Zion National Park Overnight Wilderness Permits
This page allows you to book a permit reservation for overnight Wilderness (backpacking) trips. Overnight backpacking requires hiking multiple miles from the nearest trailhead and carrying all of your necessary gear for the night.
Find Overnight Narrows Permits, canyoneering permits, Overnight Climbing (bivouac) Permits and Angels Landing permits on separate pages, starting from the Recreation.gov Zion gateway menu.
Notifications and Alerts
Starting June 7, 2026, Zion National Park will enforce vehicle size and weight limits on the Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway (ZMCH) from Canyon Junction to the East Entrance. Learn more at https://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/large-vehicles.htm .
Permit & Season Information
A permit is required for all Wilderness camping trips in Zion National Park. All persons who intend to sleep overnight, camp, or bivouac in the Wilderness, or who are in possession of equipment designed for overnight use in the backcountry, must obtain a Wilderness permit and have it with you.
- The park limits the number of Wilderness permits to reduce impacts.
- One Wilderness permit allows up to 14 consecutive nights within Zion National Park's Wilderness.
- Half of all Wilderness campsites may be reserved in advance, online.
- The remaining sites are filled on a first-come, first-served basis in person at a Wilderness Permit Desk during Operating Hours, no more than one day before the trip begins.
- The permit is valid only for the number of people, dates and locations shown on the permit.
Need to Know
When planning your trip, please keep in mind:
This page allows you to book a reservation for a Wilderness overnight permit. It does not guarantee that the trail or route will be open or accessible on the permit date(s). Trails, campsites, and even the entire park may be closed due to fires, floods, rock falls, or other reasons.
A Wilderness permit is required year-round for any overnight stay in the Zion Wilderness.
Change your itinerary in advance (subject to availability) through your Recreation.gov user profile (“My Reservations”) or in person at a Zion Wilderness Permit Station. It is not possible to change your entry date. Increasing group size will incur additional fees.
Reservation permit fees are non-refundable.
Wilderness camping and travel is subject to Wilderness regulations. All trip participants are responsible for knowing and obeying Wilderness permit conditions.
Your reservation confirmation email is not a Wilderness permit and cannot be used for Wilderness travel. Bring your reservation confirmation email and proof of identity to a Zion Wilderness Permit Station to pick up your permit.
All food and scented items need to be stored in a bearproof canister or a bag and hung from a tree. Hung bags should be 10 feet off the ground and 4 feet from the trunk of the tree.
Lava Point Road and access to the Upper West Rim Trailhead will close for the winter/spring season. Check the Zion National Park website for current information.
You must pick up your permit in person during operating hours at the Zion Canyon Visitor Center Wilderness Desk the day before, or day of permit entry date.
Fee Policy
Permit Fee: $20 per permit (non-refundable)
Per Person Fee: $7 per person per night (refundable)
The same fees are charged for first-come, first-served permits that are issued in person. This fee supports the permit and reservation management system.
Cancellation Policy
Per person fees are refundable if the permit is cancelled or modified to a smaller group size before 5pm the day of the trip. The $20 permit fee is non-refundable in all circumstances.
Contact Information
Mailing Address
1 Zion Park Blvd Springdale UT 84767
Phone Number
435-772-0170
