Lone Pine, California, United States
Mount Whitney permits: when the lottery opens, and how to apply
Updated
Mount Whitney permits for hikes from 1 May to 1 November come from a lottery on Recreation.gov, open each year from 1 February to 1 March, with results on 15 March. Winners claim and pay by 21 April, and leftover dates go on sale first come, first served at 07:00 Pacific time on 22 April.
- When does booking open?
- 1 February to 1 March, for hikes from 1 May to 1 November. In 2026 the lottery opened at 07:00 Pacific time on 1 February and closed at 23:59 Pacific time on 1 March. Results are posted in your Recreation.gov account on 15 March. Winners must complete the reservation details and pay before 21:00 Pacific time on 21 April, or the date is revoked. Unclaimed and unfilled dates open at 07:00 Pacific time on 22 April and stay open for reservations through the season. As of November 2026 the 2027 lottery is not yet listed on Recreation.gov, and the Forest Service gives these dates as its yearly schedule.
- How far ahead is that?
- About 2 to 9 months ahead, or any time after 22 April for leftover dates.
- Where do I book?
- Only online at Recreation.gov, with an account, for both the lottery and leftover dates. There are no phone sales, and Inyo National Forest reserves all its wilderness permits online. The permit comes from Inyo National Forest because the trail starts at Whitney Portal, in the forest, although the summit is in Sequoia National Park. The official pages set no limits on visitors from abroad.
- Does it sell out?
- From 1 May to 1 November the quota is 100 people a day on day use permits and 60 a day on overnight permits for the Mt. Whitney Trail. Inyo National Forest publishes no lottery odds and no figure for how fast leftover dates go after 22 April. From 2 November to 30 April there is no limit on the number of permits.
- Can I cancel or change?
- There are no refunds, rain checks or credits, and a permit cannot be sold or transferred. Online you can reduce the group size, with no refund, move the entry date if it is 12 or more days away and the new date has quota left, and change the exit date of an overnight trip. To change a lottery application's entry date, permit type or alternate leader, or to add people, withdraw it and apply again. A permit is cancelled as a no-show unless it is printed by noon the day before a day hike, or by 10:00 on the entry date of an overnight trip.
- Do I need a permit to day hike Mount Whitney?
- Yes. A permit is needed all year to day hike anywhere in the Mt. Whitney Zone, and from 1 May to 1 November day use permits are limited to 100 people a day.
How to book
Make a Recreation.gov account before 1 February, then enter the lottery on the Mt. Whitney permit page. Choose the permit type, Day Use or Overnight on the Mt. Whitney Trail, an entry date, the group size and up to 10 alternate trip choices.
As of November 2026, applying costs a $6 reservation fee, which is not refunded. Claiming a win costs $15 per person more, the same for children, seniors and military. Complete the reservation details and pay before 21:00 Pacific time on 21 April.
A day use permit is valid for one calendar day, midnight to midnight, on any route in the Mt. Whitney Zone, and back-to-back day use permits are not allowed. An overnight permit starts on the Mt. Whitney Trail, allows camping along it and can continue onto the John Muir Trail or the Pacific Crest Trail. The two are not interchangeable: an overnight permit cannot be used for a one-day hike.
From a week before the trip, print the permit at home. The group leader carries the signed permit and shows it to rangers on request.
If it’s sold out
Book a leftover date from 07:00 Pacific time on 22 April, first come, first served, and keep checking the Recreation.gov calendar through the season, since remaining dates stay open for reservations.
Overnight trips up the North Fork of Lone Pine Creek, the approach to the Mountaineers Route, and longer routes in from Cottonwood Pass or Kearsarge Pass are not in the lottery and can be reserved up to 6 months ahead. Trips that start at another Inyo trailhead and finish down the Mt. Whitney Trail need one of 25 Trail Crest exit places a day: 15 open 6 months ahead and 10 more two weeks ahead.
From 2 November to 30 April permits are unlimited and Recreation.gov takes reservations up to two weeks ahead. Expect snow and ice then: the Forest Service says winter mountaineering skills and equipment are needed when the mountain is not clear.
Booking for a group
One application covers up to 15 people, children included; larger groups are not allowed. Send only one application per group or household, because multiple applications can all be disqualified.
Name the leader and up to three alternate leaders when you apply. Names cannot be added or changed later, and only a named leader or alternate can pick up or use the permit, so choose people who are sure to come.
If someone drops out, lower the group size online. There is no refund for the places you give up.
Good to know
- The trail is usually clear of snow from July to late September, so put your lottery choices there unless the group has winter mountaineering experience.
- Use all 10 alternate choices. A win is valid only for the entry date and permit type it was drawn for.
- Log in to your Recreation.gov account on 15 March and look for your lottery application, then set a reminder for 21 April, the last day to claim.
- The day hike is 22 miles round trip with more than 6,200 feet of climbing, and the Forest Service says to expect 12 to 14 hours, so plan to start before sunrise.
- Overnight hikers need bear-resistant containers for food and trash. There are no restrooms on the trail; pick up a pack-out kit at the Eastern Sierra Visitor Center or the trailhead.
Sources
- Recreation.gov: Mt. Whitney, Inyo National Forest (official): Results 15 March; claim and pay $15 per person by 21 April; unclaimed dates open 22 April; $6 non-refundable reservation fee per permit; no refunds; up to 10 alternate choices and three alternate leaders; entry date changes online 12 or more days ahead; print by noon the day before (day use) or 10:00 on the entry date (overnight).
- Inyo National Forest: Mount Whitney (official): Apply 1 February to 1 March; results 15 March; claim by 9 p.m. Pacific on 21 April; remaining dates from 7:00 a.m. Pacific on 22 April, no phone sales; quota 1 May to 1 November of 100 a day for day use and 60 for overnight; unlimited 2 November to 30 April; groups up to 15; one application per group or household.
- Inyo National Forest: Wilderness permits (official): All wilderness permits are reserved online; Whitney Zone trips outside the lottery (North Fork of Lone Pine Creek, Kearsarge and Cottonwood Pass) can be reserved up to 6 months ahead; Trail Crest exit quota of 25 a day; $6 per permit plus $15 per person for the Whitney Zone.
Booking rules change; the official site has the last word.