Glacier National Park Permit Guide 2026

Lottery permit · Last-minute friendly

Montana · No dogs in the backcountry

By Casey Rowan, Permit Ranger

Last updated

A Glacier National Park wilderness permit covers overnight backpacking trips to the park's designated backcountry campgrounds, from the Highline and Gunsight Pass corridors to remote lakes in the North Fork and Many Glacier. It protects a spectacular stretch of the Northern Rockies, and permits are in high demand. Advance reservations cover the summer season (June 15 – September 30), and prime dates at popular campgrounds go fast.

Glacier National Park issues its wilderness permits through recreation.gov, and popular passes sell out ahead of the season. Advance reservations cover June 15 – September 30 and go on sale all at once on May 1 at 8:00 AM Mountain Time (after the March lotteries). Cancellations reopen sites all summer. October trips are walk-up only. Permit Ranger watches every pass here and alerts you the moment a sold-out date opens.

When permits are released

Advance reservations cover June 15 – September 30 and go on sale all at once on May 1 at 8:00 AM Mountain Time (after the March lotteries). Cancellations reopen sites all summer. October trips are walk-up only.

Quota seasons: June 15 to September 30, 2026; June 15 to September 30, 2027 - off-season: Outside June 15 – September 30 there are no advance reservations - backcountry permits are walk-up only at ranger stations.

Your odds

Glacier has not published application totals for its March lotteries, so exact odds are unknown. What the lottery awards is an early-access booking appointment, not a permit: standard-lottery winners book between late March and the end of April, ahead of the May 1 general on-sale.

What is certain is that demand far exceeds supply. Prime itineraries along the Highline, Gunsight Pass, and Boulder Pass corridors are typically claimed during the early-access window, and the remaining high-demand summer dates go quickly once the May 1 general sale opens.

The honest takeaway: treat the lottery as a bonus rather than a plan. Build flexible itineraries, and lean on cancellation watching, because individual campgrounds reopen throughout the summer as parties re-route or cancel.

Source: NPS Glacier wilderness camping advance reservation pages; the park publishes no official application statistics. Last checked July 2026.

Fees

  • Reservation: $7 per reservation (non-refundable)
  • Per person, per night: $7 per person per night

How to get a Glacier National Park permit

  1. Choose your route and the backcountry campgrounds you want to string together (for example along the Highline, Gunsight Pass, or Boulder Pass), and set your dates.
  2. If you want a large-group or standard early-access permit, apply in the March lotteries for trips June 15 – September 30 (the lottery is separate and not tracked here).
  3. General advance reservations for the whole June 15 – September 30 season go on sale May 1 at 8:00 AM Mountain Time, first-come, first-served on recreation.gov.
  4. Book the moment your sites open; cancellations then reopen sites throughout the summer.
  5. For October trips or after online dates fill, permits are walk-up only at ranger stations. For sold-out summer dates, Permit Ranger can alert you when a spot reopens.

Notable trails

Glacier's backcountry campgrounds sit along its classic hiking corridors. Here are notable trails that reach the permit's most popular sites.

Top passes in this area

The most in-demand Glacier National Park entry points, each with its own detail page.

Frequently asked questions

When do Glacier National Park permits open?

Advance reservations cover June 15 – September 30 and go on sale all at once on May 1 at 8:00 AM Mountain Time (after the March lotteries). Cancellations reopen sites all summer. October trips are walk-up only. Exact on-sale details are on the recreation.gov permit page.

What if my dates are sold out?

Cancellations open up all season. Watch the passes you want on Permit Ranger and you get an instant alert when a date you need becomes bookable.

Does Permit Ranger book the permit for me?

No. Permit Ranger alerts you the moment a watched date opens, with a direct booking link, but the booking is always yours to make on recreation.gov.

More permits in Montana

Permits awarded by lottery

Last-minute & walk-up friendly permits

Plan ahead

Sold-out dates reopen all the time from cancellations and quota drops. Permit Ranger checks recreation.gov around the clock and alerts you the moment your dates open. It never books for you.

Browse Glacier National Park passes · Book on recreation.gov