (concessioner: Grand Canyon Lodges / Xanterra)

2027 announced

Random selection for cabin and dorm bed space at Phantom Ranch, the only lodging below the canyon rim; run by the concessioner, not NPS.

Application window: 1st-25th of the 15th month before the stay month (e.g., stays in January 2028: November 1-25, 2026; February 2028: December 1-25, 2026)
Results: Winners notified and reservations guaranteed by the end of the following month; unsold inventory and meals released for general sale on the 1st (January 2) about 13 months ahead at 12:01 AM MT online, 7 AM by phone
Fees: No lottery fee stated on the captured pages
Group limit: Groups: up to 10 hikers counted as a group; phone reservations up to nine guests and four consecutive nights per reservation

Apply / book →Source (updated Not dated on page (captured 2026-10-05))

Great Smoky Mountains · Permit lottery

Elkmont synchronous firefly viewing - vehicle reservation lottery

2027 not yet posted

Vehicle reservation for one night of the eight-night synchronous firefly viewing period at Elkmont (Photinus carolinus).

Application window: April 24, 2026 at 10 a.m. EDT through April 27, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. EDT; pick two dates (preferred and alternate); one application per household per season
Results: By May 6, 2026 (email)
Fees: $1 application fee; $29 reservation fee charged automatically if selected (non-refundable, non-transferable)
Group limit: One vehicle per reservation with up to seven occupants

Official statistics, as printed

120 per night, 960 total — reservations issued, 2026 (eight-night event, May 20-27, 2026)

Apply / book →Source (updated April 23, 2026 (page); news release April 21, 2026)

Katmai · Permit lottery

Brooks Lodge room lottery (concessioner: Katmailand / Bristol Adventures)

2027 announced

Random drawing for the chance to book a room at Brooks Lodge (Brooks Camp bear-viewing area) for the season two years out; run by the concessioner, not NPS.

Application window: December 1, 2026 through December 30, 2026; entries must be received by 5:00 PM Alaska Standard Time on December 30, 2026; one application per person
Results: All entrants contacted between January 3 and February 10, 2027 (date assigned or wait-list number); remaining rooms open to public reservations February 11, 2027
Fees: No application fee stated; winners pay a 50% deposit (based on 2027 rates) within 3 days, final payment 90 days before arrival
Group limit: Up to 4 persons per room; maximum 5 rooms and 20 persons per party/application; maximum three nights if any night falls in July or September; one July or September date per party

Apply / book →Source (updated Not dated (captured 2026-10-05))

Mount Rainier · Permit lottery

Mount Rainier wilderness and climbing permits - early access lottery (Wonderland Trail)

2027 not yet posted

Assigned access window to make one advance wilderness or climbing reservation (Wonderland Trail circuits, backcountry camps, high-use climbing routes) before the general on-sale.

Application window: February 10, 2026 (7:00 am PT) to March 3, 2026 (7:00 pm PT)
Results: Award status from March 14, 2026 (7:00 am PT); early-access reservations from March 21, 2026; general on-sale April 25, 2026 at 7:00 am PT
Fees: $6 non-refundable lottery application / reservation fee; $12 per person per night (2026; youth 15 and under free)
Group limit: One reservation per lottery winner during the early access period

Official statistics, as printed

more than 5,000 — requests in first two weeks, 2017 onward (no single year) (climbing, Wonderland Trail and backpacking requests received in the first two weeks of the old application system, 'since introducing an online form in 2017')
about 600 — Wonderland Trail trips reservable in advance, annual (no year stated) (July-September; another 300 or so issued first-come)
about 4,000 / 2,000 — backpacking / climbing permits issued, annual (no year stated) (all permits per year)
10 — early access applicants per window, 2025 (six windows per day (7, 9, 11 AM, 1, 3, 5 PM PT) during the 2025 early-access period)

Apply / book →Source (updated September 10, 2026 (permit page); FAQ December 31, 2025; Recreation.gov listing modified 2026-09-07)

North Cascades · Permit lottery

North Cascades backcountry permits - early access lottery

2027 not yet posted

Assigned timeslot to make one advance backcountry campsite reservation (Cascade Pass/Sahale, Copper Ridge, Ross Lake boat-in, some cross-country zones) before general on-sale.

