Embarking on the 2,650-mile Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) involves a plethora of planning, from gear to resupply, but the most basic (and essential) part of planning is getting a permit. The first of two permit application windows for next year opened last week, and the multi-step process can be a bit complicated. Here’s everything you need to know about getting a permit for 2027, and what you can do to increase your shot of nabbing one of these coveted passes.
Who Needs to Get a Permit?
If you plan to hike (or travel by horse on) more than 500 continuous miles of the PCT in a single trip, you will need a PCT inter-agency long-distance permit. This means if you are doing an extended section hike of the trail, you will need one of these permits. The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) has authorized the Pacific Crest Trail Association (PCTA) to issue these documents. The USFS limits the number of permits in order to minimize human impacts on fragile ecosystems.
These permits make it easy for thru-hikers, who traverse a multitude of state and federal-controlled land areas. To get a permit for each individual area would be a massive headache that the the long-distance permit allows you to avoid. Provided that you follow all laws, rules, and regulations that apply to the areas that you pass through, this single permit will cover you for the entirety of your trip. Permits are free.
How Do I Get a Permit?
The permit application process has three phrases. First, you must register as an applicant. This is not an application; rather, it allows you to later apply. You enter your phone, email, address, and other personal information. There are two registration windows this year: from Oct. 15 – Oct. 22 and Nov. 5 – Dec. 11. Even if you have applied for a permit in the past, you must re-register again each calendar year.
The day before permit release day, you will receive an email from the PCTA with a personal, randomized time to apply. At that time, you’ll input your starting and ending dates and locations, and then submit your application. Within three weeks, the PCTA will then email applicants notifying notifying them if their permit application was successful.
There are two permit release days: Nov. 4 and and Jan. 13. Thru-hikers and section hikers starting south of Sonora Pass and going northbound with starting dates between Mar. 1 and May 31 can apply on both dates. Those who are going southbound, and all other hikers whose routes don’t fit the above description, can only apply on the second date.
Finally, on Jan. 14, people can register and apply for any permits that are left.
Permits can be changed any time up to three weeks before the start date. The only modifications you can make are to either cancel your permit or move the end location or end date. The PCTA asks those who need to cancel their permit to do so as soon as possible, so that slot can be made available to someone else. You must print your permit and carry it with you at all times for it to be valid.
How Can I Increase My Chances of Getting a Permit?
Data shows that 90% of thru-hikers go northbound on the PCT, making it the most competitive kind of permit to obtain. Hiking southbound on the PCT is a less social experience with a faster pace (due to needing to beat the snow in the Sierra Nevadas), but if you can accept those modifications, you’ll boost your chances of being able to get on the PCT. In 2024, the PCTA issued 3,935 NOBO thru-hiker permits and 532 SOBO permits.
The other option to better your chances is to apply for a “flip flop” permit, which means you do separate but adjacent 500-mile chunks of trail. First, submit a permit application for one “chunk,” and then email the PCTA your itinerary for the other chunks.
For those looking to get a permit for a long-distance section hike, choose your route carefully. Avoiding in-demand areas like the Sierras and Yosemite National Park will likely increase your odds of success. For more information on choosing the dates for your trip, consult resources on the PCTA’s website.
