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A backcountry permit is required for all overnight use of the backcountry including overnight hiking, overnight horseback riding, overnight crosscountry ski trips, off river overnight hikes by river trip members, and overnight camping at rim sites other than developed campgrounds. A backcountry permit is not required for overnight stays at the dormitories or cabins at Phantom Ranch.
Backcountry travelers must have their permit in their possession while in the backcountry. Once a camp is established, the permit must be attached to a pack, tent, or other equipment in plain view so it can be easily checked by rangers.
Permits are valid only for the trip leader, itinerary, number of people, and dates specified on the permit. Permits for all overnight backcountry use must be obtained through the Backcountry Information Center at Grand Canyon National Park.
A permit is not required for day hiking or day horseback riding in the canyon. Livestock use is limited to Corridor Trails only. Entry and/or exploration of any caves and mines must be approved in advance through Grand Canyon National Park.
Reservations for overnight tent or RV camping in developed campgrounds on the canyon rims (Mather, Desert View, North Rim) are not obtained through the Backcountry Information Center. The Backcountry Information Center does not make reservations for river trips, mule trips, Phantom Ranch lodging or meals, or trips into the canyon on the Havasupai Indian Reservation. To obtain additional information or reservations for these activities, please contact Amfac Parks and Resorts at: 303-297-2757. Contact the Havasupai at: 928-448-2141.
Availability of Permits
The demand for permits far exceeds the use limits established to protect the canyon and the quality of the user's backpacking experience. Advance reservations are strongly recommended. Below are suggestions for maximizing your chances of obtaining a permit.
Click here for Backcountry Permit Procedures.
Backcountry Permit Request Form. NOTE: This is an Adobe 58k pdf file. You must print the form, fill it out, and then fax/mail it directly to the Backcountry Information Center.
When to Apply To improve chances of obtaining an overnight backcountry use permit, requests should be made on the first of the month, four months prior to the proposed start date. This is the earliest allowable time.
| For Dates Through: | Apply On or After: |
| Jan | Sep 01 |
| Feb | Oct 01 |
| Mar | Nov 01 |
| Apr | Dec 01 |
| May | Jan 01 |
| Jun | Feb 01 |
| Jul | Mar 01 |
| Aug | Apr 01 |
| Sep | May 01 |
| Oct | Jun 01 |
| Nov | Jul 01 |
| Dec | Aug 01 |
Fees
There is a non refundable fee of $ 10.00 per permit plus $ 5.00 per person per night camped below the rim and $ 5.00 per group per night camped above the rim. Frequent users may wish to purchase a one year Frequent Hiker membership for $ 25.00 that waives the initial $ 10.00 fee for each permit obtained by the trip leader for twelve months from the date of purchase.
When sending in a permit request, the preferred method of payment is Visa, MasterCard, or Discover. Please be sure to indicate the maximum amount you authorize the Backcountry Information Center to charge so that your longest trip alternative can be considered.
Permit holders will be responsible for paying park entrance fees upon arrival.
South Bass Trail and Pasture Wash Trail visitors may be charged an additional fee by the tribe for crossing the Havasupai Indian Reservation.
How to Apply
There are four ways to apply:
The Backcountry Information Center treats all requests on a first come first served basis with the following two exceptions:
Permit Responses
All written requests are responded to through US Postal Service - never by fax. Please allow at least three weeks for processing. Due to the volume of requests received, the park cannot confirm receipt of requests until they have been fully processed. When space is available and all fee requirements are met, a permit will be issued and mailed to the trip leader. The permit is valid only for the trip leader named on the permit. Overnight hikers are not permitted to enter the canyon without a valid permit in the trip leader's possession.
If you have been denied a permit through the mail, you may want to consider day hikes or attempt to obtain a last minute, walk in permit.
Don't Forget to Include with your Request:
Use Areas
The backcountry is divided into "use areas". Each use area has an overnight capacity based upon the size of the area, the number of suitable and available campsites, its ecological sensitivity, its management zoning, and its use history. Use areas range in size from several hundred acres to several thousand acres.
Length of Stay
Camping in the Corridor, Hermit, Monument, Horseshoe Mesa, and Tapeats Use Areas is limited to designated campsites or campgrounds only. Camping in these designated campsites or campgrounds is limited to two nights (consecutive or non consecutive) per campsite or campground per hike. One exception is made to this rule: from 15 Nov - 28 Feb, up to four nights will be allowed in popular corridor campgrounds.
Outside the use areas named above, "at large" camping is permitted, meaning that camps are not limited to designated sites.
Trips are limited to a maximum of 7 nights per use area; however, overall trip lengths are not limited.
Group Size
More permits are available for small groups (1 - 6 people) than for large groups (7 - 11 people). Because there are only a few large group sites, limiting the size of your group will increase your chances of obtaining a permit.
Larger groups tend to cause a disproportionately higher amount of damage to the canyon, largely due to the effects of "social" trailing. For this reason, the park’s Backcountry Management Plan does not allow groups larger than eleven people to camp in the same campground or use area.
Regulations stipulate that all permits are void when a group obtains multiple permits for the same campground or use area for the same night. The alternative for these larger groups is to obtain permits for smaller groups and ensure the itineraries for these permits never bring more than one of the permits into the same campground or use area on the same night. No more than four large groups or eight small groups that are affiliated with each other may camp within the backcountry on the same night.
Commercial Use
In addition to following all normal backcountry permit requirements, commercial organizations must obtain an Incidental Use Permit. Contact the park’s Concession Management Office at: 928-638-7713 for further information.
North Rim Winter Use
During the winter season (approximately late Oct through mid May), a Backcountry Permit is required for overnight use of the North Rim from the park's northern boundary to Bright Angel Point on the canyon rim. Winter access is by hiking, snowshoeing, or crosscountry skiing.
Permittees are allowed to camp at large between the park's north boundary and the North Kaibab trailhead but not at the trailhead itself. Between the North Kaibab trailhead and the Bright Angel Point area, camping is permitted only at the North Rim Campground group campsite.
Human waste may not be buried in the snow in areas that will be in view of summer users.
Last Minute Permit Availability
People without a permit may be able to obtain one upon their arrival, in person, at the Backcountry Information Center. However, permits are very difficult to obtain during popular seasons.
When demand for campsites exceeds supply, a waiting list procedure is implemented. Participation in this procedure is limited to walk in visitors only. Obtaining a same day permit is unlikely; anticipate a 1 to 3 day (or longer) wait.
People may participate in the waiting list for as many consecutive days as are necessary to obtain a permit. However, those on the waiting list must be present at the Backcountry Information Center at 8:00 am Mountain Standard Time each day in order to maintain their position on the waiting list.
Remote Sites
With a valid credit card, last minute permits may sometimes be obtained from rangers on duty at the Tuweep, Meadview, and Lees Ferry ranger stations for a limited number of use areas in their vicinities. However, these rangers have other patrol responsibilities and may not be available to provide assistance. It is recommended that all trips be planned well in advance.
Pipe Spring National Monument near Fredonia, the Kaibab Plateau Visitor Center at Jacob Lake, and the Bureau of Land Management offices in St.George and Kanab, Utah have similar arrangements for issuing remote site permits.