Application window: March 2 - March 13, 2026 (deadline 9 pm PT March 13)
Results: March 20, 2026; early-access reservations March 24 - April 21, 2026; general on-sale April 29, 2026 at 7 am PT
Fees: $6 non-refundable reservation fee (charged to apply to the lottery); recreation fee $10 per person (adults 16+; youth free)
Group limit: Maximum 12 people for trailed/established camps and Cross Country type I zones; 6 for Cross Country type II zones

Official statistics, as printed

7110 / 1500 — applications / lottery winners, 2022 (first year of the early-access lottery)
9777 / 2000 — applications / lottery winners, 2023
11814 / 2000 — applications / lottery winners, 2024
13202 / 2000 — applications / lottery winners, 2025
13857 / 2000 — applications / lottery winners, 2026

Apply / book →Source (updated August 14, 2026 (NPS page); Recreation.gov listing modified 2026-10-01)

Yellowstone · Permit lottery

Yellowstone backcountry camping - early access lottery

Standing rule

Randomized access time to book one backcountry campsite reservation for peak season (May 15 - October 31) before general on-sale; no itinerary needed to apply.

Application window: March 1 (8:00 am MT) to March 20 (11:59 pm MT)
Results: March 25 (from 8:00 am MT); access times assigned between April 1 and April 24; general on-sale April 26
Fees: $10 non-refundable lottery application fee; recreation fee $5 per person per night plus $10 reservation fee
Group limit: One reservation per winner during early access; groups needing multiple campsites need separate trip leaders

Official statistics, as printed

around 73% — applicants receiving a timeslot, recent years (no year stated) (early access lottery)

Apply / book →Source (updated January 27, 2026; Recreation.gov listing modified 2026-04-02)

Yellowstone · Permit lottery

Yellowstone Non-Commercially Guided Snowmobile Access Program lottery

2027 announced

Permit to lead a private (non-commercially guided) snowmobile group of up to five machines into Yellowstone for one to three days in winter; one group per day at each of four oversnow entrances.

Application window: August 1-31, 2026 on Recreation.gov
Results: Early September 2026 (news release); NPS program page says permits awarded in mid-September
Fees: $40 per day plus $6 application fee
Group limit: Up to five snowmobiles per permit; guide must be 18+; at most two trips per guide per winter

Apply / book →Source (updated July 21, 2026 (news release); program page May 22, 2025)

Yosemite · Permit lottery

Half Dome cables permit - daily lottery (day hikers)

Standing rule

Additional day-hike Half Dome permits released each day during the cables-up season, based on estimated under-use and cancellations.

Application window: Apply two days before the hike date, midnight to 4 pm Pacific time; 2026 daily lotteries listed May 13, 2026 - October 11, 2026
Results: Email notification late the same night; also online or by phone the next morning
Fees: $10 non-refundable application fee plus $10 per person if awarded (same two-fee structure as the preseason lottery)
Group limit: Daily lottery applications only allow a permit holder (no alternate)

Official statistics, as printed

19% — application success rate, 2024 (daily lottery)
19% — application success rate, 2023 (daily lottery)
22% — weekday success rate, 2024 (daily lottery)
23% — weekday success rate, 2023 (daily lottery)
14% — weekend success rate, 2024 (daily lottery)
12% — weekend success rate, 2021 (daily lottery; printed as '(12% in 2021)' where every other comparison on the page is to 2023 - possibly a typo)
35,561 — applications, 2024 (daily lottery; page compares to 29,292 in 2023)
29,292 — applications, 2023 (daily lottery)

Apply / book →Source (updated June 3, 2025 (hdpermits); stats March 5, 2025)

Yosemite · Permit lottery

Half Dome cables permit - preseason lottery (day hikers)

Standing rule

Day-hike permit to climb the Half Dome cables beyond the base of the subdome on a specific date while the cables are up.

