Inyo NF Wilderness Permit — JMT South of Devils Postpile
Inyo National Forest · California
Wilderness permit for entry via JMT South of Devils Postpile in Inyo National Forest. Access to John Muir Wilderness and Ansel Adams Wilderness.
Get an alert when JMT South of Devils Postpile opens on your dates.
When it opens
- 6 months
- First come, first served from six months before your entry date, at 7 am Pacific60% of quotaYou book on Recreation.gov.
- 2 weeks
- First come, first served from two weeks before your entry date, at 7 am Pacific40% of quotaYou book on Recreation.gov.
Source: recreation.gov
70% of the openings our scanner caught on JMT South of Devils Postpile were gone within 10 minutes.
JMT South of Devils Postpile reservation dates
- Season
- May 1 to November 1
- max group size
- 15people
How to get a JMT South of Devils Postpile permit
As of September 2026, JMT South of Devils Postpile in Inyo National Forest, California requires a permit issued via reservation. JMT South of Devils Postpile is a high-demand permit, rating 8/10 on PermitSnag's demand index. Cancelled JMT South of Devils Postpile permits are re-released on the booking system, and PermitSnag alerts you the moment one opens. The permit season for JMT South of Devils Postpile runs May 1 through November 1.
- Type
- Overnight
- Location
- Eastern Sierra, CA
Step 1: Create an account before permits drop
Find this permit on the managing agency's booking system and set up an account with your payment info ready.
Step 2: Know the release schedule
Permits release on a rolling basis. Check the release time for your dates.
Step 3: Be ready when permits drop
Log in a few minutes early. Have your dates, group size, and payment ready to go.
Step 4: Monitor for cancellations
If your dates are sold out, people cancel all the time. Set up PermitSnag alerts to catch openings instantly.
JMT South of Devils Postpile pro tips
- Select the Mt. Whitney-Trail Crest Exit at booking if Whitney is the finish. Adding it later means a new reservation
- This permit is southbound only, so do not book it for a northbound JMT
- Confirm the Reds Meadow shuttle schedule before committing to a start date
- Use the food lockers at the backpacker parking, since Inyo reports bear break-ins there in 2026
- Plan resupply at the usual southern JMT stops before you leave, because there are almost no road crossings
More on JMT South of Devils Postpile: Live availability activityWhen JMT South of Devils Postpile permits open upChance of an opening
How much a JMT South of Devils Postpile permit costs
JMT South of Devils Postpile permit fee: Recreation.gov permit 233262 lists a $6 Inyo reservation fee plus a $5 per-person fee. Every visitor to Reds Meadow Valley also pays a transportation fee that covers the mandatory shuttle bus.
The JMT South of Devils Postpile hike
- Route Type
- Point to Point
- Duration
- 5-14 days
- Difficulty
- Strenuous
JMT South of Devils Postpile landmarks
- 1Devils Postpile Visitor Center
Shuttle stop number 6. Less than a mile to the bridge and the JMT junction, per Inyo.
- 2Devils Postpile columns
The stone columns the trail passes going south.
- 3Purple Lake and Duck Creek
Named in the permit conditions as no-campfire areas on the southbound route.
- 4Mt. Whitney Trail Crest
The exit to select at booking if you finish at Whitney Portal.
Start at the stone columns of Devils Postpile and walk south on the John Muir Trail as far as your food lasts, all the way to Whitney Portal if you want it.
About this permit
John Muir Trail South of Devils Postpile is an Inyo National Forest wilderness entry point in Reds Meadow Valley for southbound JMT hikers.
Inyo's quota season runs May 1 to November 1 in 2026, with reservations opening six months in advance at 7 am Pacific and additional permits released two weeks ahead. The Reds Meadow road and shuttle set the practical window.
The permit runs one way. Inyo states it does not go to Yosemite. If your trip ends at Whitney Portal, Inyo requires you to select the Mt. Whitney-Trail Crest Exit as your exit point on the permit, and notes that hikers beginning their trip in another park or forest are exempt from the Trail Crest exit quota.
The route
Inyo describes the access: from the Devils Postpile Visitor Center, shuttle stop number 6, it is less than a mile to a bridge across the river and the junction with the John Muir Trail. Following the trail southward you pass the stone columns of Devils Postpile.
From there the JMT climbs out of the San Joaquin drainage and works south through the John Muir Wilderness and into Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Inyo is clear that the permit does not go to Yosemite, so this is a one-direction permit.
If the trip ends on Mount Whitney, Inyo requires you to select the Mt. Whitney-Trail Crest Exit as your exit point when you book. Hikers who begin their trip in another park or forest are exempt from the Trail Crest exit quota, which is the mechanism that makes a JMT permit valid for the summit.
Why it matters
Inyo National Forest describes this as the section of the John Muir Trail south of Devils Postpile National Monument near Reds Meadow, and gives the key instruction for a full southbound push: if you will exit at Whitney Portal, select the exit point of Mt. Whitney-Trail Crest Exit on your permit. It is the standard way to walk the southern two-thirds of the JMT without a Yosemite permit.
The feeling
The first mile is a tourist walk past the postpile columns, and then the trail turns south and does not come back to a road for a very long time. Purple Lake, Silver Pass, Muir Trail Ranch, Evolution Basin, Mather Pass, Forester. Everything the JMT is famous for is south of here.
