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The National Parks Service website (www.nps.gov) shows the dates that are fully allocated for permits in the Wilderness Permits area of the website. The price for a wilderness permit was $5 per person plus $5 processing fee in 2014. Backpacking the JMT from north-to-south (as in this guidebook) automatically includes a permit for Mount Whitney, but if the walk is made from south to north, then an additional fee of $15 may be levied for the ascent of Whitney.

Note that permits are also issued at Happy Valley, and may be available there if the Yosemite ones have all been issued.

It is advisable to pick up your permit from the Rangers’ Office the afternoon before you plan to set out on your hike.

TREKKING PERMITS

The whole concept of trekking permits is alien to the British and European way of managing wilderness areas, and imposes restrictions on freedoms which elsewhere are considered to be fundamental rights. Do remember, however, that America has much greater areas of unspoilt wilderness than the Old World, and its conservation of these areas is to be congratulated. Restricting and controlling the numbers of humans allowed into the wilderness areas of its national parks has done much to protect and preserve these mountain wonderlands for future generations. As a guest in the US, do respect their way of doing things. Be patient and tolerant of the permit system.