Application window: March 1 through March 31 (eastern time), every year; 2026 listing on Recreation.gov: March 1, 2026 - March 31, 2026
Results: Mid-April by email (NPS); Recreation.gov listed April 11, 2026 for the 2026 preseason results
Fees: $10 non-refundable application fee (per application) plus $10 per person charged only if a permit is awarded (refundable if cancelled by 11:59 pm PT the day before or if cables are not up)
Group limit: Up to six permits (six people) per application; 225 day-hiker permits available per day in the preseason lottery

Official statistics, as printed

22% — application success rate, 2024 (preseason; calculated on whole application (all choices))
22% — application success rate, 2023 (preseason)
1.0% — weekday choices success rate, 2024 (preseason; calculated on all individual date choices)
1.1% — weekday choices success rate, 2023 (preseason; individual choices)
0.8% — weekend choices success rate, 2024 (preseason; individual choices)
0.8% — weekend choices success rate, 2023 (preseason; individual choices)
35,289 — applications, 2024 (preseason lottery; page compares to 35,289 in 2023)
35,289 — applications, 2023 (preseason lottery (as printed in the 2024 comparison; identical to the 2024 figure))

Apply / book →Source (updated June 3, 2025 (hdpermits); stats page March 5, 2025; Recreation.gov listing modified 2026-05-12)

Yosemite · Permit lottery

North Pines Campground early access lottery (Yosemite Valley)

2027 not yet posted

Randomly assigned early-access time slot to make one campsite reservation in North Pines Campground before the general on-sale dates (campground reservation, not a hiking permit).

Application window: November 24 (7 am PST) through December 14, 2025 (9 pm PST)
Results: December 22, 2025; early access period January 2 through February 1, 2026
Fees: $10 non-refundable lottery fee; campsite $36 per night
Group limit: One reservation (one continuous stay in one campsite) per awardee; up to six people per site; maximum stay seven nights

Official statistics, as printed

2.9% — success rate, 2022 (2022 lottery pilot (as stated by NPS))
82.5% — awardees who reserved, 2022 (share of time-slot winners who made a reservation; 48% of availability booked)
22,033 — applications, 2022 (2022 lottery pilot)
640 — time slots awarded, 2022 (2022 lottery pilot)

Apply / book →Source (updated November 6, 2025)

Yosemite · Permit lottery

Yosemite wilderness permit - weekly reservation lottery

2027 not yet posted

Overnight wilderness (backpacking) permit reservation for a trailhead and start date; 60% of each trailhead quota is offered by weekly lottery 24 weeks ahead.

Application window: Weekly: opens Sunday 12:01 am, closes Saturday 11:59 pm Pacific, about 24 weeks before the start-date week. 2026 season: first lottery (April 24 - May 2 starts) November 2-8, 2025; last (October 11-18 starts) April 19-25, 2026
Results: Monday by 5:00 pm (Pacific) after each weekly lottery; must accept by Thursday 11:59 pm; leftover reservations released Friday 9:00 am
Fees: $10 per application (reservation fee) plus $5 per person if a permit is received; non-refundable
Group limit: One application per weekly window; up to eight options per application; six future (active) reservations at a time; up to three alternate trip leaders

Official statistics, as printed

up to 90% — JMT request denial rate, popular days (no year stated) (John Muir Trail requests on popular days)
at least 300 to 500 — reservation requests per day, typical summer day (no year stated) (whole park; 80-90% of requests are for the John Muir Trail)

Apply / book →Source (updated July 26, 2026 (reservation window); FAQ August 12, 2025)

Zion · Permit lottery

Angels Landing permit - day-before lottery

Standing rule

Same Angels Landing permit, applied for the day before the hike.

