Wilderness Permit Reservations

Please plan your trip before you make a reservation. It is your responsibility to research trails and trail conditions to decide which trip is right for you and your group. Park rangers will not plan your trip for you.

To make a reservation, you will need to know the name the permit will be under, mailing address, daytime telephone number, number of people, number of stock (horses, mules, llamas), start and end dates, beginning and ending trailheads, principal destination (to help clarify trailhead), method of payment ($5 plus $5/person): credit card, check, or money order.

Reservations are available up to 24 weeks (168 days) in advance when the wilderness permit reservation office is open (late November through September).

Three Ways to Make a Reservation
In 2012-2013, the reservation office is open November 28 through September and accepts reservations for trips during May through September (and some popular trails in October). Reservations are not necessary for trips during November through April. We are not currently accepting online reservations.

• Fax (preferred): Please complete this reservation form [400 kb PDF] on your computer, then print and fax it to 209/372-0739. (You can fax 24 hours/day, seven days/week.)
  
  Faxes and letters will be processed before phone calls. To be considered for this priority, faxes can be received anytime between 5 pm and 7:30 am PT. Faxes and letters received by 7:30 am will then be processed randomly. Faxes recieved during business hours will be processed on first-come, first-served basis along with phone calls.
  
  If you provide an email address, you will receive a generic confirmation within one business day stating whether you received your first, second, or third choice. Otherwise, allow two weeks to receive a printed confirmation by mail. If you would like to request a reservation for a departure date within the next two weeks, please apply by phone.
  
  
• Phone: Please have your trip planned and the above information ready before calling 209/372-0740. The phone is staffed Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.
  
  
• Mail: Please complete and print the reservation form [200 kb PDF], or send a letter with the information requested above, along with payment, to Wilderness Permits, PO Box 545, Yosemite, CA, 95389. Make checks and money orders payable to "Yosemite Conservancy." All major credit cards are accepted. Do not send cash. Please allow two weeks to receive a response. Applications received more than two weeks in advance will not be accepted.
  
  
  Faxes and letters will be processed before phone calls. To be considered for this priority, faxes can be received anytime between 5 pm and 7:30 am PT. Faxes and letters received by 7:30 am will then be processed randomly. Faxes recieved during business hours will be processed on first-come, first-served basis along with phone calls.

Only apply once for each request: If you apply twice for the same request, you will be charged a non-refundable, non-transferable processing fee for both reservations.

Even with a reservation, you, or another member of your hiking group, must pick up the wilderness permit at any permit station during business hours the day of, or the day before, your hike. Reserved permits are held until 10 am on the day of your trip. If you will arrive later than 10 am on the day of your trip, please call us to hold your permit for a late arrival: 209/372-0308 (this number is for cancellations and late arrivals only). Otherwise, your permit reservation will be canceled. Permits held for late arrival still must be picked up at a permit station during business hours. (You can check current hours for permit stations at the bottom of the wilderness conditions update.)

If your itinerary will include hiking to Half Dome, please be sure to specify this when you make your reservation request.

Reservation changes: If space is available within the same season, you can request a change to your existing reservation's date or trailhead for no additional charge. If you have questions regarding your reservation, or would like to make changes to an existing reservation, please do so only by calling 209/372-0740. We are unable to correspond by email or fax. Processing fees are non-refundable and non-transferable.