How to Apply for a Southbound John Muir Trail Permit in 2024
Learn everything you need to know about the John Muir Trail permit process for 2024. Get info on JMT starting trailheads, trail quotas, lottery dates & more
Navigating the John Muir Trail permit process for going south out of Yosemite National Park can be confusing. Which trailhead to start on? When to apply? Will you even be lucky enough to get a John Muir Trail permit? These are all questions I asked when I was planning my southbound thru-hike on the John Muir Trail. With the popularity of the JMT, up to 90% of permit applications have been denied over the last few years, it’s important you follow the JMT application directions to a T!
Luckily, I did my research well and when I went to apply for my John Muir Trail permit, I snatched one up for my first-choice date and trailhead out of Yosemite. That being said, the permit application process changed significantly over the years, so it’s important to read up on what you need to do to secure your JMT permit.
In this post, I share how to apply for a John Muir Trail permit in 2024, relevant resources and links you’ll need, and tips for increasing your chances of snagging one of these coveted southbound JMT permits.
This post may contain affiliate links.
2024 Southbound John Muir Trail Permit System
Updated 12/19/2024
No matter where you start your hike, anyone who is hiking along the John Muir Trail is required to carry a wilderness permit. You only need one permit for the entire trip and how you obtain your permit depends on which trailhead you will use to access the John Muir Trail.
All Southbound John Muir Trail permits are issued through Recreation.gov.
To apply for a Southbound permit, you must know your desired start date and where you will camp the first night.
How the John Muir Trail Permit System Works & When To Apply
John Muir Trail permits are issued via a lottery system. Interest in hiking the JMT has grown rapidly in the last decade and more people want to hike the trail than the trail can handle so a quota (or cap) has been set and a lottery system has been implemented.
This lottery system helps prevent crowding on the trail and also helps protect the area from overuse.
Permits are managed by a quota-based system in Yosemite, where the Park limits the total number of JMT thru-hikers entering across all trailheads to 45 people per day. They do this by capping the number of JMT hikers going south over Donohue Pass each day.
60% of permits are allocated through the advanced lottery 24 weeks before your start date, while 40% are available online on a first-come, first-served basis 7 days in advance of your start date at 7am PDT. The latest you can make a reservation is 3 days before a start date, although it’s rare that permits will still be available at that time.
John Muir Trail advanced lottery permits are allocated each week and you can apply for a permit 24 weeks in advance. The lottery application period runs weekly from midnight Sunday through 11:59 pm Saturday Pacific Time starting November 12th, 2023 through May 6, 2024. Applicants can apply for any start date between Sunday and Saturday, 24 weeks in advance. Applicants will receive results on the following Monday and those who were successful must accept and pay by that Thursday at 11:59 pm.
Reservations for trailheads that still have space will be available twelve days after the lottery application period begins for any given week starting at 9 am PT. Any later cancellations will become available immediately.
For example, for the weekly lottery starting November 19th, 2023 here are the dates you need to know:
- Lottery application period: November 19-25 2023 (Sunday through Saturday)
- JMT hiking start dates: May 5–11, 2024 (24 weeks in advance)
- Notification of lottery results: November 27th (Monday after application period)
- Reservation confirmation deadline: November 30th (following Thursday – you MUST pay by this date or else your reservation will be cancelled)
- Remaining reservations and cancellations available for May 5–11 start dates: December 1
You can apply for up to 8 start day options per one-week application, which can include different combinations for start dates, trailheads, and group size.
To figure out the exact date you need to submit your application, check out this chart on Yosemite’s website.
Donohue Pass Permits
In previous years, you could access the John Muir Trail from a number of different trailheads in Yosemite. However, since 2022 all John Muir Trail hikers who plan to exit Yosemite over Donohue Pass to continue further south on the JMT will need to apply for a permit for Happy Isles pass-through (Donohue Pass eligible) or Lyell Canyon (Donohue Pass eligible).
As in previous years, the exit quota for Donohue Pass is 45 people per day, but the distribution across the trailheads has changed. A majority of permits are now granted for Lyell Canyon, which I assume is to reduce crowding on the trail leaving Yosemite Valley which is already packed with day hikers. If you start at Lyell Canyon, you’ll miss out on the first 23 official miles on the John Muir Trail (more on that below). Based on the quotas, my best guess is getting a permit out of Lyell Canyon will be easier than Happy Isles:
- Lyell Canyon trailhead (Donohue Pass eligible): permits for 30 people (18 by reservation, 12 first-come, first-served one day in advance).
