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Wonderland Trail Permit permit area in Mount Rainier National Park - backcountry hiking destination
Cancellations all season · lottery when it opens

Wonderland Trail Permit

Mount Rainier National Park · Washington

The legendary 93-mile loop circumnavigating Mount Rainier through alpine meadows, glacial valleys, and pristine wilderness.

Get an alert when any night of your Wonderland itinerary opens.

Get alerts for your Wonderland Trail itinerary

Nights
9

9 nights: Mystic Camp to Ipsut Creek Camp

Party

When it opens

Every day
We alert you the moment a cancellation opens.You book it on the agency's site.
2 days
Reserve at least two days before your entry date
1 day
First come, first served from one day before your entry dateYou book on the agency's site.

Source: nps.gov

70% of the openings our scanner caught on Wonderland were gone within 5 minutes.

Wonderland dates: cancellations and the lottery

Application window
Opens February: early access lottery opens on Recreation.gov. Closes Check Recreation.gov for the exact February close date
Results
Individual access windows open between March and April
Season
June 1: first reservable camp date to October 10: last reservable camp date
route distance, loop
93mi
elevation gain
27,000ft
max group size
5people

Plan your Wonderland Trail itinerary

The loop is 93 miles from Longmire, and it climbs from 2,320 ft to 6,256 ft at Sunrise Camp. You reserve a camp for every night, and there are 26 camps on the loop.

93 mi loop

Pyramid Creek Camp

CampDesignated camp, booked by name

Between Indian Bar Camp and Devil's Dream Camp.

Elevation 3,765 ft

Wonderland Trail, stop by stop from Longmire

Map of the Wonderland Trail, a loop from Longmire

16 of 16 places

Three-dimensional relief of the Wonderland Trail round the loop from Longmire, the trail in gold over the terrain, lakes and contours, with Longmire, Mowich Lake Camp and Sunrise Camp named

Terrain USGS 3DEP · Water USGS NHD · Trail © OpenStreetMap contributors

27,000 ft of descent · 6.4% average grade

The log and stone Administration Building at Longmire

Longmire

Mile0
Elevation2,756 ft
Next passMowich Lake Camp34.3 mi on · +2,183 ft

The historic district and Wilderness Information Center, and the most common Wonderland start. Food caches can be left inside the Longmire WIC, and fuel goes in a separate locker.

Mile 0 of 93

Longmire to Longmire, stop by stop

How to get a Wonderland permit

As of September 2026, Wonderland in Mount Rainier National Park, Washington requires a permit issued via lottery. Wonderland is one of the most competitive permits in the United States, rating 9/10 on PermitSnag's demand index. Cancelled Wonderland permits are re-released on the booking system, and PermitSnag alerts you the moment one opens. The Wonderland lottery opens February: early access lottery opens on Recreation.gov and closes Check Recreation.gov for the exact February close date, with results announced Individual access windows open between March and April. The Wonderland route covers 93 miles with 27,000 feet of elevation gain, rated strenuous.

Type
Backpacking
Location
Cascade Range, WA

  1. Step 1: Check for cancellations

    Permits get cancelled daily. Peak cancellation times are 24-48 hours before the trip date.

  2. Step 2: Set up PermitSnag alerts

    Get notified when cancellations happen. Pro and $19 single-permit alerts are checked about every minute, 24/7; free accounts are checked hourly.

  3. Step 3: Create a National Park Service account

    Sign up at National Park Service if you don't have an account. Verify your email and add payment info ahead of time.

  4. Step 4: Apply during the lottery window

    Submit your application between February: early access lottery opens on Recreation.gov and Check Recreation.gov for the exact February close date. Apply for multiple dates to increase your odds.

  5. Step 5: Wait for lottery results

    Results are announced Individual access windows open between March and April. Check your email and your National Park Service account.

Book at National Park Service
Learn more:
Cancellation huntingLottery strategies

The camps you book on Wonderland

One a night, in order around the loop.

