Hoover Wilderness Permits

Wilderness permits are required year-round for overnight stays in the Hoover Wilderness on the Bridgeport Ranger District. The Hoover Wilderness is the only wilderness area on the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest that has a quota to limit the number of visitors from June 15 - October 15.

Why is an Overnight Wilderness Permit Needed?

Although we use wilderness to describe a natural place, it is also a federal land designation. Wilderness areas are protected at the highest level of all federally managed lands. The 1964 Wilderness Act, set aside wilderness areas to preserve and protect those lands for the enjoyment of present and future generations.

The land can only support a certain number of visitors without being impacted over time. When excessive use occurs, the opportunity for solitude decreases, wildlife habitat is affected, vegetation is damaged, erosion is accelerated, and the risk of water pollution increases.

A quota system has been implemented to protect and preserve wilderness quality. This ensures that future generations can experience these areas in the same way as past and present generations.

The Forest Service’s primary responsibility under the Wilderness Act is to preserve wilderness character.

The wilderness permit systems exist to:

• Preserve the Wilderness Experience: The public go to wilderness areas partly for “outstanding opportunities for solitude,” as outlined in the Wilderness Act of 1964. To ensure this solitude, quotas and permits limit the number of visitors allowed in certain areas. Though frustrating at times, these limits ensure that the wilderness experiences will be as wild as possible.
• Protect the Wilderness Area: According to the Wilderness Act these areas must be “affected primarily by the forces of nature, with the imprint of man’s work substantially unnoticeable.” To this end, permits and quotas limit the number of people impacting an area at one time.
• Educate the Wilderness User: Required permits enable land managers to educate visitors before they enter a protected area. Not everyone takes time to plan and do research before their trip like you did (thanks for reading this). Permits guarantee that each visitor gets important basic education before their wilderness trip.

When planning a wilderness trip, please note that activities like backpacking, hiking, skiing, mountaineering, and horse camping are allowed. Motorized or mechanical activities like carts, drones or bicycles are not allowed in wilderness. Wilderness visitors need to practice a high degree of self-reliance and responsibility for their own safety. Plan Ahead for Safety.

Trip Planning

Wilderness permits are required year-round for any overnight stay in the Hoover Wilderness.  ALL permits must be purchased through Recreation.gov. Permits are not required for day hikes, but wilderness visitors are encouraged to call or stop by local Forest Service offices for current information and conditions report.

From June 15 through October 15, wilderness permits on certain trails entering the Hoover Wilderness from the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest are limited by a trailhead quota. This quota allows a certain number of people to occupy a trail at one time in order to protect the area from over use and preserve the wilderness experience for visitors. 

In order to ensure that a person or group can start their wilderness trip when they want to during quota season, they must purchase permits at Recreation.gov to make a reservation under “Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest – Hoover Wilderness Permits." For each trailhead with a quota, 50% of the permits can be reserved six months in advance of the desired entry date. The remaining 50% is available within three days of the date of entry. Recreation. gov does charge an additional $6. 00 reservation service fee for each permit.

Wilderness permits describe specific travel plans and are valid for one continuous wilderness trip. Exiting the wilderness and reentering at a different location voids the permit. Permits are issued by the agency where the trip begins. Visitors will need to do some basic planning before requesting or reserving a permit.

The Hoover Wilderness is managed by both the Humboldt-Toiyabe and Inyo National Forests. Please note the trailhead where the trip is to begin, and which forest it is on. Always apply for a wilderness permit from the forest where the trip starts.

Trips sponsored by organization or commercial groups must contact the Bridgeport Ranger District, because a special use permit may be needed.

For further information about quotas, reservations, and other wilderness permit-related questions, please call the Bridgeport Ranger District at 760-932-7070, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. PST, or call the Recreation.gov Call Center at 877-444-6777, 10 a.m. to midnight EST, seven days a week.

Learn more details on the Hoover Wilderness including trailhead information.

Quota

The Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest portion of the Hoover Wilderness has a trailhead quota system limiting the number of people entering a particular trailhead on a given day. This system is designed to help reduce impacts to natural resources and avoid overcrowding. For each trailhead with a quota, 50% of the permits can be reserved six months in advance of the desired entry date, while the remaining 50% is available to purchase three days prior to the trip entry date on Recreation.gov at 8 a.m. (MST)

The quota system is based on when and where visitors begin their hike. For this reason (even with multiday permits), a trip cannot start on any day except the entry day specified on the permit. The permit is also only valid for the entry trailhead specified.

The following quotas are in place on the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest portion of the Hoover Wilderness starting June 15 through October 15.