Wilderness Permit Information

[Wandering Daisy]

Thanks! I have a trip in SEKI I could to last half of August, and am reluctant to book it now because of possible wildfire-smoke issues. I had planned on going in Alta but the trip would also work one day longer if I went in Sugarloaf. I will just have to wait and see what is available when the "walk-in" permits become available. So far here is the plan:

Yosemite- Pohono-Panorama-Merced 5/11-5/17
Jack Main Canyon from Hetch Hetchy 5/26-6/1 (worried about mosquitoes)
Minarets 6/9-6/14 (likely mosquito hell and may have to walk the road to the trailhead)
McGee to Convict 7/12-19
Ionian Basin from Courtright 7/27-8/5 (would rather go in North Lake if a walk-in becomes available)
??? Something out of SEKI, not permitted yet, in the last two weeks of August
Shepherd to Cottonwood with Upper Kern 9/6-9/15 (would have preferred the other direction but no permits left)

That's about $65 permit fees if I do not change anything. A lot of uncertainty. And another $40 if I do two back-to-back trips in SEKI. Not exactly pleased- it seems that now we have to book second or third choices in advance, hope to get a "walk-in" for our preferred trip later, and pay more $$.
Hard to avoid mosquito hell and smoke when you have to book so far in advanced.

But the reservation process has been easy (with the help of all you good HST members) and now it is easier to call up wilderness offices to ask questions. But boy to I hope we go back to real walk-in permits next year!

[kpeter]

So, anyone know if hiking out of Edison is being permitted yet? Thinking about a Silver Divide hike but not sure if the fire has close roads and trails, and having finally figured out Inyo and Emigrant permits I don't know how Sierra NF is handling the process.

It is time for all the national forests to be online with the same permitting process.

[Wandering Daisy]

I have a permit for 5/26, this Wed out of Hetch Hetchy. I would really prefer to go tomorrow to avoid possible rain on Monday (Memorial Day) as well as the Memorial Day driving home. I can pick up my permit tomorrow, and get the parking permit for my car. Would love to just go up the trail to Laurel Lake, my Day 1 plan. I looked at the permit availability last night and there were just blanks until Thursday, so if I wanted to change my permit I could not do it. So does that mean there is a 3-4 day gap before a trip where you cannot get a change online? I doubt the quota is full for a Tuesday. There are 10 permits available for Thursday. Or does that mean I could do an actual "walk-in" change at the entrance station?

I am contemplating just getting my permit tomorrow late morning and going in on my current permit.

Revision: I now have been trying all morning to contact the Wilderness Office - nothing but busy signal. Cannot e-mail. Yosemite Conservancy number no longer taking calls. I hit a brick wall simply trying to get a past 10AM extension for my current permit. Tried last week with same results. THIS IS A BROKEN SYSTEM! All that is needed to save EVERYONE a lot of time is to let you check a box for late permit pick up when you apply. How many people either have the time to waste an entire day before just to pick up a permit, or make it to pick up their permit on time, given possibility of traffic delays? And why in the world does it matter if you pick up your permit past 10AM WHEN they are not doing same day walk-ins anyway?

ISSUE RESOLVED!! Well, I figured it out. I got immediate response when I filled out the "permit change" form on the reservation page. I never thought picking up a permit past 10 AM was a permit change. At any rate, phoning the Wilderness Office is NOT the way to do this. And requesting a late pick-up does not cost anything as a "permit change".

Would be nice if there was more outreach to explain the details of the permit system. And if phoning the Wilderness Office does not work most of the time, that needs to be stated up front.

[salvilla]

To touch on Wandering Daisy's experience, the "permit change" form is definitely the way to go. I submitted a change on Sunday morning and I had a response and change a few hours later

[maverick]

SEKI NP:

Wilderness Permit Quota Season Begins Friday, May 28

During the high-visitation summer season, there is a daily limit on the number of people that may enter the wilderness of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks from any given trailhead for overnight use. The wilderness permit quota season begins Friday, May 28, and will continue through September 18.

Wilderness permits can be reserved through recreation.gov up to six months in advance of your entry date. A limited number of first-come, first-served permits will be available daily at permit issuing stations in Cedar Grove, Grant Grove, Lodgepole, Ash Mountain, and Mineral King. Reservations are the only way to be assured of a wilderness permit. The parks anticipate extremely high demand for walk-up permits this summer, especially for popular trails and weekend and holiday start dates. If you don’t have a reservation, have alternate plans in case your first or second choice of entry points is unavailable.

All permits (reservation or walk-up) must be picked up in person at the nearest permit issuing station to your trailhead between 7:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. To prevent the spread of disease at permit issuing stations, please maintain six feet of distance between your party, other visitors, and rangers.
If you are getting a walk-up permit during quota season, you will be charged a fee, which supports trail work, wilderness visitor education, and other projects with a direct visitor benefit. The fee is $15 for the permit, and an additional $5 per person. Credit cards are preferred for fee payments, and exact change is required for other forms of payment. If you got your permit through recreation.gov, you will have already paid the fee online.

A limited number of food storage containers (“bear cans”) are available to rent at the Kings Canyon Visitor Center in Grant Grove, Giant Forest Museum in the Lodgepole area, and the Foothills Visitor Center in Ash Mountain. There are currently no container rentals available in Cedar Grove. Due to high demand nationally, it is recommended that you purchase or rent an allowed container well in advance of your trip.