  1. Mystic Camp
  2. Granite Creek Camp
  3. Sunrise Camp
  4. White River Backpacker Camp
  5. Summerland Camp
  6. Tamanos Creek Camp
  7. Deer Creek Camp
  8. Indian Bar Camp
  9. Olallie Creek Camp
  10. Nickel Creek Camp
  11. Maple Creek Camp
  12. Snow Lake Camp
  13. Paradise River Camp
  14. Pyramid Creek Camp
  15. Devil's Dream Camp
  16. So. Puyallup River Camp
  17. Klapatche Park Camp
  18. No. Puyallup River Camp
  19. Golden Lakes Camp
  20. So. Mowich River Camp
  21. Eagle's Roost Camp
  22. Mowich Lake Camp
  23. Ipsut Creek Camp
  24. Cataract Valley Camp
  25. Carbon River Camp
  26. Dick Creek Camp

Wonderland pro tips

  1. Set cancellation alerts on the camps you are missing. The park says outright that building a full itinerary during or after the April 25 general on-sale is unlikely, so enter the February early access lottery for the backbone and fill the gaps from cancellations.
  2. Plan around the closures before you plan around the views. As of August 9, 2026 there is no access from SR165 to Carbon River or Mowich Lake and no caching at Mowich, caches sent to Carbon cannot be returned, and the Grand Park 2 Fire has closed Sunrise Road and White River Road until further notice.
  3. Cache at Longmire, and hand-deliver if you are inside two weeks. White River is the usual second cache point but it is behind the Grand Park 2 Fire closure as of August 9, 2026. Fuel has to be hand-delivered to Longmire regardless, into its own locker, because it cannot go in a food cache or in the mail.
  4. Noon on the start date is a real deadline. Un-collected reservations are cancelled and their camps go into the first-come pool. That is also why an alert for released camps works.
  5. Party of six to eight? Your whole itinerary depends on group sites, because standard sites cap at five. Check which camps have one before you build the plan.
  6. Assume mid-July at the earliest. NPS says an average snow year makes it inadvisable before mid- to late July, and a June permit you cannot safely walk is worth nothing.
GuideRead our complete Wonderland guideLottery tips, strategies, and everything you need to know

More on Wonderland: Live availability activityWhen Wonderland permits open upChance of an openingWonderland Trail permit itineraryWonderland Trail lottery datesDo I need a Wonderland Trail permit?Wonderland lottery oddsWonderland Trail lottery guide: dates and oddsRecreation.gov permit and campground cancellations

Wonderland lottery odds

Mount Rainier publishes no success rate for the Wonderland Trail early-access lottery. What the park does publish is the split: two thirds of wilderness permits are available for advance reservation, and the remaining third are issued first-come, first-served at ranger stations.

Source: Recreation.gov — Mount Rainier Wilderness Permits · NPS — Wonderland Trail.

Apply these for the best odds

  • The lottery only awards an early booking window, not an itinerary. Have several itineraries ready when your window opens.
  • A third of permits are held for first-come, first-served pickup at ranger stations, so a failed lottery is not the end of the route.
  • Cancellations reopen on Recreation.gov all season, and full circuits can often be stitched together from individual camp openings.
Full lottery odds & strategy →

How much a Wonderland permit costs

Wonderland permit fee: $6 reservation fee + $12 per person per night (15 and under free).

The Wonderland hike

Distance
93 miles
Elevation Gain
27,000 ft
Route Type
Loop
Duration
Up to 13 consecutive nights per permit
Difficulty
Strenuous
Elevation Range
2,320 - 6,750 ft

Wonderland landmarks

  1. 1Longmire

    The historic district and Wilderness Information Center, and the most common Wonderland start. Food caches can be left inside the Longmire WIC, and fuel goes in a separate locker.

  2. 2Devil's Dream Camp

    Longmire area camp, the usual first night going clockwise.

  3. 3Indian Henry's Hunting Ground

    Alpine meadows with oldest patrol cabin in the park (1915).

  4. 4Tahoma Creek Suspension Bridge

    Dramatic crossing over glacial river in volatile terrain.

  5. 5Emerald Ridge

    Close-up views of the Tahoma Glacier.

  6. 6Klapatche Park Camp

    Longmire area camp on the west side, one of the classic Wonderland nights.

  7. 7Golden Lakes Camp

    Longmire area camp on the west side of the loop.

  8. 8Mowich Lake Camp

    Carbon River area camp. There is currently no public access from SR165 to Carbon River or Mowich Lake because of the Fairfax Bridge closure, and no food caching is allowed at Mowich.

  9. 9Carbon Glacier

    Lowest-reaching glacier in the contiguous United States.

