How long does it take to receive a PCT Permit

Planning to start in late July and head from Walker's Pass north over 500 miles.

How long does it take to receive a PCT Permit. Hoping I have enough time? Thinking there are not a lot of hikers starting at this time in this place so I will be fine, but just making sure.

Thank you.

I've gotten mine in a week or so, no quota at WP (just at the Mexican border) so you should not have any trouble.
Keep a close eye on the water report - last summer there was loads of water in the Sierras but very little between WP and Crabtree Meadows and some ill-prepared hikers got into trouble; I carried up to 6.5 liters in that stretch, though so far it has been a lot less dry this year.

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Originally Posted by LuckyMan

I've gotten mine in a week or so, no quota at WP (just at the Mexican border) so you should not have any trouble.
Keep a close eye on the water report - last summer there was loads of water in the Sierras but very little between WP and Crabtree Meadows and some ill-prepared hikers got into trouble; I carried up to 6.5 liters in that stretch, though so far it has been a lot less dry this year.

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Great advice. Thanks

If I wanted to go South and explore the High Sierra and off shoot trails...does a PCT Thru-hiker permit trump the many, other various permits I would need to acquire to hike JMT, High Sierra Trail, etc...because from the looks of it JMT and High Sierra permits for July and August are completely unavailable.

The pct section hike permits are only issued for planned hikes of 500 miles or more, and will only cover you on the pct corridor.


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Originally Posted by heatherfeather

The pct section hike permits are only issued for planned hikes of 500 miles or more, and will only cover you on the pct corridor.


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So basically I will have to roll the dice and try a "first come first serve" basis to explore the High Sierra and off shoot trails..

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Originally Posted by Rybir

So basically I will have to roll the dice and try a "first come first serve" basis to explore the High Sierra and off shoot trails..

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That is my understanding of the issue. (Which could be wrong, I freely admit)


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Sierra permits are only for the access point, not necessarily for a trail or specific campsites except for Mt. Whitney and Half Dome areas. Once you are in the backcountry, you can stay or wander at will. If you want to spend time exploring the backcountry, get a permit for one of the less popular trailheads. There are literally dozens you could choose from. If you leave the area to resupply, you'll probably need another permit though, so keep that in mind. Many of the trailheads have both reservable and walk-in permits. If you go to the Backcountry office first thing in the morning, you should be able to get a permit on the spot for one of the many trailheads.

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Originally Posted by Spirit Walker

Sierra permits are only for the access point, not necessarily for a trail or specific campsites except for Mt. Whitney and Half Dome areas. Once you are in the backcountry, you can stay or wander at will. If you want to spend time exploring the backcountry, get a permit for one of the less popular trailheads. There are literally dozens you could choose from. If you leave the area to resupply, you'll probably need another permit though, so keep that in mind. Many of the trailheads have both reservable and walk-in permits. If you go to the Backcountry office first thing in the morning, you should be able to get a permit on the spot for one of the many trailheads.

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So chances of me hiking to an office and getting a "sorry, no access today to this trail due to overcrowding" isn't too likely...

Not if you're willing to use a different entry point.

Is this the correct link to purchase a permit? https://www.pcta.org/discover-the-tr...ermit-request/
What is the cost?
I've tried twice to fill out the form tonight and it keeps throwing me an error that my emails don't match...even when they do. I'm thinking about starting at Hwy 120, mile 942 in July and hiking NOBO to the end. :D
www.AppalachianTrailClarity.com