Permit Pricing and CancellationsFor more information on how to get a permit, visit Backcountry Permits. It depends on your trip. For current price listings visit, backcountry permits. Depends. Yes, if you modify the reservation up to 5 days prior to the start date through your Recreation.gov account. You can still modify this after the 5 days to release inventory for others, but you will not get a refund. No, there are no discounts or discount passes that apply. Reservations cancelled 5 or more full days before the reservation start date receive a full refund of the nightly per-person fee. Reservations cancelled less than 5 days before the reservation start date are non-refundable. The permit fee is non-refundable once purchased. Backcountry permits in Grand Teton are highly sought-after. The permit fee is non-refundable to encourage users to invest in and commit to their backcountry itinerary, rather than reserve campsites/zones for POTENTIAL trips. The policy aims to keep campsites/zones available for users who have DEFINITIVE plans. When permits are cancelled/modified, the campsites/zones on that permit are returned to the quota and made available to other users. No. All no-shows forfeit the entire cost of the permit. Permits are transferrable only to the Alternate Permit Holder, designated by the Primary Permit Holder when the reservation is first made. The revised permit can be printed with the Alternate Permit Holder listed as the trip leader.
Advance Permit ReservationsBeginning January 10, 2024, at 08:00 a.m. MST reservations for Grand Teton National Park Backcountry Permits will become available for the 2024 peak season (May 1 to October 31) on recreation.gov. No, but making an advance reservation is encouraged when you know your trip plans ahead of time. No. You may book up to 10 nights on one permit if they are consecutive nights. There is a maximum of 2 consecutive nights at any one site, 3 nights on Jackson Lake. Attempting to extend a trip by purchasing an additional reservation is not allowed and may cause you to lose your reservation. Review park trail maps and camping zones prior to making your reservation on recreation.gov to ensure you book a realistic itinerary.
You can make a change to your trip. Many times just reversing the direction of the trip will make booking possible. During the busiest summer season being flexible is sometimes key to being able to obtain a permit. Have a first, second, or even third choice in mind when making reservations. No. If your desired camp location is not available, it is advised to hold off on making a reservation. Reserving sites as placeholders accomplishes nothing useful. It merely takes sites away from others. Visitors encountering this scenario are encouraged to obtain a walk-up permit and build an itinerary from scratch. We recognize that this can be an uncomfortable scenario for those traveling considerable distances, however, Grand Teton’s backcountry rangers are skilled at designing itineraries within what is available. If you are flexible, it is unlikely you will walk away from a permits desk without a great itinerary. Yes, you can change campsite locations, nights, or group size based on the quota availability free of charge. You may do this through your recreation.gov account up to 2 days of the start date, or the permit ranger may make these changes starting one day prior to your permit start date. Use your best estimate with estimating on the maximum side that you think will join you on the permit. Then mark your calendar to make modifications to the reservation at least 5 days in advance if you think it will be less. If there is availability, you think it will be more, you can add people up until the issuance of the permit. To reduce the potential for unrealistic itineraries, park managers have ensured recreation.gov will not allow users to book sites that are typically more than twenty miles away or cannot be reached in a sensible way. It is very important that parties reserve trips that are achievable so that they can make it to their destination. Camping off-itinerary can create ruined vacations for others in already booked sites, natural resource impacts from camping in undesignated areas, as well as dangers both to yourself and wildlife. Many factors can affect how far a group might hike in a day: fatigue, injury, river crossings, rough trails, elevation changes, interactions with wildlife, etc. Make sure to plan accordingly. No. Any modifications users make to their own permit are subject to the advanced-reservation quota, which is one-third of all that is available within the Grand Teton backcountry. Users have access to the walk-up quota (the remaining two-thirds) IN-PERSON ONLY through a backcountry ranger. Any advanced reservation permit not picked up by 10:00 a.m. MST the day the trip starts is considered a no-show. All no-shows will be cancelled without refund. If you are unable to pick up your permit by 10:00 a.m. MST the day of your trip, contact the backcountry permits office at 307-739-3309. If no one answers, leave a message.
Yes. An advance reservation holds your campsite, but it does not serve as the permit itself. Picking up the permit in person allows the opportunity to discuss backcountry conditions, borrow a food storage container (if needed), review regulations, and view the backcountry safety video (if not previously viewed online). The permit will be printed on waterproof, tearproof paper with a wire to attach to your backpack and tent. Advanced-reservation permits may be picked up no sooner than one day before the start date of the permit or no later than 10:00 a.m. MST the day of your trip. You can pick up your permit at the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center, Colter Bay Visitor Center, or the Jenny Lake Ranger Station. For opening dates, visit operating hours and seasons.
Walk-up PermitsApproximately two thirds of nightly permit quota is available one day in advance for walk-up permits. This permit quota is not available to be reserved in advance, online or through recreation.gov. These permits are available on a first-come, first-serve basis once you are physically in the park at one of the Backcountry Offices. Permits are issued to visitors in the order that they arrive. You can get a walk-up permit up to 1 day in advance of the start date of your backcountry camping trip. For example, if you want to start backpacking on July 31, you may attempt a walk-up permit on July 30 or July 31. In July and August, the demand is high for backcountry permits. The average time prospective campers may start lining up is 5:00 am. Odds are high if you are flexible. Grand Teton’s backcountry rangers are skilled at designing itineraries within what is available. If you are flexible with your camping locations, it is unlikely you will walk away from a permits desk without a great itinerary. No. Walk-up permits can only be obtained in-person.
Before leaving home, check availability on Recreation.gov. Campsites that still have walk-up quota available will display a "W" or a number in the availability field. Unavailable campsites will display a 0. If you are attempting to obtain a walk-up permit then you will want to come with an itinerary in mind.
Staying in the National ForestNearby forest land may be an option for camping during your trip. No. Users camping in USFS areas ONLY, with no nights spent inside Grand Teton, are not required to obtain a backcountry permit from either agency. No, if you stay in Alaska Basin or Fox Creek Pass, US Forest Service (USFS) fee regulations state that no fee will be charged for any nights spent on USFS land. A permit requires an itinerary with consecutive nights. A stay in Alaska Basin, Fox Creek Pass, etc. will be indicated on the permit, but there will be no charge for that stay.
Parking and ShuttlesYes. Visitors on backcountry trips may leave their vehicles unattended for the period authorized in their backcountry use permit, in appropriate, designated parking areas. You will need to provide the make, model and license plate number of the vehicle you are leaving at a trailhead. No. Visitors are responsible for finding their own transportation between trailheads. Ride-hailing services are available inside Grand Teton. Hitchhiking is also permitted (restrictions apply). Plan Your Backcountry Trip
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Last updated: November 28, 2023