  10. 10Mystic Camp

    Carbon River area camp below the Willis Wall, one of the most requested camps on the loop.

  11. 11Sunrise Camp

    White River area camp. The Sunrise Day Lodge is one of only two places in the park to buy basic supplies, when it is open.

  12. 12White River Campground

    Food cache location: the storage bin sits behind the ranger station.

  13. 13Summerland Camp

    White River area camp in the meadows on the east side.

  14. 14Panhandle Gap

    Highest point on the trail at 6,750 ft. Often snow-covered until late summer.

  15. 15Indian Bar Camp

    White River area camp with the historic stone shelter, the hardest single camp on the loop to reserve.

  16. 16Box Canyon

    Narrow gorge carved by the Muddy Fork of the Cowlitz River.

A 93-mile loop all the way around Mount Rainier, with 27,000 feet of climbing and 27,000 feet of descent, booked one named camp at a time.

About this permit

The Wonderland Trail is a 93-mile loop around Mount Rainier with about 27,000 feet of elevation gain and 27,000 feet of loss. It is not a thru-hike. It circles the mountain and returns to where it started. Every night is a specific named camp with its own reservation, and NPS is clear that hikers doing the complete Wonderland are limited to designated camps only, with cross-country zones not permitted.

Permits come through Recreation.gov. Roughly two thirds of summer season (June-September) backpacking and climbing permits are made available for advance reservation; the remaining one third are issued first-come, first-served at park Wilderness Information Centers. Because building a whole 93-mile itinerary means getting a dozen consecutive camps to line up, the park runs an optional early access lottery in February: winners get an individual access window between March and April, and are limited to a single reservation during that period. Everything left over goes on general sale April 25, for camp dates between June 1 and October 10.

The park's own advice is blunt: it is unlikely that visitors will be able to create a full Wonderland Trail itinerary during or after the general on-sale. If you want the whole loop in one go, enter the lottery, then set cancellation alerts on the camps it did not give you.

Timing matters as much as permits. NPS says the trail is typically mostly snow-free from mid-July to October, and that in an average snow year it is not advisable to hike it until mid- to late July.

The route

The Wonderland runs 93 miles around Mount Rainier and every night of it is a specific named camp you reserved in advance. NPS is explicit: hikers doing the complete Wonderland Trail are limited to camping in designated camps only, and cross-country zones are not permitted.

The camps sit in three park areas, which is also how Recreation.gov groups them. Longmire area camps include Devil's Dream, Pyramid Creek, Paradise River, Maple Creek, Snow Lake, Lake George, South Puyallup River, North Puyallup River, Klapatche Park and Golden Lakes. Carbon River area camps include South Mowich River, Mowich Lake, Eagle's Roost, Cataract Valley, Carbon River, Dick Creek, Mystic, Granite Creek, James, Yellowstone Cliffs and Ipsut Creek. White River area camps include Sunrise, Berkeley Park, Granite Creek's neighbours on the east side, Summerland, Indian Bar, Nickel Creek, Olallie Creek and Deer Creek.

Most people start at Longmire and go clockwise, which is the direction the park's own trail description uses. There is no wrong direction, but the camps you can actually get are what shapes the itinerary. That is decided on the reservation calendar, not on a map: in the February lottery first, then in the cancellations that come back all summer.

Why it matters

The Wonderland is a circuit, not a thru-hike. It starts and finishes in the same place and never leaves the mountain. Congress designated 97% of Mount Rainier National Park as wilderness in 1988, and the Wonderland is the trail that immerses you in it. Demand is the catch: the park says demand for wilderness camps and high-use climbing routes exceeds capacity. It runs an early access lottery each February so that fewer people are competing simultaneously for multi-night itineraries, and a cancellation alert fills the gaps after that.

The feeling

The mountain is the constant. Some hours it is directly overhead and some hours it disappears behind its own shoulder, but you are always walking around it. The trail does not contour. It drops to a river and climbs back to a ridge, over and over, until 27,000 feet of gain stops being a number and starts being a rhythm. Meadows in August, glacier snouts, and a suspension bridge that swings.