Wilderness travelers should be prepared for sub-freezing temperatures, snow and ice hazards, and the possibility of altitude-related illness on all high-elevation trails. The parks urge visitors to take the inherent risks of traveling to these areas very seriously.

Multiple search and rescue operations have already occurred this year in the Mount Whitney area alone. You are responsible for your own safety. Depending upon weather or other factors, there is no guarantee that rescuers will be able to reach you. Know your limits, and be prepared to turn back.

For more wilderness information, visit https://www.nps.gov/seki/planyourvisit/wilderness.htm, or contact the wilderness office at seki_wilderness_office@nps.gov or 559-565-3766.

[giantbrookie]

So, anyone know if hiking out of Edison is being permitted yet? Thinking about a Silver Divide hike but not sure if the fire has close roads and trails, and having finally figured out Inyo and Emigrant permits I don't know how Sierra NF is handling the process.

It is time for all the national forests to be online with the same permitting process.

I'd really like to know what is happening with Sierra NF. They have up on their website that they're switching to online with recreation.gov, but it is very unclear how they are handling walk ups. Although they don't say their ranger stations are closed (in contrast to Eldorado NF which says all of their offices are closed and will correspond only virtually with people) I can't find a phone path to get a live person. I am thinking of going out of Hoffman Mtn twice this year, perhaps both times in June and that's always a tricky one with automated systems because it isn't an official entry point. With in-person service they'd put me on a nearby trailhead with the most cap space (Rancheria or Woodchuck) but I don't know how this would work with an automated system.

[sekihiker]

Day before yesterday, I got my first "walkup" Visitor Permit from Sierra National Forest at its office in Prather. The "Issued Date & Time" on the permit was "May 20 2021". I assumed that the permit would be in the box as it was last year. It wasn't. Next, I saw a post behind the window near the permit box that said the office could be called after 8:00am. I pulled out my phone and started to call when an FS employee walked by and asked if he could help. By now, I was cranky and replied, "My permit isn't in the box." He told me to cool my jets and he would help me get it. A few minutes later, someone came out the door with my permit and asked me to sign it. I asked her why the permit was not in the box like last year. She told me I hadn't read the fine print at the SNF website - https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/sierra/p ... ev7_018115

To quote the website, "Permits will need to be picked up in person at the appropriate District Office, to make sure to provide you with additional information regarding your trip and wilderness area."

So, that means you can't pick up your permit in Prather until 8:00am.

In addition, "Permits must picked by 10:00 AM, the day of entry unless prior arrangements have been made by contacting the office where your permit is being held." Wow. A two hour window.

By the way, "Please be sure that you have your permit confirmation notice at the time of permit pick-up." I had a printout of it, but was never asked for it.

So, procedure has changed for the second year in a row.

In a nutshell:
Permit, even a walk-up, must be purchased at Recreation.gov
Permit not in box like 2020.
Permit will be available from 8:00am through 10:00am "unless prior arrangements have been made."

[jôhorn]

I just cancelled a reservation for two on Friday June 4 for Cathedral Lakes trailhead YNP. It should be available on their system soon if someone wants to snag it. Should be nice up there.

[Love the Sierra]

OMG, So now we pick up in person, not via email? UGGG, how is it possible to keep up with them?

[giantbrookie]

Day before yesterday, I got my first "walkup" Visitor Permit from Sierra National Forest at its office in Prather. The "Issued Date & Time" on the permit was "May 20 2021". I assumed that the permit would be in the box as it was last year. It wasn't. Next, I saw a post behind the window near the permit box that said the office could be called after 8:00am. I pulled out my phone and started to call when an FS employee walked by and asked if he could help. By now, I was cranky and replied, "My permit isn't in the box." He told me to cool my jets and he would help me get it. A few minutes later, someone came out the door with my permit and asked me to sign it. I asked her why the permit was not in the box like last year. She told me I hadn't read the fine print at the SNF website - https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/sierra/p ... ev7_018115

To quote the website, "Permits will need to be picked up in person at the appropriate District Office, to make sure to provide you with additional information regarding your trip and wilderness area."

So, that means you can't pick up your permit in Prather until 8:00am.

In addition, "Permits must picked by 10:00 AM, the day of entry unless prior arrangements have been made by contacting the office where your permit is being held." Wow. A two hour window.

By the way, "Please be sure that you have your permit confirmation notice at the time of permit pick-up." I had a printout of it, but was never asked for it.

So, procedure has changed for the second year in a row.

In a nutshell:
Permit, even a walk-up, must be purchased at Recreation.gov
Permit not in box like 2020.
Permit will be available from 8:00am through 10:00am "unless prior arrangements have been made."

Thanks so much for posting this. It's a shame that Sierra NF has changed things since they seemed to be better than other NFs last year and before that in terms of flexibility in reserving, picking up, and doing walk up permits. Your post has a major impact on my planning because I am part of a small group (3) that will go in Monday June 7 out of Hoffman Mtn (permitted for Woodchuck) to get one of my undergraduate researchers started in her research. We had originally aimed for an earlier take off (ie probably going through Prather closer to 7 am) but now we'll aim to be there more like 8 am sharp.