Mount Whitney permit lottery: dates, fees and how to claim a permit
Mount Whitney permits, for day use and for overnight trips, are drawn in a lottery on Recreation.gov. The listing says results are posted to your account on March 15, that an awarded reservation must be claimed and paid by April 21, and that leftover dates open for reservations on April 22. It does not state the application window or a daily quota, so this guide says so where those would go instead of guessing. Read on 16 October 2026; the Forest Service pages that may carry the application dates could not be opened, so confirm the window on the listing.
The three dates the listing gives
Lottery results are posted to your Recreation.gov account on March 15. A win is not yet a booking: you have to complete the reservation details and pay by April 21, or the reservation is cancelled. Dates nobody claims open for regular reservations on April 22.
The listing does not give the application dates for the lottery, so we do not either. Check the lottery page on Recreation.gov before you plan around a window, and note that the amount due to claim an award is the recreation fee, $15.00 per person.
Day use and overnight
A wilderness permit is required year-round. Day-use permits are valid for one day only, from midnight to midnight, and consecutive day-use permits are not allowed. The listing says the trail is usually snow-free from July to late September; outside that window, winter mountaineering skills and equipment may be needed.
The listing says that all people count for wilderness quotas and fees, but it shows no numeric quota for day use or for overnight trips, and no odds. Nothing on it tells you how many applications are drawn against how many places.
What it costs
There is a $6.00 reservation fee per reservation, non-refundable, which the listing says funds the online reservation system, and a $15.00 recreation fee per person for trips entering the Whitney Zone. The fees are the same for military, seniors and children. There are no refunds, rain checks or credits for Mount Whitney permits. You can reduce the group size online, but the reduction is not refunded.
After you win: printing and changes
Requesting or printing the permit opens one week before the trip. Permits are cancelled as no-shows if they are not printed by noon the day before entry for day use, or by 10 a.m. on the entry date for overnight trips. Changing the entry date online needs at least 12 days’ notice and available quota. The group leader, or the listed alternate, is responsible for the group following the rules.
Frequently asked questions
When are the Mount Whitney lottery results announced?
The Recreation.gov listing says results are posted to your account on March 15, and awarded reservations must be claimed and paid by April 21.
How much does a Mount Whitney permit cost?
$6.00 per reservation (non-refundable) plus $15.00 per person for trips entering the Whitney Zone, the same for military, seniors and children.
Can I get a permit after the lottery?
Dates that are not claimed open for reservations on April 22, according to the listing. It does not say how many dates that leaves or how quickly they go.
Do I need a permit for a day hike?
Yes. The listing says a wilderness permit is required year-round, and a day-use permit is valid for one day only, midnight to midnight.
Sources
Official pages read for this guide
- Recreation.gov: Mt. Whitney permits · read on Oct 16, 2026
- Recreation.gov: Mt. Whitney lottery · read on Oct 16, 2026