Desolation Wilderness permits

[Wandering Daisy]

Desolation Wilderness is a special fee area. Just want to remind folks that you can buy an annual Wilderness Permit for $20. You buy one at any of the permit stations. This information is well hidden in the Eldorado Forest web page! And you have to specifically ask for it at the ranger stations. I find that the annual permit is best for me even though I only do a few trips, but each is 3-5 days. You still have to get a permit each trip (they have trail quotas) but instead of paying each time, just show the annual card.

[TahoeJeff]

But the annual permit doesn't work at recreation.gov, for reservations does it?

[Wandering Daisy]

Res.gov adds on a processing fee for the reservation. For that reason, I never use it. I believe you still have to show up at the ranger station to pick up your permit. I buy my permit on my first trip; each trip is then punched on the card (at least used to be that way). If you use reservation.gov I do not know if you pay both reservation and daily fee at the same time. You would have to try to make a reservation and see if they charge for both the reservation and the daily permit and if so, is there a place to put your annual permit ID number. At any rate, for me, getting a permit in person is easy; Hwy 50 station for the west side; Tahoe ranger station for the west side. If you are a little flexible, start mid-week, and are not in a large group, reservations are rarely needed.

[SSSdave]

Thanks for that information that I was not aware of.

Of all our quota wilderness areas, Desolation has the best online process though one does indeed pay a fee. One can reserve, pay for with credit card, then immediately print out permits at home. And then are free to immediately start hiking on the entry date without visiting any ranger stations. They provide all the policy links to read online. They also have quota zones that one can actually view online that offers other possibilities of getting around quota issues. Last summer I backpacked into Aloha by legally hiking from the main PCT Echo Lake trail but instead stayed the first night in an adjacent zone. The next morning I looking down at Aloha within an hour.

[FeetFirst]

When finalizing your permit order on Recreation.gov, under the "group size" section, there's an option to enter the number of "annual fee card" holders in the group, which waives the $5 permit fee per card holder accordingly. You're still hit with the reservation fee.

[TahoeJeff]

Thanks FF for the info!