Last updated September 10, 2026
Mount Whitney Permit Lottery 2026: How to Apply & Win
You need a permit to enter the Whitney Zone every day of the year. In the summer quota season (May 1–November 1), there are no walk-up permits. Most people get one through the lottery. You apply on Recreation.gov from February 1 to March 1, results post March 15, and winners must claim and pay $15 per person by 9 p.m. Pacific on April 21. Unclaimed dates go on sale first come, first served at 7 a.m. Pacific on April 22.
No Walk-Ups in Summer. It’s the Lottery, the Leftovers or a Cancellation.
The Mount Whitney Trail starts at Whitney Portal (8,300 ft) in Inyo National Forest and climbs more than 6,200 ft to the summit, which lies in Sequoia National Park. Once you pass Lone Pine Lake, you’re in the Whitney Zone, and every hiker needs a permit—day hikers included, in every season.
From May 1 to November 1, the Forest Service limits the zone to 100 day-use and 60 overnight permits per day. Those permits go out through the Recreation.gov lottery, then any unclaimed dates are released on April 22. Cancellations reappear throughout the season.
From November 2 to April 30, the number of permits is unlimited, and you can book online up to two weeks before your trip. The trail is usually only snow-free from July to late September, though, so winter and spring trips need real mountaineering skills.
Day Use or Overnight: Pick the Right One Before You Apply
You can’t switch permit types after the lottery without withdrawing and reapplying, so choose carefully.
Day Use Permit
For hiking the Mount Whitney Trail to the summit and back in a single day. Quota: 100 people per day.
- Valid from midnight to midnight on the date issued.
- You can’t use day permits on consecutive days to camp. For that, you need an overnight permit.
- Most people take 12–16 hours for the roughly 22-mile round trip.
- Popular with fast, well-acclimatized hikers.
Overnight Permit (Mt Whitney Trail)
For multi-day trips starting on the Mount Whitney Trail. Quota: 60 people per day.
- Popular camps include Lone Pine Lake, Outpost Camp (~10,500 ft), Consultation Lake and Trail Camp (~12,000 ft).
- It can be extended onto the John Muir Trail, and you can exit at other trailheads.
- Bear canisters are required for overnight trips.
- It doesn’t cover the North Fork of Lone Pine Creek. Climbers heading for the Mountaineers Route need a separate permit.
From Application to Trailhead: Every Date That Matters
Select a step to see what happens. Dates follow the Inyo National Forest’s published calendar.
Lottery Opens
Apply on Recreation.gov with your group leader, any alternate leaders, group size, permit type and a list of acceptable dates. Applying early doesn’t improve your odds—it’s a random draw.
Tens of Thousands Apply. A Few Hundred Go Each Day.
The Forest Service has reported more than 65,000 people entering the Whitney lottery in a year. With only 160 permits a day in the quota season, flexible dates—especially weekdays in May, June and October—give you the best odds.
Photo: Daniel Mayer · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Permit Day, Step by Step
What to do between booking and standing in the Whitney Zone with your permit in your pocket.
Print it
Print your permit from Recreation.gov, or print it free at the Eastern Sierra Visitor Center.
Visitor center
Stop at the Eastern Sierra Visitor Center for conditions, a WAG bag and a bear canister rental if you need one.
Whitney Portal
Drive the paved Whitney Portal Road. Store food in the bear lockers, never in your car.
Midnight onward
A day-use permit is valid from midnight to midnight, so many hikers start in the dark.
Whitney Zone
Just past Lone Pine Lake. Rangers check permits, and hikers without one can be fined and walked out.
Pack it out
Dispose of used WAG bags in the bin at the trailhead. There are no toilets on the trail.
Quota vs Non-Quota: Move the Calendar
The permit rules change with the season, and so do trail conditions. The slider shows both.
Peak Demand, Usually Snow-Free
Three Ways to Get on the Mountain
Most people get their permit one of these ways.
Is Your Whitney Permit Plan Airtight?
Check what’s done. The key items are the ones that most often cost people their permit.
Start With the Right Permit
Decide between day use and overnight (or the North Fork for climbers). Then apply in the lottery or watch for leftovers and cancellations.
Mt. Whitney on Recreation.gov →Six Mistakes That Cost Hikers Their Whitney Permit
Almost all of these are paperwork and planning, not fitness.
Missing April 21
Winning the lottery isn’t enough. If you don’t complete the details and pay $15 per person by 9 p.m. Pacific on April 21, your win is revoked.
Applying More Than Once
The Forest Service allows one application per group or household. Groups that submit multiple applications can be disqualified.
Needing to Change the Wrong Thing
After the lottery, you can change your exit location, camp, exit date (overnight) or reduce your group. To change the entry date, permit type, alternate leader or add people, you must withdraw and reapply.
