SEKI Wilderness Permit — Cedar Grove — Woods Creek
Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks · California
Wilderness permit for Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks via Cedar Grove — Woods Creek.
Get an alert when Woods Creek opens on your dates.
When it opens
- 6 months
- First come, first served from six months before your entry date, at 7 am Pacific, until one week beforeYou book on the agency's site.
Source: nps.gov
70% of the openings our scanner caught on Woods Creek were gone within 10 minutes.
Woods Creek reservation dates
- Season
- May 22 to September 26
- daily quota
- 25people
- max group size
- 15people
How to get a Woods Creek permit
As of September 2026, Woods Creek in Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, California requires a permit issued via reservation. Woods Creek is a high-demand permit, rating 7/10 on PermitSnag's demand index. Cancelled Woods Creek permits are re-released on the booking system, and PermitSnag alerts you the moment one opens. The permit season for Woods Creek runs May 22 through September 26.
- Type
- Overnight
- Location
- Sierra Nevada, CA
Step 1: Create a National Park Service account
Sign up at National Park Service if you don't have an account. Have 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.
Woods Creek pro tips
- Clockwise is the easier direction on the Rae Lakes Loop, and Woods Creek is the only way to start it
- Six and a half miles before you can camp, so treat day one as a full day
- Lower Paradise Valley is designated sites only, so arrive with time to find one
- Five of the 25 daily spots are held back from reservations for walk-ups at Roads End
- Reservations release daily at 7:00 AM Pacific, from six months to one week out
More on Woods Creek: Live availability activityWhen Woods Creek permits open upChance of an opening
How much a Woods Creek permit costs
Woods Creek permit fee: NPS charges $15 each trip plus $5 per person within the quota season, paid on Recreation.gov permit 445857.
The Woods Creek hike
- Route Type
- Varies
- Duration
- 3-5 days
- Difficulty
- Strenuous
Woods Creek landmarks
- 1Roads End
Trailhead and permit station in Cedar Grove.
- 2Lower Paradise Valley
NPS puts the first allowable camping here, in designated sites only.
- 3Woods Creek Crossing
Where the trail meets the John Muir and Pacific Crest Trails.
- 4Rae Lakes basin
South on the JMT, with a one-night-per-lake limit.
Mist Falls, Paradise Valley, and the easier clockwise direction around the Rae Lakes Loop.
About this permit
Cedar Grove - Woods Creek is a Sequoia and Kings Canyon wilderness entry point at Roads End, and the clockwise start for the Rae Lakes Loop.
NPS publishes a 25-person daily quota for this entry point, of which 20 are reservable. The 2026 quota season runs May 22 to September 26, with reservations available six months to one week before the entry date and released daily at 7:00 AM Pacific. Outside that season, from September 27 2026 to May 20 2027, permits are free, self-issued and not subject to daily entry limits.
NPS states this permit does not allow you to start the Rae Lakes Loop in the counter-clockwise direction, which requires the Bubbs Creek entry point instead.
The route
From Roads End the trail runs up the South Fork Kings River past Mist Falls into Paradise Valley. NPS puts the first allowable camping 6.5 miles from Roads End at Lower Paradise Valley, where designated sites only are permitted.
Above Paradise Valley the trail climbs Woods Creek to the crossing, where the John Muir and Pacific Crest Trails come through. Turning south takes you into the Rae Lakes basin and over Glen Pass to close the loop down Bubbs Creek.
Camping limits: designated sites only in Lower Paradise Valley, a two-night limit for Paradise Valley, Charlotte Lake and Kearsarge Lakes, and no camping within a quarter mile of Bullfrog Lake.
Why it matters
NPS names Woods Creek as the entry point to start the popular Rae Lakes Loop in the easier clockwise direction, with access to the John Muir and Pacific Crest Trails at Woods Creek Crossing. It calls it a popular trail with many people at any given time. This is the most-walked route in Kings Canyon.
The feeling
The first miles follow the South Fork Kings River past Mist Falls, which is loud and crowded and worth it. Above the falls Paradise Valley opens out flat and wide, and then the trail climbs all day up Woods Creek to the suspension bridge that everyone photographs.
Woods Creek hike highlights
- A 25-person daily quota, of which 20 are reservable, per NPS
- Permits issued at the Roads End Contact Station, with parking at Roads End
- Mist Falls and Paradise Valley in the first 6.5 miles
- First camping at Lower Paradise Valley, in designated sites only
- A quota season of May 22 to September 26, 2026, with free self-issue permits outside it
How hard the Woods Creek hike is
- Physical DemandFitness and endurance required4/5
- Technical SkillClimbing, scrambling, or specialized skills1/5
- Exposure RiskSteep dropoffs and fall potential2/5
- NavigationRoute finding and trail clarity1/5
- CommitmentDifficulty of bailing out mid-route4/5
Best for: Parties doing the Rae Lakes Loop clockwise, which is the easier direction, and anyone heading for the JMT at Woods Creek.