Application window: Every day 12:01 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mountain Time, the day before the hike
Results: Permits issued at 4 p.m. MT the same day (email from Recreation.gov)
Fees: $6 non-refundable application fee (covers up to 6 people) plus $3 per person if selected; day-before permits cannot be changed and all fees are non-refundable
Group limit: Up to 6 people per application, including the applicant

Official statistics, as printed

8% — lowest reported odds, 2022-2023 (Day-before Lottery on Memorial Day Weekend Sunday)

Apply / book →Source (updated September 30, 2026)

Zion · Permit lottery

Angels Landing permit - seasonal lottery

2027 announced

Permit to hike the chained section of the Angels Landing trail beyond Scout Lookout on a chosen date and start-time window; applicants rank up to seven days/times.

Application window: 2026: Feb 13-25 (Mar 1-May 31 hikes); Apr 1-20 (Jun 1-Aug 31); Jul 1-20 (Sep 1-Nov 30); Oct 1-20 (Dec 1, 2026-Feb 28, 2027). Opens 8 a.m. MT, closes 11:59 p.m. MT. Recreation.gov also lists the spring 2027 seasonal lottery for January 1-20, 2027
Results: Permits issued Feb 26, Apr 25, Jul 25 and Oct 25 (2026); Recreation.gov lists January 25, 2027 for the spring 2027 results
Fees: $6 non-refundable application fee (covers up to 6 people) plus $3 per person permit fee if selected (refundable if cancelled at least two days before the hike)
Group limit: Up to 6 people per application, including the applicant

Official statistics, as printed

about 50% — overall odds (seasonal and day-before lotteries), 2022-2023 (average over the program's first two years (release of April 4, 2024))
8% to 100% — odds range, 2022-2023 (8% in the Day-before Lottery on Memorial Day Weekend Sunday; 100% on random mid-week days)
between 10% and 100% — share of applicants receiving permits, 2022-2023 (depends on day of week and time of year)
nearly 200,000 — permits issued, 2022 (calendar 2022 (program began April 1, 2022))
over 210,000 — permits issued, 2022-04-01 to 2023-04-07 (cumulative since the pilot began April 1, 2022 (release of April 7, 2023))
2.3 hikers — average group size, 2022-04-01 to 2023-04-07 (first year of the pilot)
nearly 400,000 (about 200,000 per year) — permits issued, 2022-2023 (cumulative since 2022 (release of April 4, 2024))
more than 200,000 — permits issued per year, 2026 (as stated in the February 11, 2026 release)

Apply / book →Source (updated September 30, 2026 (permit page); 2026 dates release February 11, 2026)

Zion · Permit lottery

Mystery Canyon - seasonal lottery

Standing rule

Day-use technical canyoneering wilderness permit reservation for Mystery Canyon.

Application window: Same quarterly windows as the Subway: Nov 1-25, Feb 1-25, May 1-25, Aug 1-25; up to four ranked dates within the three-month season
Results: Notification email on the 27th; claim within two weeks; unclaimed reservations released the 15th of the following month at 10:00 am MT
Fees: $6 non-refundable lottery application fee; $10 per person (refundable)

Apply / book →Source (updated August 12, 2026)

Zion · Permit lottery

The Subway (Left Fork of North Creek) - seasonal lottery

Standing rule

Day-use wilderness permit reservation for the Left Fork of North Creek (Subway), top-down canyoneering or bottom-up hiking routes; required year-round.

Application window: Four windows a year, 1st-25th of the month about two months before each three-month season: Nov 1-25 (Jan-Mar trips), Feb 1-25 (Apr-Jun), May 1-25 (Jul-Sep), Aug 1-25 (Oct-Dec). Up to four ranked dates; one request per person, per canyon, per season
Results: Notification email on the 27th of the lottery month; winners must claim within two weeks; unclaimed spots reservable on the 15th of the following month at 10 am MT
Fees: $6 non-refundable lottery application fee; $10 per person (refundable)
Group limit: Maximum group size 12 people for the Left Fork (Subway)

Apply / book →Source (updated January 14, 2026 (Subway page); canyoneering permits page August 12, 2026)

Zion · Permit lottery

Zion canyoneering daily lottery (Subway, Mystery Canyon, top-down Narrows day hikes, technical canyons)

Standing rule

Last-minute day-use wilderness permits for any remaining spaces in technical canyons, the Subway, Mystery Canyon and single-day top-down Narrows hikes.