Wonderland hike highlights

  1. 93 miles as a loop, with about 27,000 feet of gain and 27,000 feet of loss
  2. Every night at a named, reserved camp: no cross-country camping on a full Wonderland
  3. Up to 13 consecutive nights (14 days) on one permit
  4. Maximum party size 5 at standard sites, 12 at designated group sites
  5. Mostly snow-free mid-July to October; not advisable before mid- to late July in an average snow year
  6. Food and fuel caches at Longmire, July-September. The White River cache bin exists but Sunrise Road and White River Road are closed for the Grand Park 2 Fire as of August 9, 2026
  7. Permits must be picked up in person and are held only until noon on your start date
  8. No access to Carbon River or Mowich Lake from SR165 because of the Fairfax Bridge closure, and no access to Sunrise or White River because of the Grand Park 2 Fire as of August 9, 2026

How hard the Wonderland hike is

  • Physical DemandFitness and endurance required5/5
  • Technical SkillClimbing, scrambling, or specialized skills2/5
  • Exposure RiskSteep dropoffs and fall potential2/5
  • NavigationRoute finding and trail clarity2/5
  • CommitmentDifficulty of bailing out mid-route5/5

Best for: Backpackers who can carry a multi-day pack over 3,000-4,000 feet of gain day after day for a week and a half. The trail is well built and signed; the difficulty is relentlessness and the logistics of caches, permits and pickup.

Recommended experience: Several three-plus-night trips with big elevation days. Practise fording, and get comfortable with the idea that your itinerary is decided by which camps you won, not by which ones you wanted.

Not recommended for: Anyone whose longest trip is a weekend, and anyone attempting it before mid-July without snow travel and river fording skills.

Trailhead information

Longmire

Primary

2,760 ft elevation

The traditional Wonderland start and the park's main Wilderness Information Center. Permits are picked up in person here.

  • Restrooms
  • Water on site

Before you rely on this water

Developed, year-open services, and as of August 9, 2026 the only Wonderland road access still reachable, with SR165 closed by the Fairfax Bridge and Sunrise/White River Roads closed by the Grand Park 2 Fire. Confirm on the park road status page.

Getting There

Drive east on Hwy 706 from Ashford for 10 miles; Longmire is 6.5 miles past the Nisqually Entrance.

Nearest Services

General Store at Longmire: one of only two places in the park to buy basic supplies.

Notes

Food caches are stored inside the Longmire WIC and must be dropped off or collected between 7:30 am and 5:00 pm. Fuel cannot go in a food cache here; it goes in a separate fuel locker and has to be hand-delivered.

Trailhead information

White River

Alternate

East-side Wilderness Information Center and Wonderland access, just past the White River Entrance Station.

  • No restrooms
  • No water

Getting There

Follow WA-410 to about mile post 62.5, then turn onto the White River / Sunrise Road. As of August 9, 2026 the park lists Sunrise Road and White River Road to the campground as CLOSED due to the Grand Park 2 Fire until further notice, so this access is not currently usable. Check the park road status page before you count on it.

Nearest Services

Sunrise Day Lodge, when open, is the park's other supply point.

Notes

Food cache bin is behind the ranger station at White River Campground, but as of August 9, 2026 the park lists Sunrise Road and White River Road to the campground as CLOSED due to the Grand Park 2 Fire until further notice. With SR165 to Carbon River and Mowich Lake also closed, Longmire is the only cache point currently reachable by road. Build the itinerary on that assumption and re-check the park road status page. The WIC is closed in winter.

Trailhead information

Mowich Lake / Carbon River

Alternate

Northwest corner access, normally used to start or resupply a Wonderland loop.

  • No restrooms
  • No water

Getting There

Currently no public access from SR165. The Carbon River Fairfax Bridge outside the park is closed to vehicles and pedestrians with no alternate route.

Notes

Because of the bridge closure there is no food caching at Mowich Lake and caches sent to Carbon cannot be returned. The Carbon River Ranger Station is closed until further notice. Plan a Wonderland itinerary around this.

When to hike Wonderland

Best time to visit

Mid-July through September. NPS says the Wonderland is typically mostly snow-free from mid-July to October, and that in an average snow year it is not advisable to hike it until mid- to late July. Camps are reservable between June 1 and October 10, so June dates exist on paper but usually mean snow on the high traverses and dangerous glacial river fords. Late July and August give you the meadows; September gives you stable weather, fewer people and a real chance of the first snow.

Peak
Late July through August
Shoulder
Late June to mid-July, and September to October 10

  • Spring

    Snow on the high traverses. Camps become reservable from June 1, but NPS advice is that an average snow year makes the loop inadvisable until mid- to late July.