- Happy Isles past LYV (Donohue Pass eligible): Permits for 15 people (9 by reservation, 6 first-come, first-served one day in advance).
How to Submit a John Muir Trail Permit Application
The entire John Muir Trail permit application process is entirely managed online through Reservation.gov. You can access the JMT Weekly Lottery Application here.
John Muir Trail Permit Cost
The reservation fee for a Yosemite Wilderness Permit is $10 per application, which is non-refundable. If you are granted a permit, an additional $5 per person applies. Fees MUST be paid by the Thursday following notice of your permit being granted. All fees are non-refundable.
Half Dome permits are $10 per person and can be added to your JMT trip if starting from Yosemite Valley or Glacier Point (more on this later).
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How to Fill Out Your John Muir Trail Permit Application
JMT hikers use the same wilderness permit application as all other Yosemite hikers and everything is managed entirely online through Recreation.gov. You can choose up to 8 start date/entry point combinations per weekly lottery.
On your JMT permit application, you must indicate the following:
- Preferred start dates
- Entry point (which trailhead you want to start at)
- Group size
- Alternate permit holders, if applicable
Below, I will go through each of the different parts of the JMT online application process.
ONLINE APPLICATION – You can access the Yosemite National Park Wilderness Permits Application here
Step 1: Choose a JMT Entry Point
In Yosemite, there are two direct options for accessing the John Muir Trail: Happy Isles and Lyell Canyon. The first thing I recommend you do is to pick up the John Muir Trail topo map pack by Tom Harrison. These maps will be extremely handy both in your planning and once you are out on the trail. In the meantime, use this Yosemite map to help you decide on your entry trailhead.
Both Happy Isles and Lyell Canyon trailheads exit Yosemite National Park via Donohue Pass.
Here is a table listing your first day’s distances and elevation gain for both JMT starting trailheads.
When filling out the application, you can choose up to 8 choices for your JMT Entry trailhead and start dates. When you are filling this out, you should list your desired JMT entry trailheads in order of preference.
IMPORTANT: You need to make sure the trailhead you choose says “Donohue Pass eligible” in order to qualify as a John Muir Trail permit.
If you plan to hike the entire JMT from north to south, you no longer need to list an exit trailhead, even if you plan to summit Mt. Whitney.
Here is more information on each of the trailheads and what the first day of your JMT hike will look like:
Starting Trailhead Option #1: Happy Isles (Donohue Pass Eligible)
The classic and complete north-to-south John Muir Trail route begins at the Happy Isles Trailhead in Yosemite Valley. This means that in the past, this has also been the most competitive trailhead in terms of getting a permit.
If you start here, you are in for a tough climb on your first day, but you will pass some of Yosemite’s most iconic landmarks including Nevada Falls, Vernal Falls, and the junction to Half Dome. If you want to actually summit Half Dome, make sure to ask for a Half Dome permit when you pick up your JMT permit at the Yosemite Wilderness Permit Station.
Starting at Happy Isles, your first night’s camp must be at least two miles past Little Yosemite Valley. You can either camp at Moraine Dome or the Half Dome/John Muir Trail junction.
If you plan on summiting Half Dome, camping at the Half Dome/John Muir Trail junction would be ideal.
Starting Trailhead Option #2: Lyell Canyon (Donohue Pass Eligible)
The Lyell Canyon trailhead leaves straight from the Tuolumne Meadows Ranger station. There are a few reasons people choose this trailhead as an alternative to Happy Isles. First, there’s a chance the permit process could be slightly less competitive, but I have no evidence of that. Second, it avoids the brutal climb out of Yosemite Valley.
From the Lyell Canyon trailhead, the first 10 miles of trail are completely flat, giving you an easy first day to warm up. If you go this route, your first night’s camp will be at Upper Lyell Canyon.
The major downside of accessing the John Muir Trail via the Lyell Canyon trailhead is that you miss out on the first official 23 miles of the JMT that traverses some of Yosemite’s most spectacular scenery. You would miss one of my favorite campsites on the JMT, Cathedral Lakes, which would be shame to miss. However, you can always come back and hike to Cathedral Lakes as a day hike or you can backpack the first 23 miles on a separate trip.