The Wrong Permit for Your Route
Mount Whitney Trail permits don’t cover the North Fork of Lone Pine Creek. Climbers heading for the Mountaineers Route, East Face or East Buttress need the North Fork permit.
No Printed Permit
Rangers check permits in the Whitney Zone. Hikers without one can be fined and walked out. Print it before you go.
A Permit for a Date You’re Not Ready For
May and June dates are easier to win, but snow and ice are common until July. The Forest Service advises choosing a date that suits your experience.
Mount Whitney Trail vs the Mountaineers Route
Both are in the Whitney Zone. They start on different trails and need different permits.
Mount Whitney Trail
About 22 miles round trip · 6,200+ ft of gain. A non-technical but very strenuous trail from Whitney Portal, past Trail Camp and the famous switchbacks to Trail Crest, then along the ridge to the summit. It uses the day-use and overnight permits in the lottery.
Mount Whitney climbing guide →North Fork of Lone Pine Creek
For the Mountaineers Route, East Face, East Buttress and Mount Russell. A rougher approach via Lower and Upper Boy Scout Lakes to Iceberg Lake. It needs the North Fork of Lone Pine Creek permit, listed with other Inyo National Forest wilderness permits.
Check permit options →Getting to the Trailhead
Whitney is in the eastern Sierra, far from major cities. Lone Pine is the base.
Lone Pine, California
A small town on US 395 with lodging, food and supplies, about 15 minutes below Whitney Portal. Book lodging as soon as you have a permit.
Eastern Sierra Visitor Center
At the junction of US 395 and CA 136, just south of Lone Pine. Current conditions, free permit printing, WAG bags and bear canister rentals. Phone: (760) 876-6200.
Whitney Portal (8,300 ft)
At the end of the paved Whitney Portal Road. A standard car is fine. Parking can be tight—arrive early, and use overflow lots if the loop is full.
Food Goes in the Lockers
Bears are active at Whitney Portal. Use the bear lockers for all food and scented items—don’t leave anything in your car.
Permits for Guided and Organized Trips
Commercial and sponsored trips follow different rules.
Friends and Family
- One person applies as group leader, with any alternate leaders.
- Group size includes the leader, and children count.
- You can reduce group size after the lottery, but not increase it.
- Submit only one application for the whole group.
Guides, Clubs and Sponsored Trips
- Trips sponsored by organizations or commercial groups must contact the permit office before applying.
- A special use permit may be needed.
- If you’re hiring a guide service, ask how it handles Whitney permits.
- Unpermitted commercial trips aren’t allowed.
What Will Your Whitney Permit Cost?
The Whitney permit itself is inexpensive. Enter your group to see the total, then add trip costs.
Permit $30 · Recreation.gov fee $6
- The Whitney permit is $15 per person, for day use or overnight.
- Recreation.gov adds a small non-refundable fee (about $6 at the time of writing).
- There are no refunds, transfers or rain checks.
- The biggest costs are usually lodging and travel.
What Your Permit Requires You to Have
These are permit rules, not just good ideas. For the full gear list, see the Whitney guide.
Printed Permit
Carry a printed copy. Rangers check permits beyond Lone Pine Lake.
WAG Bag
Mandatory for everyone in the Whitney Zone. Pack out all human waste.
Bear Canister
Required for overnight trips. Rentals are available in Lone Pine.
Snow & Ice Gear
Ice axe, crampons and the skills to use them when there’s snow or ice on the route—usually before July.
Check current conditions →Five Ways to Still Get a Whitney Permit
Losing the lottery isn’t the end of your summer.
Grab a Leftover
Be logged in before 7 a.m. Pacific on April 22, with backup dates ready.
Watch Cancellations
Cancelled permits return to Recreation.gov throughout the season. Weekdays are best.
Go After Nov 2
Non-quota permits are unlimited—if you have the snow skills for winter conditions.
North Fork Route
The Mountaineers Route has its own permit, for climbers with the right skills.
Enter Elsewhere
Start a multi-day trip from another trailhead and exit via Whitney Portal.
The Permit Starts in a Forest. The Summit Is in a National Park.
The Mount Whitney Trail begins in Inyo National Forest, but the summit and its stone hut sit in Sequoia National Park. The Inyo permit covers the whole route.
Photo: Justin Johnsen · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
How Whitney’s Permit Compares
Whitney’s lottery is one of the most competitive in the US. Here’s how some other big peaks handle permits.
Permit: Also a lottery, for the cables in Yosemite.
Half Dome guide →Permit: A climbing fee plus in-person registration and a wilderness permit.
Rainier permits →Permit: $20 for a 3-day window, no lottery and no daily cap.
Mount Hood guide →Permit: None for individual hikers.
Mount Elbert guide →Why Whitney Has a Quota
The permit system protects a fragile alpine environment on the most popular summit trail in the Sierra.
