Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore Permit Guide 2026

Michigan · No dogs in the backcountry

By Casey Rowan, Permit Ranger

Last updated August 1, 2026

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore on Michigan's Upper Peninsula is famous for its colorful sandstone cliffs, waterfalls, and beaches along Lake Superior, with the Lakeshore Trail linking a string of backcountry camps. A backcountry camping permit reserves a specific hike-to, group, or boat-in site for each night of your trip. Popular camp loops near the cliffs and summer weekends fill quickly, so booking early matters.

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore issues its wilderness permits through recreation.gov, and popular passes sell out ahead of the season. Backcountry permits open on a rolling 6-month window, advancing each morning at 10:00 AM Eastern (7:00 AM Pacific). One reservation covers your whole party (per-site booking), year-round. Permit Ranger watches every pass here and alerts you the moment a sold-out date opens.

When permits are released

Backcountry permits open on a rolling 6-month window, advancing each morning at 10:00 AM Eastern (7:00 AM Pacific). One reservation covers your whole party (per-site booking), year-round.

Fees

Reservation: $15 per permit (non-refundable)
Per person, per night: $5 per person per night

How to get a Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore permit

Plan your itinerary by choosing which backcountry camp loops and sites you want for each night of your trip. Each site is a reservation that covers your whole party.
Reservations open on a rolling 6-month window, advancing each morning at 10:00 AM Eastern (7:00 AM Pacific). Six months before your entry date, that date becomes bookable.
Book your sites on recreation.gov the morning your dates open, since the most popular sites can go within minutes.
If a site is already reserved, keep watching - cancellations return sites to inventory. Permit Ranger can alert you the moment a sold-out Pictured Rocks site reopens.

Notable trails

Chapel Beach Loop - 4.8 on AllTrails
Pictured Rocks Lakeshore Trail - 4.7 on AllTrails
Mosquito Falls and Mosquito Beach Loop - 4.6 on AllTrails
Au Sable Point Lighthouse from Au Sable Point Campground - 4.6 on AllTrails

Top passes in this area

The most in-demand Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore entry points, each with its own detail page.

Frequently asked questions

When do Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore permits open?

Backcountry permits open on a rolling 6-month window, advancing each morning at 10:00 AM Eastern (7:00 AM Pacific). One reservation covers your whole party (per-site booking), year-round. 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 Michigan

Plan ahead

Wilderness permit release calendar

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 Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore passes · Book on recreation.gov