What You Need to Know Heading into Backpacking Permit Season
As autumn begins to slip into winter and the long, light days of summer feel a world away, it’s the perfect time to start planning sweet, summery backcountry adventures. The majority of advance backcountry permitting for national parks, national forests and other public lands takes place between December and April each year. Start planning now to avoid missing out on backpacking trip reservation deadlines! Here’s what you need to know heading into backpacking permit season -
What are advance reservation backcountry permits?
Many national parks, state or provincial parks and other public lands, especially the popular ones, require a permit to camp in the backcountry. A backcountry permit allows permit holders to overnight camp at a specific site or area inside the park. It will come as no surprise that some of the most beautiful places to spend time in the backcountry also happen to be the most well-loved and over-used. Permitting systems are in place to control crowds, avoid overuse of the environment and provide the sense of solitude backcountry adventurers seek. The permitting system is unique to each park or wilderness area, some use campsite or zone quotas (limit the number of people sleeping in a specific zone or campsite each night) and some use trailhead quotas (limit the number of backpackers that can set off from a trailhead each day). Quotas are set by each agency based on how much use a given area can sustain. There is a per person per night fee as well as a small recreation fee associated with each permit ($5-10 per person plus $5-7 recreation fee). These permit fees aid in maintaining and improving backcountry recreation experiences and care for the land. Parks or agencies that receive overwhelming quantities of permit applications or submissions might also charge a fee to apply. The majority of parks and wilderness areas offer or require the option to book a permit well in advance of desired trip dates for the busiest backpacking seasons (late spring through early fall). Permits are still required during winter but there is much less demand so advance permitting and quotas are not necessary. Start thinking about what trips or outdoor goals are on your bucket list for next season to snag advance reservations!
How to apply for backcountry permits?
Every park, wilderness area or public land agency has it’s own permitting system and process so it is important to complete research well in advance. First determine the type of system that is in use for the area you want to visit. Online bookings, lotteries and applications by email or fax are a few of the ways permits are currently booked. Many agencies use websites like recreation.gov, pay.gov, discovercamping.ca, reservation.pc.gc.ca - familiarize yourself with the website or application before the permit release so you are prepared to navigate and complete the booking quickly. Most parks and wilderness areas require camping in a designated campsite or zone. This means you need to pre-plan your route and where you want to camp within the park or wilderness area, especially for trips longer than one night. Review backcountry campsite or zone maps on agency websites to identify the names of campsites or zones you wish to apply for. Research what other information is required to complete the permitting process and collect this information ahead of time. Most processes require you to choose dates, entry and exit trailhead, group size, number of pets (if allowed in that area) and where you plan to camp (if campsites are not designated). Some systems, especially lotteries, allow you to choose multiple date ranges so be prepared to provide numerous dates that work for you and your group. Reach out to potential backpacking partners for availability so you are aware of how many permits to book. A permit is only valid for the number of people applied for and it is difficult to increase the number of backpackers closer to a trip as there is no availability.
When to apply for advance reservation backcountry permits?
Check agency websites or contact a ranger to learn when permits will be released to the public. Some parks release all permits on a single day of the year, some launch permits on a rolling 6 month basis and others have application windows that range from a few days to over a month. Permits released online are often released at 7 or 8AM local time and the majority of permits are snagged immediately upon release or within the initial application window. Make note of the release day and the exact timing of when to apply for the permit you are interested in. Set calendar reminders and timers to ensure you don’t miss the deadline or release.
For tips on the best luck scoring permits, read our post: How to Score the Backpacking Permits You Want.
Reach out to our team if you need support planning an adventure! We know how overwhelming and time-consuming it can be to navigate these systems - we’d love to help🥾.