PSA: My four-year wait for a John Muir Trail permit has me rethinking backup routes

I applied for a John Muir Trail permit every spring for four years before getting one. Each time, I'd mark the lottery date on my calendar and hope for the best. The wait was agonizing, especially when friends invited me on other trips. On one hand, sticking it out for the JMT meant experiencing a legendary route that lived up to the hype. On the other, I missed out on spontaneous adventures during those years. Now that I've done it, I wonder if the time spent waiting was worth the trade-off. How do you all handle permit lotteries for popular trails? Do you wait it out, or do you have backup plans ready?

2 comments

2 Comments

claire644h ago

Seriously? That wait is the whole POINT. You don't trade a random trail for THE trail.

dylanellis1h ago

Four years for a JMT permit sounds rough. I waited three seasons for a Mount Whitney day hike permit and it messed with my summer plans. I totally feel your pain about missing spontaneous trips. The lottery system makes it hard to stay flexible.