JMT South of Devils Postpile hike highlights
- Access from the Devils Postpile Visitor Center at shuttle stop number 6
- A southbound-only permit that Inyo states does not go to Yosemite
- The Mt. Whitney-Trail Crest Exit selection if you finish at Whitney Portal
- A quota season from May 1 to November 1, plus a two-week release
- Sequoia and Kings Canyon rules once you enter the parks, including no pets and no bear spray
How hard the JMT South of Devils Postpile hike is
- Physical DemandFitness and endurance required5/5
- Technical SkillClimbing, scrambling, or specialized skills2/5
- Exposure RiskSteep dropoffs and fall potential3/5
- NavigationRoute finding and trail clarity1/5
- CommitmentDifficulty of bailing out mid-route5/5
Best for: Hikers walking the southern John Muir Trail, and anyone who wants the Whitney finish without the Yosemite lottery.
Recommended experience: Multi-week backpacking experience, a resupply plan, and prior travel above 12,000 feet.
Not recommended for: Anyone hoping to walk north into Yosemite on this permit, which Inyo does not allow.
When to hike JMT South of Devils Postpile
Best time to visit
The quota season is May 1 to November 1, but a full southbound JMT needs the high passes clear. Mid-July through mid-September is the realistic window, and late August into September gives the most stable weather for the southern passes.
- Peak
- Mid-July through mid-September
- Shoulder
- Early July and late September
Summer
Passes clearing from July, daily afternoon storms, warm valley starts.
Crowd level · high
- Advantage: The full southern JMT is open
- Advantage: Resupply services running at their peak
- Advantage: Reds Meadow shuttle operating
- Challenge: Mosquitoes for the first weeks
- Challenge: Snow on the southern passes in early July
- Challenge: Competitive permits
Fall
Cold, stable and clear until the first storm. Quota season runs to November 1.
Crowd level · moderate
- Advantage: Best weather windows of the year
- Advantage: Emptier camps
- Advantage: Firmer trail
- Challenge: Reds Meadow road and shuttle close before the quota season ends
- Challenge: Very cold nights at 11,000 feet
- Challenge: Short days for long stages
Weather Forecast
Trailhead (5,000 ft)
Today
65°
47°
Wed
66°
52°
Thu
72°
55°
Fri
87°
56°
Sat
87°
58°
Sun
86°
58°
Mon
85°
59°
JMT South of Devils Postpile photography guide
Golden Hour
First light on the Silver Divide from the climb out of Cascade Valley, a couple of days south.
Best Light
Evening in Evolution Basin, when the peaks line up over the lakes.
Beat the Crowds
Southbound in early September puts you behind the main JMT wave and ahead of the first storms.
Classic Shots
- The Devils Postpile columns on the first mile
- Purple Lake from the JMT traverse above it
- The Whitney summit hut if you finish over Trail Crest
JMT South of Devils Postpile rules, gear and safety
Gear checklist
Required- A bear canister: required by Inyo here and by the national parks further south
- A stove, since campfires are out above 10,000 feet for most of the route
- A resupply plan, because the southern JMT has very few road crossings
- Water treatment
- Pack-out kits for the Whitney zone if you finish over Trail Crest
Rules & regulations
- 01No campfires above 10,000 feet, or at Duck Creek or Purple Lake
- 02Bear containers are required for storage of food and trash
- 03Maximum group size is 15
- 04Ansel Adams and John Muir Wilderness regulations apply
- 05Sequoia and Kings Canyon wilderness regulations apply once you enter the national parks, including no pets and no bear spray
- 06All visitors to Reds Meadow Valley pay a transportation fee that allows use of the mandatory shuttle bus
- 07Select the Mt. Whitney-Trail Crest Exit as your exit point if you will exit at Whitney Portal
Hazards & considerations
- Bears in the Reds Meadow backpacker parking, where Inyo reports vehicle break-ins for food in 2026
- A string of high passes that hold snow into early summer
- Afternoon thunderstorms above treeline day after day
- Long distances between exits once you are south of Mammoth
Safety & planning
Emergency Info
Emergency contacts, ranger station locations, and satellite communicator tips for JMT South of Devils Postpile.
Food Storage
Bear canister requirements, approved container lists, and rental locations for this permit.
Gear Checklist: Required and recommended gear for JMT South of Devils Postpile · Shuttle Services: Trailhead transportation options · Guide Services: Experienced wilderness guides
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JMT South of Devils Postpile FAQ
Can I hike north into Yosemite on a John Muir Trail South of Devils Postpile permit?
No. Inyo National Forest states this permit does not go to Yosemite. For a northbound trip you need the John Muir Trail North of Devils Postpile permit.
How do I finish at Whitney Portal on a John Muir Trail permit?
Inyo says to select the exit point of Mt. Whitney-Trail Crest Exit on your permit. Hikers who begin their trip in another park or forest are exempt from the Trail Crest exit quota, so the permit issued at your entry location is valid to visit Mount Whitney.
Where does the John Muir Trail South of Devils Postpile trail start?
From the Devils Postpile Visitor Center, shuttle stop number 6, it is less than a mile to a bridge across the river and the junction with the John Muir Trail.
Do I need a bear canister on the southern John Muir Trail?
Yes. Inyo requires bear containers for storage of food and trash on this permit, and the national parks further south require them as well.
JMT South of Devils Postpile trail conditions and trip reports
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Write the First ReportAlternatives to a JMT South of Devils Postpile permit
- Similar ExperiencePermit required
John Muir Trail North of Devils Postpile
The northbound half of the same corridor, which can run all the way to Happy Isles.
Tradeoffs
Opposite direction, and it is the way to reach Yosemite without the park lottery.
- Similar ExperiencePermit required
Duck Pass
A Mammoth Lakes entry whose permit may continue on the JMT north or south.
Tradeoffs
A climb to start instead of a valley walk, but no shuttle and a flexible JMT direction.
- Same AreaPermit required
Cottonwood Pass
The southern PCT entry from Horseshoe Meadows toward Crabtree and Whitney.
Tradeoffs
A much shorter trip to the Whitney area, on a June 30 to September 15 quota season.
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