SEKI Wilderness Permit — Mineral King — Eagle Lake
Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks · California
Wilderness permit for Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks via Mineral King — Eagle Lake.
Get an alert when Eagle Lake 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 Eagle Lake were gone within 10 minutes.
Eagle Lake reservation dates
- Season
- May 22 to September 26
- daily quota
- 25people
- max group size
- 15people
How to get an Eagle Lake permit
As of September 2026, Eagle Lake in Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, California requires a permit issued via reservation. Eagle Lake is a high-demand permit, rating 7/10 on PermitSnag's demand index. Cancelled Eagle Lake permits are re-released on the booking system, and PermitSnag alerts you the moment one opens. The permit season for Eagle Lake 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.
Eagle Lake pro tips
- Allow far more time than the map suggests for the Mineral King road
- This permit only lets you camp at Eagle Lake, so do not plan a stop short of it
- Five of the 25 daily spots are held back from reservations
- Carry a stove, since fires are banned on this entry point
- September 27 starts the free self-issue season if you can handle cold nights
More on Eagle Lake: Live availability activityWhen Eagle Lake permits open up
How much an Eagle Lake permit costs
Eagle Lake permit fee: NPS charges $15 each trip plus $5 per person within the quota season, paid on Recreation.gov permit 445857.
The Eagle Lake hike
- Route Type
- Out & Back
- Duration
- 1-3 nights
- Difficulty
- Moderate
Eagle Lake landmarks
- 1Mineral King trailhead
At the end of the road in the upper Mineral King Valley. Permits issued at the Mineral King Ranger Station.
- 2Eagle Lake
NPS puts the first allowable camping here.
Three and a half miles from the end of the Mineral King road to a lake in a granite bowl, on the shortest real overnight in the valley.
About this permit
Mineral King - Eagle Lake is a Sequoia and Kings Canyon wilderness entry point in the upper Mineral King Valley.
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 from six months to one week before entry, 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.
The defining rule is where you sleep: NPS puts the first allowable camping 3.4 miles in at Eagle Lake and bars camping between the trail and the lake. Trips whose first night is White Chief or Mosquito Lakes need those entry points instead.
The route
From the end of the road in the upper Mineral King Valley the trail climbs steadily. NPS puts the first allowable camping 3.4 miles from the trailhead at Eagle Lake, and prohibits camping anywhere between the trail and the lake.
That makes this a single-objective trip: you walk to the lake, you sleep there, and you come back. Campfires are prohibited, and overnight stock use is limited to walking parties with burros or llamas.
If your first night is at White Chief or Mosquito Lakes instead, NPS requires you to select one of those entry points rather than this one.
Why it matters
NPS describes the Eagle Lake trail as moderately strenuous, with lakes, forests and vistas. Mineral King is the quietest developed corner of Sequoia, reached by a long mountain road, and Eagle Lake is the classic first night for people who make the drive.
The feeling
The trail climbs out of the valley through fir and then opens onto slabs, past the Eagle Sinkhole where the creek disappears into the rock. The lake sits in a bowl with steep walls on three sides, and it holds the cold all day.
Eagle Lake hike highlights
- A 25-person daily quota, of which 20 are reservable, per NPS
- Permits issued at the Mineral King Ranger Station
- Parking at the end of the road in the upper Mineral King Valley
- First allowable camping at Eagle Lake, 3.4 miles in
- No campfires anywhere on this permit
How hard the Eagle Lake hike is
- Physical DemandFitness and endurance required3/5
- 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-route2/5
Best for: Parties who want a short, high, quiet overnight and are willing to drive the Mineral King road.
Recommended experience: Comfort with a 3.4-mile climb carrying a pack.
Not recommended for: Anyone planning to camp before the lake, which NPS does not allow here.
When to hike Eagle Lake
Best time to visit
The quota season runs May 22 to September 26 in 2026, and the Mineral King road governs access. July through September is the reliable window, with September the quietest month inside the quota season.