    Crowd level · low

    • Advantage: Camps are reservable from June 1 and far less contested
    • Advantage: Waterfalls at full volume
    • Advantage: Empty trail
    • Challenge: Snow on the high sections
    • Challenge: Glacial river fords at their most dangerous
    • Challenge: Route finding across snow-covered traverses

  • Summer

    Mostly snow-free from mid-July. Meadows peak in late July and August. This is the window everyone is competing for.

    Crowd level · high

    • Advantage: The wildflower meadows the trail is known for
    • Advantage: Rivers at their most fordable
    • Advantage: Food caching available at Longmire and White River
    • Challenge: The most contested permits of the year
    • Challenge: Afternoon meltwater raises river levels
    • Challenge: Camps like Indian Bar and Mystic are effectively lottery-only

  • Fall

    Stable weather, colour in the meadows, and the reservable window ending October 10.

    Crowd level · moderate

    • Advantage: Most stable weather of the season
    • Advantage: Noticeably better camp availability
    • Advantage: Cold enough that the rivers drop
    • Challenge: First snow can arrive at any point in September
    • Challenge: Short days for 12-15 mile stages
    • Challenge: Facilities and caching wind down as the season closes

  • Winter

    Not a Wonderland season. Permits are still required for winter camping and are issued by self-registration, but the loop is a snow route.

    Crowd level · low

    • Advantage: No permit competition at all
    • Advantage: Winter permits are self-registered
    • Challenge: The loop is not viable as a backpacking route
    • Challenge: Access roads closed
    • Challenge: Winter permit rules and group sizes are different

Weather Forecast

Trailhead (2,320 ft)

⚠️

Backcountry Tips

  • Today: Expect 16°F colder at summit. Layer up.
  • Today: Freezing temps at elevation. Bring insulation even if warm below.
  • Today: Wind gusts to 60mph. Secure tent, avoid exposed ridges.

Today

🌧️

44°

37°

73%

Wed

☁️

40°

36°

Thu

☁️

48°

35°

Fri

☁️

50°

36°

Sat

☀️

56°

34°

Sun

☁️

60°

38°

Mon

☁️

51°

32°

View full NWS forecast →Mountain weather changes rapidly. This forecast is a guide—always be prepared for worse conditions.

Wonderland photography guide

Golden Hour

Klapatche Park and Indian Bar are the two camps people plan whole itineraries around for evening light on the mountain. Both face it directly.

Best Light

Late July and August, after the snow clears and while the meadows are still going. That is also the narrowest permit window of the year.

Beat the Crowds

The Wonderland's crowding is structural: it is a permit quota, so you are never in a crowd you did not book. The day-hiker pressure is at Sunrise, Paradise and Mowich Lake; walk 45 minutes past any of them and it stops.

Classic Shots

  1. Mount Rainier reflected from the Longmire-area west side camps at dusk
  2. The Carbon Glacier snout from the Wonderland above Dick Creek
  3. Wildflower meadows in Summerland in early August
  4. The stone shelter at Indian Bar
  5. The suspension bridge over the Carbon River
  6. Mystic Lake with the Willis Wall behind it

Wonderland rules, gear and safety

Gear checklist

Required
  • Approved bear canister or the ability to hang from a bear pole, for all food, garbage and scented items
  • Rain shell and warm layers; this is the Cascades and the weather turns without much warning
  • Water treatment: the rivers here run glacial and silty
  • Boots you have already broken in over 27,000 feet of combined climbing and descending
  • Printed permit, picked up in person, carried with you and shown to rangers on request

Recommended gear

  • Trekking poles for river fords and for the descents
  • Microspikes if you go before late July, when snow lingers on the high traverses
  • Five-gallon buckets or similar rigid plastic containers for food caches: the park requires rodent-proof plastic, clearly labelled
  • Gaiters for early-season snow and wet meadow trail
  • A stove that runs on fuel you can cache; fuel cannot be mailed and has to be hand-delivered to Longmire

