If you’re like me, the first part of each year is all about planning where I’ll go backpacking in the summer. One of my favourite places to go backpacking is Washington state. And many of the most spectacular backpacking trips in Washington require reservations. So I’ve put together a complete list of the 2024 Washington backpacking reservation dates you need to know.
Put these dates in your calendar! (Or if you’re like me, agonize over which trip to pick since they all sound amazing!)
I’ve got Washington backpacking reservation dates for you for 4 different areas in Washington including the Enchantments, Mount Rainier National Park, North Cascades National Park, an Olympic National Park.
Plus I’ve also got details on how to reserve, which trails I recommend, and my top tips for getting those hard-to-get reservations.
Quick Calendar
| Park | When to Reserve |
|---|---|
| Enchantments (Alpine Lakes Wilderness) | February 15-29, 2024 |
| Mount Rainier National Park | February 12-March 4, 2024 |
| North Cascades National Park | March 4-15, 2024 |
| Olympic National Park | April 15, 2024 |
Enchantments Backpacking Reservations for 2024
What: The Enchantments are a high alpine area in Washington’s Alpine Lakes Wilderness. Most people do a 19 mile (30km) thru-hike to see the whole area, but numerous side trips are also possible. For a full guide to the area check out Clever Hiker’s Enchantment Lakes Backpacking Guide.
When to Reserve: Enchantments reservations work on a lottery system. You can apply for the lottery between February 15 and 29, 2024. Then, you check back on March 14, 2024 to see if you “won” the lottery and got a reservation. You have until the end of March to convert your lottery win to a reservation.
Where to Reserve: Online on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest website.
How Much Do Reservations Cost: There is a $6 application fee plus a $5/person/night fee if your application is accepted.
Do You Have to Reserve? No. In 2024 they have resumed the walk-up lottery. There is one permit per zone available for walk-ups each day. To get a walk-up permit, you must go to the Leavenworth Ranger Station at 8:15 a.m. on the day you start your trip and enter the walk-up lottery. Your designated group leader must have a recreation.gov account already set-up.
Tips and Tricks For Getting a Reservation: The Enchantments are one of the most difficult Washington backpacking reservations to get.
- Pick a start date in the middle of the week.
- Consider applying for the Snow Zone or the Colchuck Zone and then day hiking into the Core Zone, instead of applying for a difficult-to-get Core Zone permit.
- Get everyone in your group to submit an application to increase your chances.
- If you don’t win a permit in the original lottery, check back at the end of March – sometimes people who win the lottery forget to convert their win to a reservation. And then keep checking every few days to see if the walk-up quota is released for booking.
- If you don’t get a reservation, keep checking back for cancellations or use Campnab or Schnerp to automatically scan for cancellations for you.
Mount Rainier National Park Backpacking Reservations for 2024
What: The crown jewel of Mount Rainier National Park is the 93 mile/105km Wonderland Trail which circumnavigates the mountain. If you aren’t up to the entire Wonderland Trail, you can tackle shorter sections of it or backpack on some of the parks other trails. Find out more on the Mount Rainier National Park website.
When to Reserve: Mount Rainier permits work on a lottery system. In 2024 you can enter your reservation requests between February 12, 2024 and March 4, 2024. All reservation requests during this period go into a lottery for priority. If you donn’t enter the lottery, you can make reservation applications starting April 25, 2025.
Where to Reserve: Online via Recreation.gov. You will receive an email on March 14 if you “won” the lottery. It will include information on how to confirm your reservation.
How Much Do Reservations Cost: There is a non-refundable $6 lottery fee, and a $20 reservation fee.
Do You Need to Reserve? It’s a good idea. Approximately 2/3 of backpacking and climbing permits are made available for advance reservation for trips between May 26 and September 9. The remainder are first-come, first-served.
Tips and Tricks For Getting a Reservation:
- Submit several alternative itineraries.
- You can only submit one reservation request per person so consider having everyone in your group submit requests.
- If you don’t get a reservation, keep checking back for cancellations or use Campnab or Schnerp to automatically scan for cancellations for you.