- Peak
- July and August
- Shoulder
- Late June and September
Summer
Warm days, cold nights at the lake, storms in the afternoon.
Crowd level · moderate
- Advantage: Short enough for a first overnight
- Advantage: Basin fully clear of snow
- Advantage: Quietest developed corner of Sequoia
- Challenge: Only one legal camping area on the permit
- Challenge: Storms over open slabs
- Challenge: Long approach drive
Fall
Cold and clear. Quota season ends September 26, then free self-issue.
Crowd level · low
- Advantage: Empty basin
- Advantage: Free self-issue permits from September 27
- Advantage: Best air of the year
- Challenge: Hard freezes at the lake
- Challenge: Reduced ranger station hours
- Challenge: Road closes with early snow
Eagle Lake photography guide
Golden Hour
Evening on the headwall above Eagle Lake, when the west light hits the bowl.
Best Light
Early morning at the lakeshore, before wind comes up the canyon.
Beat the Crowds
Day hikers own the trail from mid-morning. Walk up in the late afternoon and have the lake at sunset.
Classic Shots
- The Eagle Sinkhole where the creek vanishes into the rock
- Eagle Lake in its granite bowl
- The Mineral King valley from the switchbacks
Eagle Lake rules, gear and safety
Gear checklist
Required- A park-allowed animal-resistant food storage container
- A stove, since campfires are prohibited on this permit
- Water treatment
- Warm layers for a lake basin that stays cold
Rules & regulations
- 01The first allowable camping is 3.4 miles from the trailhead at Eagle Lake
- 02No camping between the trail and Eagle Lake
- 03No campfires
- 04If your first night is at White Chief or Mosquito Lakes you must select one of those entry points
- 05Overnight stock use is only for walking parties with burros or llamas
- 06Maximum group size is 15
- 07Permits must be physically picked up and validated at a wilderness office
Hazards & considerations
- A long, narrow mountain road to the trailhead that takes far longer than the distance suggests
- Afternoon thunderstorms on the open slabs above the sinkhole
- Snow in the basin into early summer
- Cold nights at the lake even in August
Safety & planning
Emergency Info
Emergency contacts, ranger station locations, and satellite communicator tips for Eagle Lake.
Food Storage
Bear canister requirements, approved container lists, and rental locations for this permit.
Gear Checklist: Required and recommended gear for Eagle Lake · Shuttle Services: Trailhead transportation options · Guide Services: Experienced wilderness guides
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Eagle Lake FAQ
Where can I camp on an Eagle Lake wilderness permit?
At Eagle Lake, 3.4 miles from the trailhead. NPS states that is the first allowable camping and prohibits camping between the trail and the lake.
How many people per day get a Mineral King Eagle Lake permit?
NPS publishes a 25-person daily quota for this entry point, of which 20 are reservable.
Are campfires allowed on the Eagle Lake trail?
No. NPS prohibits campfires on this entry point, so bring a stove.
What if my first night is at Mosquito Lakes instead of Eagle Lake?
You need a different permit. NPS states that if your first night is at White Chief or Mosquito Lakes you must select one of those entry points.
Eagle Lake 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 an Eagle Lake permit
- Same AreaPermit required
Mineral King - Mosquito Lakes
The neighbouring Mineral King basin, on its own entry point.
Tradeoffs
A separate permit and a different chain of lakes, at similar effort.
- Same AreaPermit required
Mineral King - Franklin Lakes
The Franklin Pass trail toward Rattlesnake Creek and the Kern Canyon.
Tradeoffs
A 30-person quota and access to much longer routes, but steep and strenuous.
- Same AreaPermit required
Mineral King - Timber Gap
North out of the valley over Timber Gap toward Cliff Creek.
Tradeoffs
A pass crossing rather than a lake basin, on a quieter entry point.
Trip planning
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