2024 Information!

While this post was written in 2020, the information below has been updated for 2024
The Half Dome lottery will run from March 1st - March 31st
The National Park Service announced that they anticipate the cables to be up from May 24 - October 15, however, these dates can change at any time
If your desired date falls within that timeframe, you’ll need a permit

Why You Need a Permit for Half Dome

Half Dome photographed from Yosemite Valley.

No one likes having to get a permit to go hiking. However, due to the increasing popularity of our National Parks over the years, it has become a necessity.

Prior to the implementation of the permit system in 2010, there were as many as 1200 hikers on Half Dome on any given day. There would be a literal queue to go up the cables. This not only presented safety issues, but it also caused damage to the trail.

So as of 2010, a permit would be needed to hike Half Dome while the cables are up, limiting the amount of hikers on Half Dome to just 300 per day. While bottlenecking still occurs, it’s far more manageable and the impact to the environment has been reduced.

If you’ve never hiked Half Dome (and since you’re reading this article chances are good that you haven't), be sure to read my detailed article that shows you what to expect on this epic hike.

So, how do you get your hands on one of these elusive permits? Read on below to find out!

Half Dome Pre Season Lottery 2024

Half Dome as photographed from Glacier Point.

As stated above, the Half Dome cables will be up between May 24 and October 15 in 2024. If your desired date falls within that timeline, you’ll need to enter the permit lottery via Recreation.gov or by calling 877/444-6777 between the hours of 7am and 9pm (PST).

The Half Dome pre season lottery runs throughout March (the 1st through 31st), every year. There is no advantage to submitting your application early. Those who enter the lottery on the 31st have just as much of a chance as those who have entered on the 1st.

The applicant can list up to six people on a single application. Keep in mind that your name (as either Trip Leader or Alternate) can only appear on ONE application. If your name appears on multiple applications, ALL of them will be canceled.

Half Dome as viewed from Glacier Point in Yosemite.

You can apply for a specific day or a range of dates, but your permit will only be rewarded if there is space available on at least one of the dates listed on your application.

You must select a trip leader (yourself) and can also select an alternate (if applicable). Either the trip leader or alternate MUST be present at Subdome with permit and ID in hand, and your group must be together. Permits are not transferable.

The fee to submit the application is $10. This is per application, NOT per person. This fee is non-refundable regardless of whether you win permit or not.

Judgment Day

If you’re one of the lucky winners, you’ll be notified via email on April 10th. Alternatively, you can call the number listed above for results. Be sure to verify that the email you used to sign up on Recreation.gov is current.

Once notified, you’ll be given two weeks (April 24th) to accept the permit and pay the $10 per person, refundable fee. If you don’t, your application will be canceled. This $10 per person fee is in addition to the fee you paid when you entered the lottery.

If you didn’t win a permit, you’ll still receive an email on the same day. If this happens, don’t get discouraged. There’s still a couple more ways to get one.

Half Dome Daily Lottery

Half Dome as seen from the road in Yosemite Valley.

Yosemite sets aside 50 permits for a daily lottery with an application period of two days. The actual amount they give out depends on estimated under-use and cancellations.

*For example: If you wanted to hike Half Dome on Sunday, you would submit the application on Friday and receive your results that same evening.

To get one of the daily permits, simply head to recreation.gov and submit an application two days prior to your desired date. You can only submit one application per desired date, but there is no limit to how many daily lottery permits you can apply for (and win) throughout the season.

Improving your Odds

Half Dome as seen from Olmsted Point near Tuolumne Meadows.

There’s no magic formula. It works like any other lottery. You just submit your application and hope for the best. However, there are a few things you can do to move the odds to your favor (a little bit, at least).

Apply for a weekday instead of a weekend. Your chances are significantly better if you choose a weekday over a weekend day. It may be difficult for you because of work schedules, but take it from someone who’s been there, using a vacation day (or two) is more than worth it.
September & October. If you can, plan for September or the first couple weeks of October. These months offer a better chance than July or August. The downfall to this is Vernal and Nevada Falls flow will be low. However, your focus here is Half Dome.
The less hikers in your group, the better. I know it would be epic for you and your entire squad to conquer Half Dome together but remember, Yosemite only allows 300 people a day on Half Dome, NOT 300 permits. So the larger your group, the greater the odds.

I hiked it in 2017 and there were 26,943 applications with a total success rate of 19%. The year prior had a success rate of 25% and 2015 saw a 35% success rate.

The 2023 Half Dome permit success rate was at a mere 22%

As you can see, the odds increase annually. The more popular Half Dome gets, the less likely you are to secure a permit. So anything you can do to give yourself even the slightest edge can make all the difference.

Hiking Half Dome During A Backpacking Trip

While the majority of hikers do this as a day hike, many choose to turn their adventure into a 2-3 day trek. This method would allow you more time to take in the views.

To do this, you’ll not only need a permit for Half Dome, but a wilderness permit as well. Having only one or the other will not suffice. The fees for a wilderness permit are $5 plus $5 per person and can be applied for below.

Tap/click here for the application

While applying for a wilderness permit, you need to check the box stating that you also want a Half Dome permit. If any are available during the days listed on your application AND Half Dome is reasonably part of your itinerary, you’ll receive one.

Securing a Half Dome permit in this manner will make you eligible to go up the cables on any of the dates listed on your wilderness permit.

However, ff you’re on a backpacking trip that started OUTSIDE of Yosemite and you want to climb Half Dome during your trip, you will need to apply for a permit through either the regular preseason or daily lotteries.

Hiking Half Dome Without A Permit

Half Dome in heavy smoke. As seen from Yosemite Valley.

Let’s say you’ve done everything you could to get a permit. You weren’t successful in the pre-season lottery and the daily lotteries haven’t been kind to you either. What do you do?

Currently, the only way to hike Half Dome without a permit is to do it during the off season in winter or early spring. Yosemite officials don’t outright ban it, but they strongly discourage it for one big reason:

*The cables are down and the potential for injury or death rises exponentially.

During the off season, the poles and wooden planks are removed to avoid getting too weathered. The steel cables are left flat on the dome throughout the entirety of the climb. In theory, you could hike to the cables, grab hold of them and hoist yourself up.

The advantages to this are not needing a permit and the near certainty that you’ll be the only one up there. However, in my opinion, the advantages are far outweighed by the hazards.

We’re siding with park officials and advise against this (unless you have climbing experience and have the gear). It’s 100% your decision, though. If you do decide to go for it, please be safe and don’t take unnecessary risks.