Recommended experience: Prior multi-day backpacking and comfort with a 6.5-mile first day before you can camp.
Not recommended for: Anyone wanting the loop counter-clockwise, which needs the Bubbs Creek entry point.
When to hike Woods Creek
Best time to visit
The quota season is May 22 to September 26 in 2026. Late May and June give the best Mist Falls flow. July and August are hot low down but clear on Glen Pass. September is the quietest month inside the quota season.
- Peak
- July and August
- Shoulder
- Late May and September
Spring
Mist Falls at peak, snow lingering on Glen Pass, high creek crossings.
Crowd level · moderate
- Advantage: The falls are at their best
- Advantage: Cooler climbing
- Advantage: Quota season opens May 22
- Challenge: Glen Pass may still be snowbound
- Challenge: High water crossings
- Challenge: Slick rock at the falls
Summer
Hot in the canyon, clear on the passes, storms in the afternoon.
Crowd level · high
- Advantage: Whole loop open
- Advantage: Long days for the 6.5 miles to legal camping
- Advantage: Full services at Roads End
- Challenge: Heat on the exposed river miles
- Challenge: The busiest trail in Kings Canyon
- Challenge: Designated sites in Paradise Valley fill early
Woods Creek photography guide
Golden Hour
Evening in Paradise Valley, when the canyon walls go warm above the river.
Best Light
Morning at Mist Falls, before the sun hits the spray.
Beat the Crowds
Mist Falls is a day-hike destination and is busy until mid-afternoon. Walk it early or late.
Classic Shots
- Mist Falls at high water
- The flat river bends through Paradise Valley
- The Woods Creek suspension bridge
Woods Creek rules, gear and safety
Gear checklist
Required- A park-allowed portable animal-resistant food storage container, required May 1 to October 31 here
- Water treatment
- Sun protection for the exposed river section below Paradise Valley
- Warm layers for the Rae Lakes basin
Rules & regulations
- 01The first allowable camping is 6.5 miles from Roads End at Lower Paradise Valley
- 02This permit does not allow you to start the Rae Lakes Loop in the counter-clockwise direction
- 03Use designated sites only in Lower Paradise Valley
- 04Park-allowed portable animal-resistant food storage containers are required May 1 to October 31 in the Bubbs and Woods Creek drainages
- 05No camping within 0.25 miles of Bullfrog Lake
- 06Two-night camping limit for Paradise Valley, Charlotte Lake and Kearsarge Lakes
- 07Maximum group size is 15
- 08Permits must be physically picked up and validated at a wilderness office
Hazards & considerations
- Heat on the open river section between Roads End and Mist Falls
- High water at Mist Falls in spring, where the rock beside it is slick
- Bears through Paradise Valley, which is why containers are required
- Afternoon storms above Woods Creek Crossing
Safety & planning
Emergency Info
Emergency contacts, ranger station locations, and satellite communicator tips for Woods Creek.
Food Storage
Bear canister requirements, approved container lists, and rental locations for this permit.
Gear Checklist: Required and recommended gear for Woods Creek · Shuttle Services: Trailhead transportation options · Guide Services: Experienced wilderness guides
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Woods Creek FAQ
How many people per day get a Woods Creek wilderness permit?
NPS publishes a 25-person daily quota for the Woods Creek entry point, of which 20 are reservable.
Can I hike the Rae Lakes Loop counter-clockwise on a Woods Creek permit?
No. NPS states this permit does not allow you to start the loop in the counter-clockwise direction. That requires the Bubbs Creek entry point.
Where is the first place I can camp on the Woods Creek trail?
NPS puts the first allowable camping 6.5 miles from Roads End at Lower Paradise Valley, in designated sites only.
When is the Sequoia and Kings Canyon wilderness quota season?
NPS runs the 2026 quota season from May 22 to September 26. Outside it, from September 27 2026 to May 20 2027, wilderness permits are free, self-issued and not limited by daily entry quotas.
Woods Creek trail conditions and trip reports
Trail Conditions
No active conditions reported
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Questions
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Trip Reports
Write ReportAlternatives to a Woods Creek permit
- Similar ExperiencePermit required
Cedar Grove - Bubbs Creek
The counter-clockwise start on the same loop, up Bubbs Creek.
Tradeoffs
Steeper for the first four miles, but the first legal camp comes 2.5 miles sooner.
- Same AreaPermit required
Rae Lakes Loop
The loop checked across both Roads End entry points at once.
Tradeoffs
Covers both directions rather than committing to one.
- Same AreaPermit required
Cedar Grove - Lewis Creek
A quieter Cedar Grove climb toward Frypan Meadow and the Monarch Divide.
Tradeoffs
Far fewer people and much easier permits, without the Rae Lakes payoff.
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