They are not required for day hikes. Yosemite uses a trailhead quota system which limits the number of people who may begin overnight hikes from each trailhead, each day. This system is designed to avoid overcrowding and to reduce impacts to wilderness areas. If you are starting a trip outside the park, obtain a permit from the land agency who manages your entry trailhead. Please plan your trip before you apply for a wilderness permit or write for a reservation.
Permits are also available by advance reservation .
Wilderness permits for Tuolumne Meadows are available at the Tuolumne Meadows Wilderness Center just off the Tioga Road. Permits for Wawona trails are available at the Wawona Information Station on the grounds of the Wawona Hotel, just off of Highway 41 in Wawona. Permits for the Hetch Hetchy area are available at the Hetch Hetchy entrance station during open hours of operation. For those making trips from Cherry Lake in the Stanislaus National Forest to Kibbie Lake and Lake Eleanor in Yosemite, you must get your permit from the Stanislaus National Forest Ranger Station on Highway 120 in Groveland. For visitors entering the park from Chiquito Pass in Sierra National Forest , permits for the whole trip must be obtained from the Forest Service in Oakhurst.