Do you need permits to hike the John Muir Trail?
Do you need permits to hike the John Muir Trail?
If you’re hiking the JMT starting at the northern terminus, you’ll need a permit from Yosemite. Yosemite wilderness permit reservations are available 24 weeks (168 days) in advance. Read the JMT permit page on Yosemite’s website. If you hope to reserve a permit, you should apply exactly 168 days in advance.
How do I get a permit for my JMT 2022?
New for the 2022 hiking season, southbound permits will be obtained via recreation.gov (in previous years, it was via Yosemite National Park’s website) and are issued through a weekly lottery system. The Yosemite National Park Wilderness Permit Application can be accessed here.
How hard is it to get a permit to hike the John Muir Trail?
Over the years this trail has gotten more and more popular which means that getting a JMT permit is getting harder, and the lottery system is super competitive. John Muir Trail permits are so popular that according to the National Park Service, 97% of JMT permit applications get denied.
Do you need a permit for John Muir Wilderness?
Permits are required for all overnight trips in the John Muir Wilderness, and all trailheads have quotas.
How do I get a Nobo JMT permit?
Getting a permit starting from Whitney Portal is very difficult, so many NOBO hikers opt to begin their hike at Horseshoe Meadow (can camp the night before for $6 per person). There are two trails that begin here that can connect you to the JMT near Mt.
How do I prepare for JMT?
The 8-Step Guide to Planning a Thru-Hike on the John Muir Trail
- Step 1: Decide if you will go solo or with a friend.
- Step 2: Pick your dates and your starting trailhead.
- Step 3: Apply for a permit.
- Step 4: Gear up.
- Step 5: Start Training.
- Step 6: Map out a loose itinerary.
Do you have to pack out toilet paper on the JMT?
Solid human waste must be buried in soil 6 to 8 inches deep, at least 100 feet from trails, camps, and all water sources. Pack out all toilet paper and hygiene products to preserve the wilderness experience for others. All soap, including biodegradable soap, can injure fish and other aquatic wildlife.
Is bear spray allowed on the JMT?
Possession of weapons, including bear spray, is prohibited. Possession of firearms is subject to state regulations. In all wilderness areas along the JMT, proper food storage is mandatory.
What is JMT NoBo?
Assuming a start from Cottonwood Pass or Cottonwood Lakes, hikers are committed to tackling the JMT in the northbound (often called “NoBo”) direction. While southbound has become the traditionally preferred option, heading northbound has some nice perks (beyond greater permit availability).
Which part of JMT is the hardest?
Hardest: Glen Pass. It’s a long, steep climb, with a cruel psychological twist near the end. Just as you reach the top of a climb that seems to go on forever, you find what appears to be the top of the pass. As you sit there, resting, it occurs to you that you can’t see where the trail goes back down.
Is the JMT hard?
The main difficulty of the JMT is the terrain and length of the trail. Over the course of your trip you’ll ascend and descend 11 mountain passes, many of them over 12,000 feet. Altitude sickness can bother some hikers along the JMT, though it’s not a common complaint.
Do you need a bear canister on the JMT?
JMT hikers must properly store their food while on the trail by using an approved bear canister (which protects your items not only from bears, but also from rodents). All food, toiletries, scented items, and trash must go in your canister, and you must lock it whenever it is not in use.
Is the John Muir Trail well marked?
The JMT is well marked and heavily traveled making it easy to follow. During peak season, you will encounter people going both directions on the trail, so your chances of getting lost are small.
Where does JMT Nobo start?
Can you hike just part of the John Muir Trail?
The John Muir Trail can be broken up into 5-6 easily digestible chunks that can be hiked in less than a week and without having to resupply. You will still need permits, but for most of them the permits are much easier to get and can be reserved ahead of time online.
Do you need a permit for the John Muir Trail?
The John Muir Trail runs from the Happy Isles trailhead in Yosemite Valley to the summit of Mt. Whitney near the Whitney Portal trailhead on Inyo National Forest. Wilderness permits in the Sierra Nevada are under a quota system that prevents crowding on the trail and protects the environment. John Muir Trail permits go quickly. Plan ahead.
Where does the John Muir Trail start and end?
The John Muir Trail runs from the Happy Isles trailhead in Yosemite Valley to the summit of Mt. Whitney near the Whitney Portal trailhead on Inyo National Forest. Wilderness permits in the Sierra Nevada are under a quota system that prevents crowding on the trail and protects the environment.
Can you hike the John Muir Trail over Donohue Pass?
This is only for John Muir Trail Hikers (exiting Yosemite over Donohue Pass). Over the last several years, Yosemite National Park has noted a significant increase in demand for permits to hike the John Muir Trail (JMT). From 2011 to 2015, there has been a 100% increase in JMT permits requested.
Can you hike the John Muir Trail from Whitney Portal?
You must select “Overnight” in order to thru-hike the John Muir Trail from Whitney Portal. This permit includes multi-night trips starting on the classic Mt. Whitney trail, allows camping along the Mt. Whitney Trail, and allows for summitting Mt. Whitney.