How to get in01 pathLottery
Wonderland Trail
The ~93-mile loop around Mount Rainier needs wilderness camps reserved through an Early Access Lottery, then booking windows on Recreation.gov.
Multi-day
HikeCampStrenuousPhysical effort · Estimate
Strenuous — Long miles, elevation, or sustained hard effort.
Multi-day circuit with big daily elevation around Rainier.
Editorial estimate of the typical trip — not lottery hardness, and not an Official agency grade.
Good fitThru-hikers who will enter Early Access and still plan for walk-up or later inventory.
Usually notShort weekend trips that only need a single Paradise day hike.
Lottery type
Early Access Lottery
How you get in
No % yet
Agency has not published odds
No overall Official success-rate percentage for the Early Access Lottery. A win only unlocks an early booking window — camps still sell out.
When to apply
Window closed
Feb 10 – Mar 3
Early Access Lottery application · Official dates
Typical window: mid-February through early March on Recreation.gov (2026 ran Feb 10 – Mar 3). Results assign booking timeslots in March–April before general onsale (Official NPS / Rec.gov).
We checked 2026-09-22
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:
- Shorter Rainier wilderness itineraries off the full Wonderland circuit
- Walk-up wilderness permits at ranger stations when posted
- Day hikes from Paradise / Sunrise without overnight camps
Sources & notes
Other apply windows
- Apr 25 – Apr 25 · General wilderness reservationsRemaining advance inventory opens to everyone around late April (2026: April 25). About one-third of permits are held for walk-up issue at ranger stations (Official).
Remaining advance inventory opens to everyone around late April (2026: April 25). About one-third of permits are held for walk-up issue at ranger stations (Official).
Backup options
Nearby or alternate ways in if these draws miss.
- Other Mount Rainier wilderness zones with lower demand
- Shorter Rainier wilderness itineraries off the full Wonderland circuit
- Walk-up wilderness permits at ranger stations when posted
- Day hikes from Paradise / Sunrise without overnight camps
Field notes
All field notesPlaybooks for the confusing parts of applying — not live calendars.
- I won — now what?I won the lottery on Recreation.gov — what do I do next?
- How to order a hard-ticket yearHow to prioritize national park lotteries and permits for one trip year
- How to read a place pageHow to read a park permit page before you apply on Recreation.gov
- Which Recreation.gov product is this?Recreation.gov parking vs timed entry vs lottery — how to pick the right one
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. NPS Mount Rainier Wilderness and Climbing Permits on Rec.gov 4675317. Winning the lottery awards an early booking timeslot — not a finished itinerary. About Official / Estimate / Not confirmed yet