The first wave of 2022 Yosemite Wilderness Permits opens Sunday November 14, 2021
Yosemite National Park, November 11, 2021 – Yosemite National Park features 1,200 square miles of iconic landscapes with millions of visitors traveling to Yosemite to experience the park and its wilderness each year. In 1984 Congress designated 95 percent of what is today Yosemite National Park as the Yosemite Wilderness.
The first in a series of weekly Yosemite National Park Wilderness Permits lotteries will open on Recreation.gov beginning November 14 for reservation dates of April 29, 2022 through May 7, 2022. Reservations by lottery are available on the Recreation.gov Yosemite National Park Wilderness Permits page 24 weeks in advance.
A wilderness permit is required year-round for any overnight stay in the Yosemite Wilderness. A wilderness permit is not required for day hikes (unless hiking to Half Dome), or for staying in lodging facilities and front country campgrounds.
Sixty percent of wilderness permit reservations are available on recreation.gov by lottery 24 weeks in advance. After the lottery runs each week, any remaining reservations are available on recreation.gov on a first-come, first-served basis. Assuming normal operations in 2022, forty percent of wilderness permits will be available at wilderness centers on a first-come, first-served basis one day before the hiking start date.
Calendar Dates for Registrations in 2020
Hiking Start | Opens Sunday at 12:01 am | Closes Saturday at 11:59 pm | Result Notification | Must Accept by Thursday at 11:59 pm | Release of remaining reservations |
Apr 29–May 7 | 14-Nov | 20-Nov | 22-Nov | 25-Nov | 26-Nov |
May 8–May 14 | 21-Nov | 27-Nov | 29-Nov | 2-Dec | 3-Dec |
May 15–May 21 | 28-Nov | 4-Dec | 6-Dec | 9-Dec | 10-Dec |
May 22–May 28 | 5-Dec | 11-Dec | 13-Dec | 16-Dec | 17-Dec |
May 29–Jun 4 | 12-Dec | 18-Dec | 20-Dec | 23-Dec | 24-Dec |
Jun 5–Jun 11 | 19-Dec | 25-Dec | 27-Dec | 30-Dec | 31-Dec |
Jun 12–Jun 18 | 26-Dec | 1-Jan | 3-Jan | 6-Jan | 7-Jan |
Jun 19–Jun 25 | 2-Jan | 8-Jan | 10-Jan | 13-Jan | 14-Jan |
Jun 26–Jul 2 | 9-Jan | 15-Jan | 17-Jan | 20-Jan | 21-Jan |
Jul 3–Jul 9 | 16-Jan | 22-Jan | 24-Jan | 27-Jan | 28-Jan |
Jul 10–Jul 16 | 23-Jan | 29-Jan | 31-Jan | 3-Feb | 4-Feb |
Jul 17–Jul 23 | 30-Jan | 5-Feb | 7-Feb | 10-Feb | 11-Feb |
Jul 24–Jul 30 | 6-Feb | 12-Feb | 14-Feb | 17-Feb | 18-Feb |
Jul 31–Aug 6 | 13-Feb | 19-Feb | 21-Feb | 24-Feb | 25-Feb |
Aug 7–Aug 13 | 20-Feb | 26-Feb | 28-Feb | 3-Mar | 4-Mar |
Aug 14–Aug 20 | 27-Feb | 5-Mar | 7-Mar | 10-Mar | 11-Mar |
Aug 21–Aug 27 | 6-Mar | 12-Mar | 14-Mar | 17-Mar | 18-Mar |
Aug 28–Sep 3 | 13-Mar | 19-Mar | 21-Mar | 24-Mar | 25-Mar |
Sep 4–Sep 10 | 20-Mar | 26-Mar | 28-Mar | 31-Mar | 1-Apr |
Sep 11–Sep 17 | 27-Mar | 2-Apr | 4-Apr | 7-Apr | 8-Apr |
Sep 18–Sep 24 | 3-Apr | 9-Apr | 11-Apr | 14-Apr | 15-Apr |
Sep 25–Oct 1 | 10-Apr | 16-Apr | 18-Apr | 21-Apr | 22-Apr |
Oct 2–Oct 8 | 17-Apr | 23-Apr | 25-Apr | 28-Apr | 29-Apr |
Oct 9–Oct 15 | 24-Apr | 30-Apr | 2-May | 5-May | 6-May |
Oct 16–Oct 23 | 1-May | 7-May | 9-May | 12-May | 13-May |
How Does the Quota Work for this Permit?
Trailhead quotas are in place to limit the number of people entering a specific trailhead each day. Quotas help to minimize human impact and provide maximum opportunity for solitude. The quota system is based on entry trailhead and entry date. Your permit is only valid if you enter the wilderness on your specified date and trailhead. Trailhead quotas are measured per person, not per permit. Of each daily trailhead quota, 60% can be reserved ahead of time, up to 24 weeks in advance.
Reservations may be made up to seven days prior to the entry date. The remaining 40%, as well as any remaining reservable quota, is available for first-come, first-served walk-up permits at Yosemite Wilderness Permit Stations (assuming regular operations in 2022). Walk-up permits become available at 11:00 a.m. the day prior to entry. Reserved permits that are not picked up by 10:00 a.m. on the day of entry will be cancelled and made available for walk-up permits.
Yosemite Trailhead Regions
Yosemite Valley
Most of Yosemite Valley falls within a no-camping zone, so while there are trailheads starting from Yosemite Valley, they all require a hike of at least four miles and a minimum elevation gain of 2,500 feet. Most trails lead to rewarding views from the north or south rim of the Valley, but water can be limited in late summer. This region is the most popular, and most crowded, portion of the park.
Tuolumne Meadows and Tioga Road East of Olmsted Point
Trails leaving from Tuolumne Meadows require backpackers to hike at least four miles before camping. This mountainous high country has an abundance of peaks, lakes, creeks, rivers, and waterfalls, but temperatures will be significantly cooler than elsewhere in the park. This region is very popular with backpackers during summer, and is correspondingly busy.
Tioga Road West of Olmsted Point
Trails heading south from the western portion of Tioga Road lead to stunning views of the Yosemite Valley. They tend to be longer than trails climbing up from the Valley, but have less elevation gain. The trails that travel to the north of Tioga Road lead to lakes, ridges, peaks, and views.
Hetch Hetchy
The immediate area around the reservoir is a no-camping zone, but hiking over six miles will lead to wonderful cascade waterfalls or peaceful lakes. Hetch Hetchy tends to be busiest in the spring and fall because of its low-elevation destinations and warm temperatures. In the summer, it can be very arid and hot.
Wawona and Glacier Point Road
At the southern end of the park, Wawona is a quiet, forested area with trails that lead to waterfalls, lakes, and stunning granite features. In late summer, trails become hot and dry.
Between Yosemite Valley and Wawona is the Glacier Point Road. Trails from this road head north towards the south rim of Yosemite Valley, south towards lakes and granite domes, or east toward the Clark Range.
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