Application window: Two days before the trip, 12:00 am to 3:00 pm MT; one application per person per day with up to four canyons
Results: Drawing at 4:00 pm MT two days before the trip per the canyoneering page (the Subway page says 3:00 pm draw, email by 4:00 pm)
Fees: $6 non-refundable lottery fee; $10 per person (refundable)

Apply / book →Source (updated August 12, 2026)

16 more

Other limited permits

Not lotteries — first-come or straight reservations — but still capped, and still worth planning around.

Acadia

First-come permits

Acadia Cadillac Summit Road vehicle reservations

30% of reservations released at 10 am ET 90 days ahead; 70% at 10 am ET two days ahead

Fees: $6 per vehicle reservation (park entrance pass also required)

Apply / book Source (updated November 25, 2025)

Arches

First-come permits

Arches Fiery Furnace self-guided exploration permit

Reserve online (or by phone) between seven and two days before the trip date; no in-person reservations

Fees: $10 per person

Apply / book Source (updated March 19, 2026)

Big Bend

First-come permits

Big Bend backcountry and river use permits

Some sites normally reservable online up to 180 days ahead; at capture all backcountry campsites in person only at Panther Junction (24 hours ahead) due to rain-related road closures. River permits in person up to 7 days ahead

Fees: $10 per night for overnight use ($5 with Senior or Access pass); no charge for day-use river or stock permits

Apply / book Source (updated July 20, 2026)

Canyonlands

First-come permits

Canyonlands overnight backcountry permits (White Rim, Needles, Maze)

Released four months before each season at 8 am MT on Recreation.gov: spring (March 10 - June 9) opens November 10; summer (June 10 - September 9) February 10; fall (September 10 - December 9) May 10; winter (December 10 - March 9) August 10

Fees: $36 non-refundable reservation fee per permit (includes $6 Recreation.gov fee) plus $5 per person per night

Apply / book Source (updated October 16, 2025)

Canyonlands

First-come permits

Canyonlands day-use permits (White Rim Road, Elephant Hill and other Needles roads)

Online from 8 am MT the day before the trip; part of the quota held for in-person issue on the day

Fees: $6 Recreation.gov reservation fee online; no fee for day-of permits at visitor centers

Source (updated May 20, 2026)

Everglades

First-come permits

Everglades wilderness camping permits

Advance reservations on Recreation.gov on a rolling basis, three months before the start date

Fees: $21 administrative fee plus $2 per person per night (reservations and walk-ups)

Apply / book Source (updated September 9, 2026)

Grand Teton

First-come permits

Grand Teton backcountry camping permits - advance reservations

Opened January 7, 2026 at 8 a.m. MST on Recreation.gov (first-come, not a lottery); reservable up to two days before the trip

Fees: $20 flat per permit (non-refundable) plus $7 per person per night (refundable until five days before the start)

Apply / book Source (updated June 9, 2026)

Great Sand Dunes

First-come permits

Great Sand Dunes backpacking permits

Online only, rolling up to three months before the trip start (7:00 am PST / 10:00 am EST daily); same-day possible if quota remains

Fees: $6.00 non-refundable processing fee per permit

Apply / book Source (updated June 8, 2026)

Haleakalā

First-come permits

Haleakalā wilderness cabins (Hōlua, Kapalaoa, Palikū)

Recreation.gov, up to six months in advance (rolling)

Fees: $75 per night; $10 per-night service fee for changes

Apply / book Source (updated December 3, 2025)

Isle Royale

First-come permits

Isle Royale group camping reservations (7 or more people)

Requests for 2027 group camping reservations open October 1, 2026; processed in the order received

Fees: $25 per group permit (non-refundable); small-party permits free; entrance fees extra

Source (updated September 11, 2026)

Katmai

First-come permits

Brooks Camp Campground reservations (Katmai)

January 7, 2026 (nights May 1-June 30); February 7 (July 1-August 31); March 7 (September 1-October 31); 8 a.m. AKST

