Backpacking Permits in Colorado

Permits are how land managers protect places that are being loved too hard: fragile lakeshores, hot springs, and alpine basins where too many tents once crowded every flat spot. In Colorado, overnight permits are concentrated in a handful of famous areas near Denver, Boulder and Aspen, plus two national parks in the south and west. Outside those areas, most wilderness is open to backpackers who follow the posted regulations and fill out a free registration card at the trailhead.

Where permits are required

Rules change, and new permit systems appear as use grows. Check the managing agency's page for any area you plan to visit, even if it is not on this list.

Rocky Mountain National Park

The park runs one of the most structured wilderness systems in the country. For the 2026 summer season:

• BookingReservations opened on Recreation.gov on March 1 at 8 a.m. Mountain Time, with no phone, mail or in-person reservations; walk-up permits are limited.
• PickupPermits must be picked up in person at a park Wilderness Office, where you show your bear canister.
• CanistersBear-resistant canisters are required for all wilderness overnights.
• SitesDesignated sites only; no dispersed camping. Individual sites take 1 to 7 people, group sites 8 to 12.
• Season and feeSummer season May 1 to October 31 with an administrative fee; winter permits from November 1 to April 30 carry a smaller fee and are not reserved in advance.
• Timed entryA wilderness permit serves as your timed entry reservation.

Indian Peaks Wilderness

Just south of Rocky Mountain National Park and west of Boulder, the Indian Peaks are among the most visited wilderness areas in the country.

• Overnight permits are required from June 1 to September 15 for all groups, and you need a permit for each backcountry zone you plan to camp in. Outside that window, groups of up to 12 do not need an overnight permit.
• Permits are purchased on Recreation.gov. Maximum group size is 12 people including pack stock.
• Camp at least 100 feet from lakes, streams and trails. Some zones, including Caribou, Crater, Diamond and Jasper lakes, allow camping only in designated sites.
• Campfires are prohibited east of the Continental Divide, and on the west side at specific lakes and creek sections.
• Many east-side trailheads are reached through the Brainard Lake Recreation Area, which has used timed tickets for vehicle entry, including an overnight option.

Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness

Near Aspen, this wilderness holds some of Colorado's most photographed scenery and some of its busiest backcountry destinations.

• Advance permits are required for overnight stays in the permit zones: Conundrum Hot Springs, Capitol Lake, Crater Lake and the Four Pass Loop, including Snowmass and Geneva lakes.
• Permits are sold only through Recreation.gov. Ranger stations do not issue them.
• The Forest Service lists a maximum of seven nights per permit and two permits per person per calendar year.
• Food, trash and all scented items must be stored in an approved bear-resistant container; visitors without one can be ticketed and required to leave.
• Dogs are prohibited in the Conundrum Hot Springs zone.
• The Four Pass Loop is about 26 miles and crosses four passes above 12,000 feet; the Forest Service notes it is often snowbound from October through June.

Fees and the release schedule have changed over recent seasons. Read the Recreation.gov permit page for current details before planning.

Great Sand Dunes and Black Canyon

At Great Sand Dunes, backpacking permits for the national park's dunes backcountry and trail camps are reserved on Recreation.gov, while backpacking in the adjoining national preserve does not require a permit. At the Black Canyon of the Gunnison, hikers and kayakers who camp in the wilderness need a wilderness use permit, and inner-canyon routes are steep, unmaintained and only for experienced, well-prepared parties. Our national park camping guide covers the developed campgrounds at both parks.

Everywhere else: self-registration and wilderness rules

Most of Colorado's more than forty designated wilderness areas do not require advance overnight permits. Instead, many trailheads have a box with free registration forms. Fill one out: it helps rangers understand use, and it helps search and rescue know where to look. Standard wilderness rules apply, including group size limits that commonly cap groups at a set number of people and stock, no motorized or mechanized equipment (including bicycles and drones), and camping setbacks from water and trails. Each wilderness posts its specific regulations at the trailhead and on the forest website.

Gear and preparation checklist

1. Permit printed or downloaded, and picked up in person where required.
2. Bear-resistant canister where required, sized for all food, trash and toiletries.
3. Map and navigation that work without cell service.
4. Water treatment for every source. See our safety guide.
5. Warm layers and rain gear, even in July; nights above treeline can drop below freezing.
6. A plan to be below treeline before afternoon thunderstorms build.
7. A trip plan left with someone at home, including your route and return time.

Frequently asked questions

Checked against official agency sources in October 2026. Fees, reservation windows, fire orders and closures change often; the agency pages linked above are always the final word. See how we research.