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When Do Backpacking Reservations Open for Washington State National Parks? (2023)

Washington State is home to 3 National Parks: Mount Rainier National Park, Olympic National Park, and North Cascades National Park. All 3 of these National Parks can get extremely busy during Washington State's short summer, and it might feel impossible to snag backpacking permits on short notice.


For those of you who have been following my blog or Instagram account for a while now, you might know that I love Washington State's national parks. In fact, it's part of my journey to fully explore every single mapped trail in Washington State's 3 National Parks and report back to you which ones are worth your time to explore.


In this post, I'll be summarizing when summertime reservations will open up for Mount Rainier National Park, Olympic National Park, North Cascades National Park, and as a bonus I'll also provide information on when reservations for The Enchantments open.


I highly encourage you to bookmark this page for later!

 

Contents

 

When will backpacking permit reservations open for Mount Rainier National Park in 2023?

Mount Rainier National Park in summer as viewed from Sunrise
Mount Rainier National Park

Mount Rainier National Park is a can't-miss destination for anyone visiting Seattle. Advanced reservations are recommended during peak season.


Peak season at Mount Rainier National Park is 06/01/23-10/10/23.


Here's a summary of when Mount Rainier National Park reservations will open:

Date

Event

Late February - Early March (TBD)

The Wonderland Trail Early Access Lottery opens

03/21/23-04/19/23

The Wonderland Trail Early Access Lottery winners can secure a single reservation

​04/25/23

General reservations become available

You will be able to make reservations through recreation.gov. For more information, check out the Mount Rainier National Park website.


Not sure where to go? One of my favorites in 2022 was The Northern Loop.



When will backpacking permit reservations open up for Olympic National Park in 2023?


Olympic National Park as viewed from Dodger Point
Olympic National Park

Olympic National Park is one of my favorites due to how expansive the park is with multiple distinct regions and micro-climates. Advanced reservations are required during peak season.


Peak season at Olympic National Park is 05/15/23-10/15/23.


Here's a summary of when reservations will open:

Date

Event

04/15/23

Reservations open

You will be able to make reservations through recreation.gov. For more information, check out the Olympic National Park Website.


Not sure where to go? My favorite backpacking trips in Washington State have been from Hurricane Ridge to Dodger Point and along the Olympic Coast.


When will backpacking permit reservations open up for North Cascades National Park in 2023?


Views of North Cascades National Park along the Big Beaver Trail
North Cascades National Park

North Cascades National Park has a wide diversity of backcountry camping options. The main part of the park features numerous boat-in campsites, while the Stehekin region is something else to explore altogether (beyond the scope of this blog post!) Advanced reservations are recommended during peak season.


Peak season at North Cascades National Park is 05/19/23-10/07/23.


Here's a summary of when reservations will open:


Date

Event

03/06/23-03/17/23

Early Access Lottery Applications are open

03/27/23-04/25/23

Early Access Lottery Winners may make reservations

05/01/23

General reservations open

You will be able to make reservations through recreation.gov. For more information, check out the North Cascades National Park website.


Not sure where to go? Check out the Big Beaver Trail.


When will backpacking permit reservations open up for The Enchantments in 2023?

View of an Alpine Lake in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness
Not the Enchantments, but another great view from the Alpine Lakes Wilderness region

While the Enchantments are not part of the National Parks System, permits to backpack in the Enchantments are some of the most coveted in Washington State. For many Washington State backpackers, it is a rite of passage to backpack through the Enchantments. Reservations are required to camp in the Enchantments during peak season.


Peak Season in The Enchantments is 05/15/23-10/31/23.


Here's a summary of when reservations will open:

Date

Event

02/15/23-03/01/23

Lottery opens

03/17/23-03/31/23

Lottery winners must confirm their availability

04/01/23

Unclaimed days will reopen for reservation

You will be able to make reservations through recreation.gov.


You weren't able to snag a reservation for the Enchantments? Here are some other spectacular backpacking routes to check out in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness: Salmon La Sac to Kendall Katwalk or Jade Lake.


 

What are the ACTUAL best months during summer to backpack through Washington State's National Parks?

A valley along the Salmon La Sac to Kendall Katwalk route in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness
Can you believe this was taken September?

Washington State has notoriously short but beautiful summers. If you're planning a backpacking trip to Washington State, there are only 2 months during summer that I think are actually worth making reservations for: July and September.


Let me explain--


May - Not Recommended

While May is widely considered to be summer in many other states, May in the mountains of the Pacific Northwest is practically still winter. At most destinations, use of proper snow gear (snowshoes/microspikes, glacier glasses, snow stakes, etc) is still recommended all throughout the month.


June - Not Recommended

In June, snow is melting in full force in the mountains. Throughout the entire month of June, you can still expect to find patches of snow in many of the mountainous regions of the National Parks, but some lowland hikes may be free of snow! Washington State's legendary wildflowers will not yet be in bloom in most parts of the state. Because snow is melting at such a high rate, any un-bridged creek or river crossing along your desired trail may be flooded -- and no one likes a nearly freezing waist-high creek crossing right?


July - Recommended

July is when summer really begins in earnest in Washington State. The best time for a backpacking trip in July is mid- to late- July. At this point, most trails and backcountry campgrounds should be snow-free with the exception of some occasional shady regions. Mid- to late-July is also when wildflower season is in full swing!


One downside to backpacking in July is that July is when mosquitos seem to be most active, especially near standing water (alpine lakes, I'm looking at you). If mosquitos and wildflowers are not your jam, September may be right for you!


August - Not Recommended

At this point, you might be thinking, "Sarah, you recommended July and September. What's wrong with August?"


Wildfires.


Don't get me wrong. On a weekend when there aren't wildfires around, August can be a really beautiful month to enjoy Washington State's great outdoors. However, wildfire season appears to be a yearly event that strikes around August, but it can be impossible to predict when wildfires will be raging on. The reason I don't recommend snagging an early reservation in August is that you may have to relinquish your plans at the last minute. Instead, check out my tips below on how to snag backpacking permits without advanced reservations.


September - Recommended

September is another great month for backpacking. Although wildflower season will be long gone by the time September rolls around, it seems like bugs will be long gone too. In September, you will still get all the benefits of long summer days along with gorgeous snow-free alpine views. In late September, you can also begin to enjoy as Washington State's forests begin to take on beautiful golden fall foliage. Check out trails with larches in late September.


October - Not Recommended

October, especially mid-to-late October, is when Washington State becomes overcast and rainy. If you're backpacking in the mountains, rain in the lowlands may transition to snow as you climb higher in elevation. This is unpleasant at best but can be life-threatening if you're not prepared for these conditions.

 

What can I do if I wasn't able to snag a backpacking reservation on my desired date?

Marmot loafing on a rock in Mount Rainier National Park
I feel you

It's not the end of the world! Frankly, I'm not a huge fan of making advanced reservations either. Living life spontaneously can be a good thing!


Some of Washington's National Parks have policies established to support its spontaneous outdoors-people. Mount Rainier National Park reserves around 33% of its campsites for walk-up permits and North Cascades National Park reserves around 40% of its campsites for walk-ups. Additionally, both Mount Rainier National Park and North Cascades National Park will release no-show permits to late-starting backpackers at 12pm and 11am respectively.


Alternatively, you can also try backpacking through the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. Outside of The Enchantments, the Alpine Lakes Wilderness backcountry does not require advanced reservations of any sort.

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Hi There!

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I'm Sarah, and I'm a backpacker based out of Washington State.

 

I started this blog in 2022 to share the best hiker-oriented destinations for others to enjoy one weekend at a time.

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