Olympic National Park Backpacking Reservations for 2024
What: Olympic National Park is a huge park with a variety of rainforest, alpine and beach backpacking trips. For beach backpacking trip ideas, check out my guides to the beautiful coastal backcountry areas of Ozette Loop, Toleak Point, and Shi Shi Beach. For a complete list of trails, see the Olympic National Park website.
When to Reserve: Advance reservations open on April 15, 2024 at 7 a.m. PST.
Where to Reserve: Reserve online via recreation.gov.
How Much Do Reservations Cost: Reservations are $6/trip. You will also need to pay wilderness fees of $8/person/night.
Do You Need to Reserve? Yes. While in the past walk-up permits were available, as of 2021 all backcountry camping is 100% reservable.
Tips and Tricks For Getting a Reservation:
- You need an account on recreation.gov to make a reservation so set one up in advance to save time on the day.
- Consider going on coastal trips in the off-season (before May 1 or after September 30th) when reservations aren’t required but the weather can often be good.
- If you don’t get a reservation, keep checking back for cancellations or use Campnab or Schnerp to automatically scan for cancellations for you.
North Cascades National Park Backpacking Reservations for 2024
What: North Cascades National Park is a huge park with tons of backpacking options, most of them high in the mountains. Reservations are not required for the more remote corners of the park. But if you want to visit the most popular areas, a reservation is a must. You can find info on all the trails on the North Cascades National Park website. Looking for trip ideas? Check out my trail guide for the East Bank Trail on Ross Lake.
When to Reserve: Early access lottery is open March 4-15, 2024. On March 22, lottery applicants will find out if they “won” a chance to make a reservation. If you won, you will be assigned a time between March 25 and April 23 to go to log-in to the site and make a reservation. On April 29, all reservable sites that weren’t allocated as part of the lottery will be available.
Where to Reserve: Online via recreation.gov
How Much Do Reservations Cost: There is a $6 non-refundable transaction fee and a refundable $20 fee to complete a permit reservation.
Do You Need to Reserve? No. About 40% permits are available for walk-ups. To get a walk-up permit you need to go to a ranger station either the first day of your trip or the day before your trip.
Tips and Tricks For Getting a Reservation:
- Come up with lots of alternative itineraries.
- You can only submit one reservation request per person so if cost isn’t an issue, consider having a few people in your group submit requests.
- If you don’t get a reservation, keep checking back for cancellations or use Campnab or Schnerp to automatically scan for cancellations for you.
So there you have it: 2024 Washington backpacking reservation dates for 4 different parks. How many of these parks have you done already? Tell me in the comments. I’ve been backpacking in all of them except Mount Rainier National Park. But the real question should be: which of these parks do you want to visit next? (My answer might be all of them. Eep.)
READ NEXT:
I’ve got trail guides for a few hikes in Washington’s parks
- Shi Shi Beach Hiking and Camping Guide
- Ozette Loop Backpacking Trip Guide
- How to Hike and Camp at Toleak Point in Olympic National Park
- The East Bank Trail in North Cascades National Park
MORE BACKPACKING POSTS:
- BC Backpacking Reservation Dates You Need to Know
- Backpacking Checklist: Gear You Need To Go Backpacking
- 9 Best Washington Road Trips
- Coastal Hiking Tips: Advice for Beach Backpacking
- How to Leave No Trace (And Why it’s Important!)
- 16 Things to do Before a Hike
- The 10 Essentials: Things You Should Bring on Every Hike
- 25+ Women’s Adventure Books That Will Inspire You - April 2, 2024
- Dehydrated Mushroom Risotto For Backpacking - March 31, 2024
- Dehydrating Food For Backpacking: A Beginner’s Guide - March 15, 2024
Lexi
Monday 26th of February 2024
There will be a walk-up letter for The Enchantments this year! Here's what the website says:
The walk-up lottery at the Leavenworth Ranger Station will resume for the 2024 season in person at the Leavenworth Ranger Station beginning May 15th, 2024 (Monday - Saturday) at 8:30 a.m. Please arrive 15 minutes early, with a designated group leader (group leader will need a recreation.gov account).
Taryn Eyton
Monday 26th of February 2024
Thanks for the info. I've updated the post to add the info about walk-up permits for 2024.