Enchantments Overnight Permits

The majority (75%) of available permits are issued through an advanced permit lottery. The lottery is highly competitive and typically less than 10% of applicants are successful in obtaining a permit. 

To apply to the advanced permit lottery:

1. Set up an account at recreation.gov. This can be done at any time. Your account will also allow you to reserve other permits or campsites that are part of the National Recreation Reservation Service system, and to utilize Scan and Pay to pay recreation fees electronically at participating sites.
2. Pay attention to the lottery dates. Visit the Enchantments Advanced Lottery page on recreation.gov in January to find out about specific timeframes for that calendar year. The lottery application window typically opens February 15 and runs for approximately two weeks.
3. Fill out an application.  Do this by searching for “Enchantment Permit Area” in the website's search box or visit https://www.recreation.gov/permits/233273.  On this page you will be able to view all rules and regulations, select your preferred zone and entry dates, and submit your application for the lottery.
4. Carefully check your application before submitting. Entry dates, alternates, and zones CANNOT be changed after the lottery application is submitted.
   1. You may submit ONE application per person with up to 2 alternate choices.   
   2. If you accept an alternate role and are awarded a permit, you will not be able to hold another permit during the same season for any zone.
   3. When you submit your application, you will be charged a $6 non-refundable application fee.
5. Check back to find out if you were successful in the lottery. Lottery results are posted around March 15. You must return to recreation.gov and log in to your account to find out the results of your application. Do not wait for an email to notify you if you were successful.

If you were successful, congratulations! Please read on to learn more about next steps BEFORE accepting and downloading your permit. 

A small number of permits are typically distributed through the Enchantment Permit Area Daily Lottery. The daily lottery has been closed this year, please check back in 2026.

After the advanced lottery permits are awarded, any dates that are not claimed are released back into the system and are available to reserve though recreation.gov. Those who did not apply for the lottery, or those who applied for the lottery but did not get awarded a permit, will be able to search for and reserve available dates. These first come, first served dates are very limited and go quickly, as most available dates are booked during the lottery.

Check back on recreation.gov throughout the permit season, as occasionally permits are cancelled and those dates are made available for reservations. Cancelled permits are released back into the system immediately, so there is no schedule or way to know when or if they may come available. 

Please read the following instructions carefully before confirming your accepting and printing your permit

• You must confirm and pay for your permit NO LATER than the date and time shown in recreation.gov. Any unconfirmed reservations will be made be released back into the system on April 1, so there is no option to claim permits after the deadline.
• Print and sign permit. Permit holders must print permits online through recreation.gov. You no longer can pick up your permit at the Ranger Station. Permit holders will be able to print their permit online within 14 days prior to their trip start date. The group leader must read, sign and carry their permit, along with a valid photo identification, for the duration of their trip. Permit holders must be prepared to present their permit/ID to a Forest Officer upon request. Every group member must carry a copy of permit. Important: Once you print your permit, you can no longer make any changes to your permit. Do not print your permit until you are certain you do not want to add people  (except for the Core Zone) or days to your permit. 

Cancellations

Once confirmed, awarded trips may be cancelled with a refund of the permit fee up to 22 days before the trip. The $6 reservation fee is nonrefundable. There is no refund of the permit fee if the trip is cancelled within 21 days of the trip start date -- no exceptions. If you are unable to use your permit, please take the time to cancel your reservation through Recreation.Gov or the NRRS reservation line, even when a refund is not due, so that another group will have a chance to book a permit. No refunds will be given for adverse weather conditions. Cancellations to a reservation can be made via Recreation.gov or by calling the NRRS reservation line at 1-877-444-6777

Changes

Changes to a reservation can be made via Recreation.gov or by calling the NRRS reservation line at 1-877-444-6777 as needed. A new confirmation letter will be generated each time a change is made.

• Permits are NON-Transferable. Group leaders and alternate group leaders cannot be changed. Only the group leader or alternate may use the permit.
• Once a Permit Reservation is made, no changes may be made to the zone, entry date or alternate group leader for which the permit is valid.
• Once a permit is printed, no changes can be made to the permit. Do not print your permit until you are certain you do not want to add group members or extend the duration of your trip.
• 8 days or more prior to the entry date, days may be added to the trip by changing the exit date at the rate of $5/person/day. Maximum number of days that can be reserved is 14.
• 8 days or more prior to the entry date, group size may be increased for Colchuck, Stuart, Eightmile/Caroline and Snow Zones, up to the limit of 8 total persons per group, at the rate of $5/person/day. Group size for the Core Zone cannot be increased unless there is quota available, which is unlikely.  Quota is based on people entering per day, not groups.
• No changes will be allowed within 7 days of the trip's start date.

• Permits are non-transferable.
• Permit holders will be able to print their permit online up to 14 days prior to their trip start date.
• Permit is NOT VALID if trip is started on date other than what is indicated on the permit.
• All group members must begin on the reserved trip start date and must camp with the permit holder.
• Every group member must carry a copy of the permit.
• Permits must be printed, read and signed by the permit holder, unsigned permits on a cell phone are not valid.

The unique alpine environment that makes the Enchantments to special is also incredibly fragile. Loss of vegetation in this fragile environment can occur from just one thoughtless action and may never recover. To minimize damage to the resource you came to enjoy, please adhere to the following camping guidelines.

• Camp only at previously impacted sites. These are areas that are already devoid of vegetation.
• Do not camp on vegetation, move rocks, build walls, or disturb soils to improve a site.
• It is illegal to cut any standing tree, dead or alive, damage vegetation, or damage any natural feature for any reason.
• All members of a permit group must camp together in one site.
• You may only camp in the permit zone(s) listed on your permit.
  • NOTE: A Core Enchantment Zone permit will allow you to camp in any of the 5 permit zones.
• The maximum length of stay is 14 consecutive days. People may not exit and reenter at a later date.

• Fires are prohibited throughout the vast majority of the Enchantment Permit Area.
• No fires are allowed anywhere above 5,000 feet or within 1/2 mile of any lakes.
• Camp stoves that burn wood or solid fuel are not allowed above 5,000' elevation.
• Camp stoves that burn liquid gas fuel (butane, propane, white gas, etc.) are allowed.

You can apply as many times as you wish. Although successful permit holders can only hold one overnight permit each season, there are no restrictions on how many times you can enter.

No. You can only hold one permit each season.