Fees: $18 per person per night June 1 - September 17; $10 per person per night May 1-31 and September 18 - October 31

Apply / book Source (updated April 28, 2026)

Olympic

First-come permits

Olympic wilderness backpacking permits and quota areas

Summer-season reservations released April 15 at 7:00 AM Pacific Time on Recreation.gov (first-come)

Fees: $8 per person per night (16+; youth free) plus $6 non-refundable reservation fee per permit; $45 annual wilderness pass covers nightly fees for the holder

Apply / book Source (updated February 12, 2026)

Rocky Mountain

First-come permits

Rocky Mountain wilderness overnight backpacking permits

Online only from March 1, 2026 at 8:00 a.m. MT (first-come); in-person reservations from March 15, 2026 with limited availability

Fees: $36 administrative fee for May 1 - October 31 reservations (non-refundable); $10 for winter (November 1 - April 30)

Apply / book Source (updated June 27, 2026)

Sequoia & Kings Canyon

First-come permits

Sequoia and Kings Canyon wilderness permits (quota season)

Rolling: reservations up to six months ahead (released daily at 7:00 AM Pacific) and up to one week before entry; walk-up from 1:00 pm the day before

Fees: $15 per trip plus $5 per person (quota season); free self-issued permits outside the quota season

Apply / book Source (updated August 5, 2026)

Yosemite

Permit

Half Dome permit added to a Yosemite wilderness permit (backpackers)

Half Dome cables access for overnight backpackers whose Yosemite wilderness permit starts at an eligible trailhead; valid for all dates of the wilderness permit.

Fees: $10 per person, paid at a wilderness center when the wilderness permit is picked up (not refundable)

Apply / book Source (updated May 30, 2024)

Zion

Permit

The Narrows top-down (Chamberlain's Ranch to Temple of Sinawava) wilderness permit

Single-day: advance reservations (at least 1 day ahead) or the canyoneering daily lottery (two days ahead, 12:00 am-3:00 pm MT). Overnight: advance reservations at least 1 day ahead; half of backpacking campsites are walk-in

Fees: Day use: $6 lottery/reservation fee (non-refundable) + $10 per person (refundable). Overnight: $20 per permit (non-refundable) + $7 per person per night (refundable)

Apply / book Source (updated May 14, 2026)

How this page is kept honest

Every window, fee and statistic was read from an official page captured on 2026-10-05 and the quoted sentences are re-checked against those captures whenever the site is built. Parks post next season’s dates a few months ahead and sometimes contradict themselves across pages; where that happened we show the conflict rather than pick a side. Recreation.gov and the park’s own permit page are the final word.

Sources · 2

1.Reservation, permit, lottery and camping pages of each park on nps.gov and Recreation.gov, read and quoted · National Park Service (U.S. Department of the Interior)
2.Recreation.gov — permits and lotteries · Recreation.gov

FAQ

Permit lottery questions

Which national park permits are awarded by lottery?: 20 permit systems at the national parks use a lottery, including Half Dome cables permit (Yosemite), Half Dome cables permit (Yosemite), Yosemite wilderness permit (Yosemite), North Pines Campground early access lottery (Yosemite), Angels Landing permit (Zion), Angels Landing permit (Zion). The rest of the limited permits here are first-come or standard reservations.
What are the odds of winning the Half Dome lottery?: The park's own figures: 22% application success rate in 2024 (preseason; calculated on whole application (all choices)); 22% application success rate in 2023 (preseason); 1.0% weekday choices success rate in 2024 (preseason; calculated on all individual date choices). Weekdays are far easier than weekends.
Where do these odds come from?: Only from pages the parks and Recreation.gov publish themselves, quoted as printed. Where a park publishes only how many permits exist (not how many people applied), we say so rather than estimate a success rate.
Are the 2027 dates known?: Mostly not yet. Where a lottery runs on a fixed annual rule (for example Half Dome's preseason lottery every March), the 2027 window is shown as computed from that rule; parks usually confirm dates a few months ahead. The reservation calendar lists every dated release we know of.

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