How to get in01 pathLottery
Glacier Wilderness
Overnight wilderness camps use Early Access lotteries on Recreation.gov, then a general onsale — about 30% of sites stay walk-up only.
Overnight · Multi-day
HikeCampStrenuousPhysical effort · Estimate
Strenuous — Long miles, elevation, or sustained hard effort.
Backcountry overnight miles in steep mountain terrain.
Editorial estimate of the typical trip — not lottery hardness, and not an Official agency grade.
Photo by Bill Stephan
Good fitBackpackers who will enter the March Early Access lottery and still plan for May onsale or walk-up.
Usually notDay hikers on Going-to-the-Sun who never need an overnight wilderness permit.
Lottery type
Early Access Lottery
How you get in
No % yet
Agency has not published odds
A lottery win awards a reservation timeslot on Rec.gov — you still must book a concrete itinerary while inventory lasts.
When to apply
Window closed
Mar 15 – Mar 15
Standard group lottery (1–8) · Official dates
One-day application window in mid-March (2026: Mar 15, midnight–11:59 p.m. MT). Results about Mar 17 with booking timeslots Mar 21–Apr 30; general onsale follows (2026: May 1, 8:00 a.m. MT) (Official NPS / Rec.gov).
We checked 2026-09-23
The managing agency (and Recreation.gov when the product lives there) is authoritative for dates, fees, and whether registration is open. We summarize — always confirm on the official page before you apply.
If you miss this window, try these instead:
- General onsale after Early Access booking windows close
- Walk-up desks (~30% of sites)
Sources & notes
Other apply windows
- Mar 1 – Mar 1 · Large group lottery (9–12)Separate one-day application for groups of 9–12 (2026: Mar 1). Very few advance slots; most large groups use walk-up (Official NPS).
- Walk-up inventoryAbout 30% of wilderness campsites are held for same-day / day-before walk-up at park wilderness desks — not bookable online in advance (Official NPS).
Separate one-day application for groups of 9–12 (2026: Mar 1). Very few advance slots; most large groups use walk-up (Official NPS).
About 30% of wilderness campsites are held for same-day / day-before walk-up at park wilderness desks — not bookable online in advance (Official NPS).
Backup options
Nearby or alternate ways in if these draws miss.
- Walk-up wilderness desks the day before (about 30% of sites)
- Shoulder dates outside peak June–September inventory
- General onsale after Early Access booking windows close
- Walk-up desks (~30% of sites)
Field notes
All field notesPlaybooks for the confusing parts of applying — not live calendars.
Dates, group rules, a backup, entry day — the apply checklist is under Before you go
The managing agency (and Recreation.gov when the product lives there) is authoritative for dates, fees, and whether registration is open. We summarize — always confirm on the official page before you apply. Rec.gov permit 4675321. Separate one-day lotteries for large groups (9–12) and standard groups (1–8); a win is a booking timeslot, not a finished itinerary (Official NPS / Rec.gov). About Official / Estimate / Not confirmed yet