“Very Old Man”
In the Newe (Shoshone) language the mountain is called Tumanguya, meaning “very old man,” according to the Forest Service.
More Hikers Than the Trail Can Take
Tens of thousands of people enter the lottery each year. Daily limits of 100 day hikers and 60 backpackers protect the trail and keep it from overcrowding.
The WAG Bag System
High use once left human waste across the zone. Mandatory pack-out kits now keep it clean, and permit fees pay for them.
Fees at Work
Permit fees fund wilderness rangers on the trail and visitor center staff who manage the permit system.
Who to Call
Save these numbers before you leave Lone Pine.
Call 911
Search and rescue in the area is supported by the volunteer Inyo County Search and Rescue team.
Inyo County SAR →(760) 876-6200
Eastern Sierra Visitor Center, for trail conditions and permit questions.
(760) 873-2400
Inyo National Forest Supervisor’s Office in Bishop.
NWS Point Forecast
The summit forecast to check before and during your trip.
Open forecast →Where These Rules Come From
Confirm dates and fees on these pages before applying—they’re updated each year.
Inyo National Forest — Mount Whitney
Lottery calendar, quotas, the April 21 deadline, change rules and common mistakes.
Open source →Recreation.gov — Mt. Whitney
Lottery applications, permit types, camps and the North Fork note.
Open source →Inyo NF — North Fork Lone Pine Creek Trail
Permit and quota information for the climbers’ approach.
Open source →Inyo NF — Recreation Fee Highlights
Lottery demand, the WAG bag program and where permit fees go.
Open source →Route, Weather, Altitude & Planning
Mount Whitney Climbing Guide
The route, difficulty, gear and everything else about the hike.
Open the Whitney guide → WeatherMount Whitney Weather
Live forecast and summit conditions.
Check the forecast → AltitudeWhitney Acclimatization
How to prepare your body for 14,505 ft.
Plan acclimatization → PlanningMount Whitney Planning Guide
Trip plan, logistics and preparation.
Open the planning guide → CompareHalf Dome vs Mount Whitney
Two famous permit hikes compared.
Compare them → SierraBest Hikes in the Sierra Nevada
More great hikes, from Yosemite to Whitney.
Explore the Sierra →Mount Whitney Permit FAQ
When is the Mount Whitney lottery?
Applications are accepted on Recreation.gov from February 1 to March 1. Results are posted March 15. Winners must pay and complete their reservation by 9 p.m. Pacific on April 21, and unclaimed dates open at 7 a.m. Pacific on April 22.
How much does a Mount Whitney permit cost?
$15 per person, for day use or overnight, plus a small non-refundable Recreation.gov fee. There are no refunds, transfers or rain checks.
Do I need a permit to hike Mount Whitney in winter?
Yes. A permit is required year-round in the Whitney Zone. From November 2 to April 30 there’s no quota and permits are unlimited, but you still book online, up to two weeks before your trip.
How many Whitney permits are issued per day?
During the quota season (May 1–November 1), 100 day-use and 60 overnight permits per day.
Are there walk-up permits for Mount Whitney?
Not during the quota season. Permits are reserved online through the lottery, the April 22 release of unclaimed dates, and cancellations.
What if I don’t win the Whitney lottery?
Try for unclaimed dates at 7 a.m. Pacific on April 22, watch for cancellations during the season, go in the non-quota season if you have snow skills, or plan a route with a different permit, such as the North Fork for climbers or a multi-day trip from another trailhead.
Can I change my Whitney permit after winning?
You can change your exit location, camp, exit date (overnight) or reduce your group size. To change the entry date, permit type or alternate leader, or to add people, you must withdraw and reapply.
Do I need a permit to hike to Lone Pine Lake?
No. The Whitney Zone starts just past Lone Pine Lake, so the first few miles of the trail don’t need a Whitney permit.
Does the Whitney Trail permit cover the Mountaineers Route?
No. The Mountaineers Route, East Face, East Buttress and Mount Russell are approached via the North Fork of Lone Pine Creek, which needs its own permit.
Where do I pick up my Mount Whitney permit?
Print it from your Recreation.gov account before your trip, or print it for free at the Eastern Sierra Visitor Center just south of Lone Pine. Carry a printed copy in the Whitney Zone.
Apply in February. Pay by April 21. Print It Before You Go.
Whitney’s permit is cheap but competitive. Enter the lottery with flexible dates, pay the moment you win, watch for April 22 leftovers and cancellations if you don’t, and carry a printed permit, a WAG bag and (overnight) a bear canister into the Whitney Zone.
Got the Permit? Here’s the Rest of the Climb.
Mount Whitney (14,505 ft) is the highest peak in the contiguous United States. The Mount Whitney climbing guide covers the route, difficulty, training and gear, and the weather page has the live summit forecast.
Mount Whitney Climbing Guide → Whitney Weather →More Mount Whitney guides
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