by Ellen Heyn, Digital Media Director
Navigating backcountry permits can be a headache, especially if that little slip of paper is the only thing standing between you and the hiking trip of your dreams. At Grand Canyon National Park, thousands vie for the chance to spend a night below the rim. With a little know-how and a little luck, you can hit the trail with permit in hand.
Camping anywhere below the rim in Grand Canyon National Park requires a backcountry permit. You can purchase one online as early as four months before the start of your desired trip.
The latest you can reserve a permit through the online system is five days out. After that, you’ll have to visit the park’s backcountry office in person to see if there are any last-minute permits available.
How much lead time you have before your trip and the route you want to hike will determine your options for getting a Grand Canyon backpacking permit.
Your best chance of getting a Grand Canyon backpacking permit is through the early access lottery system, which awards up to 750 people each month a timeslot to peruse available campsites, select itineraries, and pay for their reservations.
How it works: For two weeks each month, from the 16th to the 1st, recreation.gov accepts lottery applications for hikes beginning four months later. For example, if you want to backpack in the Grand Canyon in October, you can apply for the lottery between May 16 and June 1.
Hint: To back-calculate this, start with the month you want to backpack in the Grand Canyon (October). Jump back four months (June) and subtract two weeks (May 16).
If you are one of the lucky people to be selected from your lottery, you’ll be assigned a day and time to log on to recreation.gov to make your reservation.
A few important notes:
If you missed the lottery, not all is lost. There may be leftover campsites after each month’s lottery ends. Head over to recreation.gov or call the backcountry office to check the remaining availability three months or less from your desired trip month.
Ex: For an October Grand Canyon trip, reservations open to the public starting in July.
The most popular places to camp in the Grand Canyon are Havasupai Gardens, Bright Angel Campground, and Cottonwood Campground, which sit along the park’s primary rim-to-rim route. Permits for these campgrounds may be hard to snag during peak season (spring and fall), whether you get early access through the lottery or not.
Grand Canyon National Park is divided into nearly 100 different backcountry zones, and only the most trodden are available to reserve through the online permit system. If you are an experienced Grand Canyon hiker looking at itineraries outside of the Bright Angel, South Kaibab, North Kaibab, and Tonto trails, call the backcountry office at 928-638-7875, or send an email to grca_bic@nps.gov to work with a ranger to reserve a permit.
For a full list of what you can reserve online, see the park’s website ›
Let's face it. Not all of us are planners. You've got a free weekend and are rearing to go. Here's what you can do.
Try your luck, and show up at the park's backcountry office.
Cancellations happen. And occasionally, permits are still available (for example, it's June, and everyone else has the good sense to stay out of the canyon). It's always worth checking with the backcountry office before resigning youself to day hiking. You might not get your dream permit, but hey, a permit is better than no permit at all.
Get on the waitlist
The park reserves a small number of walk-in permits for Havasupai Gardens and Cottonwood Campground, issued daily to people who show up at the backcountry office. These permits are for one or two consecutive nights and can only be purchased the day prior to starting your hike.
How it works: You show up at the backcountry office — no permits available. A park ranger gives you a waitlist number. The next morning, at 8:00 am, you return to the backcountry office, where the ranger issues permits starting with #1 until they are all gone. If the ranger doesn't call your number before they run out, you can get a new (lower) number for the next day. Repeat this process for as many days as it takes, or as many days as you have, to get a permit.
If all else fails, day hike!
Just because you can't swing a permit doesn't mean you can't experience the canyon. Check out some of our favorite day hikes ›
The Grand Canyon online permit system isn’t the most intuitive, but knowing these terms and tips should help you:
Site or Zone — Grand Canyon National Park is divided into backcountry zones. Each has a three letter/number identifier (see map) that you'll need to reference in the online permit system to select your desired camping location each night of your permit.
Before you log on to recreation.gov, you’ll want to select your desired route, calculate daily hiking mileages, and determine nightly campsites or at-large camping zones. Need ideas? Check out our favorite Grand Canyon backpacking trips ›
Area — When checking permit availability, you must select a “starting area.” This populates the grid with campsites, campgrounds, or at large camping zones.
After you select your first night, the grid populates with pre-approved options for each proximate night. If the campsite you’re looking for doesn’t show up, call the backcountry office.
Numbers and letters in the grid
The grid populates with numbers or the letter “w.”
If you get a Grand Canyon backcountry permit, log on to recreation.gov at least three days before your trip to print your permit. If you don’t, your reservation will be automatically cancelled.
How much does a permit cost?
Permit costs include a fixed rate, plus an additional per person per day charge. Check the park website for current prices ›
How many people can be on a permit?
Up to 11. While smaller groups have a better shot at getting a permit, most areas in the park will accommodate groups of up to 11. There are a handful of use areas that won't take a group that big, so call the backcountry office ahead of time to ask.
What's the season?
Year-round, although the weather is best in the spring and fall. The road to the North Rim (Highway 67) is closed during the winter, but you can still access the North Rim by hiking across the canyon, or cross-country skiing or snowshoeing in from Jacob Lake.
Do I need a permit for a rim-to-rim?
If it's you and a couple friends, no. But if you've advertised or had people register for the event, you'll need a special use permit ›
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