Alpine Lakes Wilderness
Enchantments permit lottery
When to apply for your trip date, what happens if you lose, and the daily lottery.
When do I apply for my date?
Pick the date you want, and see the day and time it becomes bookable.
Rule from USDA Forest Service, Okanogan-Wenatchee NF: Enchantments Overnight Permits, checked November 2, 2026. Confirm on the official site before you rely on it.
Camping overnight in the Enchantments needs a Forest Service permit from May 15 through October 31. About 75% of permits go in an advance lottery held February 15 to March 1, and fewer than 10% of applicants usually win. The rest go to a daily lottery, plus any permits nobody claims.
The 2027 advance lottery
Not posted yet. The Forest Service says the lottery is held February 15 through March 1 every year and that Recreation.gov posts that year's exact times in January. For 2026 it opened February 15 at 7 a.m. Pacific, closed March 1 at 11:59 p.m., sent results March 17, and put unclaimed permits back on sale April 1 at 7 a.m. Expect the same pattern for 2027 until the dates are posted.
How the lottery works
- Apply once on Recreation.gov with your zone, entry date, group size and up to 2 alternate choices. The $6 application fee isn't refunded, win or lose.
- Entry dates, alternates and zones can't be changed after you apply.
- Winners log in to see results (don't wait for an email), then confirm and pay ($5 per person per day) by the deadline, or the permit goes back on sale April 1.
- You can hold only one Enchantments permit a season, from either lottery.
The daily lottery
From the day before the season starts until the day before it ends, the daily lottery runs 7 days a week. Apply between 7 and 10 a.m. Pacific the day before your trip, on a phone with location on, within one mile of the Leavenworth ranger station. Results come by email around 11 a.m. In 2026 it ran May 14 to October 30.
Didn't win? What to do next
Book through Recreation.gov first. It's the only place to reserve. If your date is gone:
Some of these are affiliate links: this site may earn a small commission if you book or buy, at no extra cost to you. How that works
Free options first
- Recreation.gov: cancelled permits go straight back on the Advanced Lottery page with no schedule, so check it often. It's free to look.
Other ways in
- Enter the daily lottery: apply the day before your trip, 7 to 10 a.m., from within one mile of the Leavenworth ranger station. You can only hold one Enchantments permit a season.
- Go from November 1 to May 14, when no permit is needed (expect snow; self-register at the trailhead).
Stay in Leavenworth
The daily lottery means being in Leavenworth the morning before. Sleep in town.
Get the reminder by email
One email before the big Pacific Northwest dates (the Enchantments lottery in February, the first Multnomah Falls permit releases in May) and when an agency changes its booking rules. Nothing else.
Before any reminder, you'll get one email asking you to confirm. It comes from New England Reservations (hello@newenglandreservations.com), our sister site. Unsubscribe anytime. See the privacy policy.
When is the Enchantments lottery for 2027?
Not posted yet. The Forest Service holds the advance lottery February 15 through March 1 every year and posts exact times in January. In 2026 it opened February 15 at 7 a.m. Pacific, with results March 17.
What are the odds of winning the Enchantments lottery?
Low. The Forest Service says fewer than 10% of applicants usually get a permit. About 75% of permits go through the advance lottery; the rest go to the daily lottery, plus any that nobody claims.
Do I need a permit to day hike the Enchantments?
This site covers the overnight permit only. Overnight stays need a permit from May 15 through October 31; check the Forest Service page for day-use rules.
Sources
- USDA Forest Service, Okanogan-Wenatchee NF: Enchantments Overnight Permits, checked November 2, 2026.
- Recreation.gov: Enchantment Permit Area Advanced Lottery (read by hand), checked November 2, 2026.
- Recreation.gov: Enchantment Permit Area Daily Lottery (read by hand), checked November 2, 2026.
Rules change. Always confirm on the official site before you rely on a date.