Rules & regulations

  1. 01A wilderness permit is required for all overnight camping in the park, year-round
  2. 02Camping is only permitted at the camp areas and on the dates on your permit itinerary
  3. 03Full Wonderland hikers must camp in designated camps only: cross-country zones are not permitted
  4. 04Maximum party size is 5 for standard sites; 12 for designated group sites, Alpine zones and Winter zones
  5. 05Groups of 24 or more require a Special Use Permit
  6. 06All food, garbage and scented items must be hung from a bear pole or secured in an approved canister
  7. 07Reservations are held until noon on your start date and cancelled after that unless you arrange late pickup
  8. 08Reservations must be made at least two days before the trip start; walk-up permits can be had the day of or one day before
  9. 09Pets, weapons other than firearms, bicycles and other wheeled devices are not allowed on park trails or in undeveloped areas
  10. 10Travel above 10,000 feet or on glaciers also needs a climbing special use permit and the annual climbing fee

Hazards & considerations

  • Snow on the high sections into July and sometimes August: NPS says fording dangerous glaciated rivers is a skill you need for earlier-season attempts
  • River crossings on glacial rivers, which run highest on hot afternoons
  • Rapid weather change; the park's summer wildflower postcard and a whiteout are the same trail
  • Sustained elevation change: 27,000 feet of gain over 93 miles means there is almost no flat trail
  • Black bears, which is why food storage is a permit condition not a suggestion
  • Access closures: SR165 to Carbon River and Mowich Lake is cut off with no alternate route, and the Grand Park 2 Fire closed Sunrise Road and White River Road as of August 9, 2026. Three of the four road accesses to the loop were shut at once. Confirm all of them on the park road status page before you finalise an itinerary

Safety & planning

Emergency Info

Emergency contacts, ranger station locations, and satellite communicator tips for Wonderland.

Food Storage

Bear canister requirements, approved container lists, and rental locations for this permit.

Gear Checklist: Required and recommended gear for Wonderland · Shuttle Services: Trailhead transportation options · Guide Services: Experienced wilderness guides

Some links may be affiliate links. Purchases support PermitSnag at no extra cost to you.

Wonderland FAQ

Is the Wonderland Trail a loop or a thru-hike?

A loop. NPS describes it as about 93 miles long and encircling Mount Rainier. It starts and finishes in the same place. That matters practically: you have no shuttle to arrange, but you do have to reserve a named camp for every night of a circuit that never leaves the mountain.

How do I get a Wonderland Trail permit?

On Recreation.gov. About two thirds of summer season permits are available for advance reservation and the remaining third are first-come, first-served at park Wilderness Information Centers. For the full loop, apply to the early access lottery that opens in February. Winners get an individual access window between March and April. Everything left goes on general sale April 25.

Is there a Wonderland Trail lottery?

Yes, an optional early access lottery, opening in February on Recreation.gov. It does not award permits directly. It awards you a date and time to log in and build an itinerary before general access opens, and lottery participants are limited to a single reservation during that early access period. The park says it exists because demand for camps exceeds capacity during peak periods.

Can I get a Wonderland Trail permit without winning the lottery?

For a section, easily. For the whole loop, the park itself says it is unlikely that visitors will be able to create a full Wonderland Trail itinerary during or after the general on-sale on April 25. The other route is the one third of permits held back for first-come, first-served, or cancellations. Reservations are cancelled at noon on the start date if nobody picks them up, and those camps go straight back into the first-come pool.

How much does a Wonderland Trail permit cost?

$6 for the Recreation.gov reservation fee plus $12 per person per night, for up to 13 consecutive nights. Youth 15 and under are free. The park restructured wilderness fees in January 2025, and the $6 fee also applies to first-come, first-served permits issued in person.

What is the group size limit on the Wonderland Trail?

Five people at standard sites. Designated group sites, Alpine zones and Winter zones allow up to 12. Most Wonderland camps have both a standard site and a group site, so a party of eight has to plan the whole loop around group-site availability. Groups of 24 or more need a Special Use Permit.

When is the Wonderland Trail snow-free?

NPS says it is typically mostly snow-free from mid-July to October, and that in an average snow year it is not advisable to hike the Wonderland until mid- to late July. Camps are reservable from June 1, so early-season permits exist. They just come with snow on the high traverses and glacial rivers that are hardest to ford in the afternoon.

Can I cache food on the Wonderland Trail?

