Home to some of the most beautiful natural wonders on the planet, America’s national parks are unlike anywhere else on Earth. As more and more people are making the most of the great outdoors, the number of park visitors is on the rise. To keep places less crowded and maintain their natural beauty, several of the most popular parks and recreation areas have introduced lottery systems for visitors.
Read on as we take a look at some of the best travel lotteries across the US you can enter...
Nestled within California’s spectacular Sierra Mountains, at 14,494 feet (4,418m) tall, Mount Whitney is the highest peak of the lower 48 states. Hiking or backpacking up the incredible mountain requires a permit year-round which you can win through the Mount Whitney lottery. Though the lottery closed for 2024 entrants on 1 March, any unclaimed date slots from it will be released for reservation online on 22 April at 7am PST.
Permit winners can explore the famous Mount Whitney trail, which takes travellers on a challenging 22-mile (35.4km) round-trip to the rocky peak and back, offering jaw-dropping views across the wilderness and mountain scenery. The trail begins in the Inyo National Forest, gaining over 6,200 feet (1,890m) in elevation before reaching the Mount Whitney summit in Sequoia National Park.
Lying at the bottom of one of the world’s most incredible natural wonders, Phantom Ranch is the only lodging facility below the Grand Canyon’s rim. With its remote location, the ranch can only be reached by mule, on foot or by rafting on the Colorado River. Built in the 1920s, the ranch includes dormitories, cabins and a canteen. Due to necessary repairs, the dormitories are currently closed, but to stay in the cabins and secure an overnight mule ride, guests will need to enter a lottery between the 1st and 25th of the 15th month before their desired month of stay.
Nestled along the Colorado River and tucked beside Bright Angel Creek, the ranch is around 4,600 feet (1,402m) below the canyon’s South Rim. Surrounded by the Grand Canyon’s stunning and mostly untouched landscape, the ranch has become a popular stop-over point for hikers and mule riders travelling to the bottom of the rim. With no phones or televisions, the lodge is the perfect spot for a secluded stay.
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On the Alaskan Peninsula, the McNeil River State Game Sanctuary protects the largest concentration of brown bears in the world. Those wanting to see the bears will need to apply for the permit lottery which costs £24 ($30) to enter. After winning, guided viewing permits for visiting the sanctuary and attending bear viewing sessions cost £178 ($225) for Alaskan residents and £414 ($525) for non-residents. Camp-standby viewing permits allow visitors to camp and see the bears from the beach and campground area, and cost £84 ($112) for residents and £206 ($262) for non-residents.
Spread across 200 square miles (518sq km), the sanctuary is home to an abundance of wildlife including moose, wolves, bald eagles and waterfowl. Guided viewing permit winners will stay at a campground and watch the bears feed for typically six to seven hours a day. The permits are valid for a four-day period between 7 June and 25 August. Those interested can apply online or via a mail-in application by 1 March of the year you wish to visit.
With its jagged peaks, deep forest valleys, tumbling waterfalls and glittering glaciers, Washington’s North Cascades National Park is brimming with natural beauty. To stay overnight in the park’s backcountry landscape, permits are needed year-round. Those wanting a permit during peak season can apply for the early access lottery, which costs £5 ($6) to enter with a flat fee of £16 ($20) per permit. The lottery closed for 2024 entrants on 15 March, but if you were successful, you can then make an Early Access reservation between 25 March and 23 April.
The park’s backcountry spans everything from pretty turquoise lakes to rugged mountain scenery, with almost 400 miles (644km) of trails slicing through it, making it ideal for climbing, hiking and camping. Visitors are limited to 14 days for the backcountry permit and 30 days per calendar year.
Soaring nearly 5,000 feet (1,524m) above Yosemite Valley, Half Dome is one of Yosemite National Park’s most striking sights. Visitors need a permit to hike the cables, which trail up the granite dome for safety and conservation purposes. Day hike permits are available via two lotteries: a preseason lottery which closes on 31 March 2024, and a two-day-in-advance lottery that dispenses a small number of day permits every day that the cables are up (until 19 May).
The Half Dome Cable Hike is a thrilling 16-mile (25.7km) round-trip with an elevation of up to 4,800 feet (1,463m) and takes about 10 to 12 hours to complete depending on skill level and weather. Those who reach the top of Half Dome will be rewarded with incredible views of Nevada Fall, Liberty Cap and Vernal Fall as well as sweeping panoramas across Yosemite Valley and the High Sierra mountains.
A wild and remote landscape, Coyote Buttes includes the famous Wave, a distinctive red sandstone rock formation nestled between eroded sandstone domes. The rock layers have swirling patterns and have become one of the most photographed destinations in the southwest. The hike to the rocks is a challenging 6.4-mile (10.3km) round-trip through the wilderness, dotted with an array of incredible rock formations. The advance lottery for July is open now until 31 March 2024, or you can enter the daily lottery, where applications must be submitted two days before your planned hike.
Nicknamed 'the Great West Canyon', Left Fork is often hailed as one of the most beautiful canyons in Zion. The deep gorge can be explored either by canyoneering or hiking, which requires a permit. An online advance lottery is held for all canyon trips between April and October, and applications must be submitted two months prior to your planned trip with up to three prioritised dates and a £5 ($6) fee. The permit is £8 ($10) per person.
Permit winners can explore the canyon’s most prominent feature, known as 'The Subway', which is a pretty slot canyon featuring tumbling waterfalls, deep pools and narrow channels. Water flows through the long tubular passage with only a small opening above with waterfalls plunging down, making it a challenging climb. Some of the pools are so deep that visitors will have to swim or wade through them, and the water can be cold.
The world’s first national park which spans Wyoming, Montana and Idaho attracts around four million visitors each year. Those wanting to stay overnight in the park’s backcountry can enter the permit lottery which allows visitors to stay in a designated campsite. The early access lottery costs £8 ($10) to enter, with a recreation fee of £4 ($5) per person per night. The deadline for early access applications in 2024 has closed but keep an eye out for next year.
Beyond its more developed areas, Yellowstone is home to 293 designated backcountry campsites and over 1,000 miles (1,609km) of trails through its diverse mountainous landscape. The maximum stay per campsite ranges from one to three nights per trip, while group size limits are between four to 12 people.
Once known as the Temple of Aeolus, with its incredible canyon scenery, Angels Landing in Utah is one of the most popular destinations in Zion National Park. Permits are needed to hike the rock formation, obtained through either a seasonal or day-before lottery. You can apply for a permit for up to six people, the application fee costs £5 ($6) plus a fee of £2.50 ($3) per person for the permit. The deadline for the next permit lottery (for 1 June to 31 August) is 30 April 2024.
One of the world’s most renowned hikes, Zion Canyon’s 270-million-year-old ochre-hued landscape is truly breathtaking. An exhilarating trail was carved out in 1926 and climbs up to 5,790 feet (1,765m) in elevation towards the rocky summit. Hikers that are brave enough to reach the top are rewarded with jaw-dropping views across the park and beyond.
Located in northwest Montana, Glacier National Park is a hiker’s and camper's paradise. Standard group lottery applications for one to eight campers and large group lottery applications (nine to 12 campers) are now closed for 2024. However, from 1 May to 30 September 2024, all wilderness campgrounds not reserved will become available to the general public at the Recreation.gov website.
A landscape of lofty peaks, ice-carved valleys, alpine lakes and rocky ridges blanketed in forests, the beauty of Glacier National Park is everywhere you look. The park’s wilderness area is made up of nearly one million acres of landscape with over 700 miles (1,126.5km) of trails slicing through it.