Wilderness Information

The National Park Service provides detailed information for users of the Yosemite wilderness. Click here to visit their wilderness information page.

Wilderness Reservations

*The wilderness online reservations is currently out of service.

Wilderness permit reservations may be made online by clicking here or by calling the Wilderness Center at (209) 372-0740. This phone line is very busy, so please be patient and expect that it may take some time to get through.

In season, permits may be reserved 24 weeks to two days in advance of the first day of the planned trip. A non-refundable fee of $5.00 per person will be charged.

Fall 2007 Information

*Quotas for entry dates October 1st or later, anywhere other then Little Yosemite Valley area, are 100% first-come first-served.

*Reservations for Little Yosemite Valley area can be made for entry dates before October 15th. Starting October 16th trail quotas in this area will be 100% first-come first-served.

*The Half Dome cables will come down October 15th, weather permitting.

*Starting October 15th, there will be no overnight parking anywhere along the Tioga Road (Crane Flat - Tioga Pass) or the Glacier Point Road.

Summer Permit Station Hours

Valley Wilderness Center - 7:30 am to 5:00 pm
Tuolumne Wilderness Center - 7:30 am to 5:00 pm
Big Oak Flat (Hwy 120W) -  8:00 am to 5:00 pm
Wawona - 8:30 am to 5:00 pm
Hetch Hetchy - 7:00 am to 9:00 pm

Fall Permit Station Hours (Sept. 4 – Oct. 2)

Valley Wilderness Center - 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

Tuolumne Wilderness Center - 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

Big Oak Flat (Hwy 120W) - 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

Wawona – 8:30 am – 5:00 pm
Hetch Hetchy - 8:00 am - 7:00 pm

Permit Station Hours starting Oct 3rd

Valley Wilderness Center - 8:00 am - 4:30 pm

Tuolumne Wilderness Center - 8:00 am - 4:30 pm

Big Oak Flat (Hwy 120W) - 8:00 am - 4:30 pm

Wawona - 9:00 am – 4:30 pm, starting Oct. 9th self-register at Wawona store

Hetch Hetchy - 8:00 am - 7:00 pm (Starting Nov. 15th  8:00am - 5:00pm)

Closing dates for Permit Stations

Valley Wilderness Center is closed Oct. 29th (self-register & rent canister at visitor center during business hours)

Tuolumne WC is closed Oct. 15th (self-register at TM Ranger Station.)

Big Oak Flat is closed Oct. 15th (self-register at permit station)

Wawona closed Oct. 9th (self-register at Wawona store)

Hetch Hetchy open all winter (8:00am to 5:00pm)

Bear Canister rental locations after Permit Station are closed

Valley Visitor Center, staring Oct. 29th during business hours

Mono Lake Ranger District rents canisters through end of Nov.

Big Oak Flat- no canisters available

Wawona Store starting Oct. 9th

Hetch Hetchy rents canisters year around, during business hours

IMPORTANT NOTE: Making a request does not guarantee a reservation. If your reservation request is made more than 24 weeks or less than 2 days in advance, or if the quota for your requested trailhead is full for the dates you request, your reservation request will be rejected and you will be notified. You can check on the availability of permits for various park trailheads by clicking here.

The following information is necessary in order to reserve a wilderness permit:

• Name, address, and daytime telephone
• Exact starting and ending dates of your hike
• Starting and ending trailheads
• Alternative trailheads
• The number of people in your group
• The number of stock animals (if applicable)
• Your principal destination
• A brief itinerary

Reservations also may be requested by mail. Please include the information listed above along with a check for $5 per person made payable to the Yosemite Association and send to Wilderness Reservations, Yosemite Association, PO Box 545, Yosemite, CA 95389. We give phone and mail reservations equal priority, and process them simultaneously no earlier than 24 weeks in advance of the first day of the planned hike. Written requests should be timed to arrive 24 weeks in advance.

The Yosemite trailhead quota system provides for up to 60% of available permits to be reserved in advance. To obtain one of the permits in the 40% segment (available on a first-come first-served basis), you must appear in person at one of the permit issuing stations in the park (see below for a listing), which are generally open from May through October, the day of, or one day prior to, the beginning of your trip.

If you are starting a trip outside the park, obtain a permit from the permit station nearest your entry point. Please use maps and guidebooks to plan your trip before you apply for a wilderness permit or write for a reservation.

Wilderness Permit
Station Locations

Plan your trip with maps, books and backpacking equipment, available online at the non-profit Yosemite Association's Yosemite Store.

Bear Canisters are the only way to keep bears OUT of your food when backpacking in Yosemite. You can rent them at wilderness stations throughout the park, or buy one online.