Yes in principle, July through September, at the Longmire Wilderness Information Center and behind the ranger station at White River Campground. Caches must be in rodent-proof plastic containers, clearly labelled with your name, pickup location, pickup date and permit number, and you may leave up to five containers per group per location, and the park does not move caches between locations. In practice only Longmire is reachable right now: Mowich Lake has been cut off by the Fairfax Bridge closure on SR165, and as of August 9, 2026 the park lists Sunrise Road and White River Road to the campground as CLOSED due to the Grand Park 2 Fire until further notice, which takes the White River bin with it. That was the position on August 9, 2026. Re-check the park road status page, because a fire closure can lift as fast as it appeared.

Do I have to pick up my Wonderland Trail permit in person?

Yes. The reservation is not the permit. Someone named on the reservation has to come to a ranger station with photo ID, an emergency contact and vehicle details. Your reservation is cancelled at noon on your start day if you have not shown up and have not arranged a late pickup, and those camps go into the first-come pool for other hikers.

Wonderland trail conditions and trip reports

Trail Conditions(7)

Questions(2)

Can you still get a Wonderland Trail permit after losing the early-access lottery?

0 votes·1 answer·Apr 14

Does winning the Wonderland Trail lottery guarantee an itinerary?

0 votes·1 answer·Feb 5

Trip Reports(1)

Write Report
Wonderland Trail in early July: swollen rivers and a snowbound Panhandle Gap

Wonderland Trail in early July: swollen rivers and a snowbound Panhandle Gap

Wonderland

4.0
Jul 1-4, 2026

Alternatives to a Wonderland permit

  • Easier AlternativePermit required

    Mount Rainier wilderness permit (shorter section)

    The same permit system for a two- or three-night section of the Wonderland instead of the whole loop.

    Tradeoffs

    Far more achievable in the general on-sale, and you can still get Summerland or Indian Bar. You do not complete the circuit.

  • Similar ExperiencePermit required

    Timberline Trail equivalent: Olympic Coast Trail

    A multi-night Washington wilderness route on a different kind of terrain, with its own designated camps.

    Tradeoffs

    No 27,000 feet of climbing and no snow window. Tide tables replace snowpack as the thing that dictates your itinerary.

  • Similar ExperiencePermit required

    Four Pass Loop

    Colorado's 26-mile circuit over four passes above 12,000 feet in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness.

    Tradeoffs

    Three to five days instead of two weeks, and you book zones rather than named camps: you pitch anywhere inside the zone you reserved.

  • Similar ExperiencePermit required

    Enchantments Core Zone

    Washington's other hardest-to-get overnight permit, an alpine lake basin on the east side of the Cascades.

    Tradeoffs

    A single February lottery instead of a camp-by-camp itinerary, and 24 people a day rather than a 93-mile chain of reservations.

Where to stay near Wonderland

Trip planning

Articles that plan a trip around this permit.

Plan the full trip, not just the permit

Build your full itinerary start to finish

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Two ways to land it

Track cancellations or run a lottery pool

Core feature

Fast Lane tracking

We check Wonderland for cancellations 24/7 and alert you when a spot opens so you can book before it's gone.

Set a free cancellation alert
Pro or $19 alert

Lottery pool

Apply with a crew. Each person multiplies your combined odds. We coordinate invites, deadlines, and outcomes.

See plans to start a pool

Most crews do both: get alerts for cancellations, and pool for the lottery.

Lottery concierge

Your next shot at Wonderland

Missed the draw or skipped it? Set an alert and we tell you the moment a Wonderland cancellation opens. We remind you about the lottery dates too.

Get cancellation alertsSee every lottery date we track

Better odds with a crew

Wonderland permits are drawn by lottery. Every friend who applies adds another entry, so a crew gets more shots at the same permit than any one of you alone.

One of you runs the pool (Pro or a $19 alert). Everyone else joins free.

Start a poolHow pools work

Know the moment you win

Auto win-detection tells you the moment your Wonderland application wins, so you never have to check National Park Service. It reads the result email you forward us, so it takes a one-time setup in your inbox (about two minutes, and we walk you through it). Auto win-detection is on Pro or a $19 permit alert.

Turn on auto win-detection
Apply now on National Park Service

Opens the official lottery. You submit your entry. We never automate or store your National Park Service login.

One tick helps us more than you’d think

Google lets you pick the sites it highlights for you. Add PermitSnag and our permit pages get marked as one of yours in AI Overviews and AI Mode.

Add PermitSnag in Google

Takes less than a minute.