Step 2: Choose your Desired State Date
You can submit one application with up to 8 start date/entry point combinations within the one-week lottery period. Your application will automatically be placed in each day’s lottery for your chosen time frame and you will be notified the following Monday regarding the results. If you did not win a lottery within your 7-day window, you can reapply with a new range of dates starting the following Sunday for the next set of lottery dates.
Check out this chart to see when the lottery occurs for a particular start date.
You no longer need to list your JMT trip length on your application or your exit trailhead.
Since you can put up to 8 start dates and trailhead combinations on your application, my strategy here would be to try for different dates at both trailhead options.
Step 3: Identify the Number of People in Your Party
Make sure to list the accurate number of people in your John Muir Trail party since each person counts towards Yosemite’s trailhead quota.
During the application process, I also recommend adding someone to your party as an alternate trip leader in the chance that you cannot make it. Once your application is submitted and your permit is confirmed, you cannot change or add an alternate trip leader.
What about Half Dome permits?
If you’ve never been to the top of Half Dome, it’s a worthy side trip, but it only makes sense for those starting in Yosemite Valley. It actually isn’t an option if you start from Lyell Canyon.
As of 2022, you don’t need to request a Half Dome permit on your JMT permit application, instead, you can simply add it upon request when you pick up your wilderness permit. The cost is an additional $10 per person and can be paid when you pick up your JMT permits.
What Happens Next?
Once you submit your application you will receive an email notification confirming that your JMT permit request has been received.
You will be notified by email by the Monday after the lottery week window whether or not you got a permit. If you are unsuccessful, you can reapply for another date the following week.
If you do receive a permit you will be sent a link to pay online, and you must pay by the following Thursday or your reservation will be canceled.
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Get ready for your thru-hike
Picking up your JMT Permit
You must pick up your permit in person at a Yosemite Wilderness Permit Station the day before, or the day of your permit entry date. If you’re starting out of Happy Isles, you can pick up your reservation at the Yosemite Valley Wilderness Center. For permits out of Lyell Canyon, head to the Tuolumne Meadows Wilderness Center. Visit this page for Wilderness Permit Station for exact hours and locations.
For late pick-ups after 11:00 a.m. on your entry date, you must log in to your recreation.gov account to modify your permit reservation and mark it for late pick-up. This must be done prior to 11:00 a.m on your entry date and can only be done within two weeks of your entry date.
Note: A reservation confirmation email is NOT a permit – you must pick up your permit in person.
Tip: If you want to camp in Yosemite the night before your start date, Yosemite has backpacker campgrounds that allows wilderness permit holders to camp for $8 per person for one night before the start of their trip. No reservation is needed. Note that the Tuolumne Meadows backpackers campground is closed through 2024 due to construction so hikers starting at Lyell Canyon will need to stay at an alternative location.
John Muir Trail Walk-Up Permits and Cancellations
If you are denied a permit, your other option in 2024 will be to try for another week, or apply again 7 days in advance of your start date at 7am PDT when the remaining permits are released. In years past, these permits were available in person as first-come, first-serve, but this changed to online in 2022.
You can also keep an eye out for cancellations. Reservations for trailheads that still have space will be available as soon as twelve days after the lottery application period begins for any given week starting at 9 am PT. Any later cancellations will become available immediately.
Any last-minute permits will be available in person at the wilderness center only on the start date of the trip. Very few (if any) permits will be available, so we highly encourage trying to get a JMT permit another way first.
If the weekly lottery seems too risky or the logistics with resupply are too complicated, the only option you will have is to access the JMT from one of the trailheads south of Yosemite. There are several access points just south in the Ansel Adams Wilderness. Reds Meadow near Mammoth Lakes at mile 59 is also a sensible option since most JMT hikers stop here to resupply. Check out my favorite JMT section hikes here.
However, people accessing the JMT at different access points is becoming a problem and is resulting in a very crowded trail, so keep that in mind.
I hope this John Muir Trail permit guide helps you secure a permit for 2024. Be sure to follow all the steps and include all the information required in order to increase your chances of securing a permit.
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Planning to hike the JMT? See all of my John Muir Trail resources here:
What other questions do you have about the John Muir Trail permit process? Leave them in the comments below.
