The guide
Everything that has to be decided before you start walking, written out properly. Read them in order the first time through — permits set your dates, dates set your snow and weather, and those two together set your resupply plan.
- 01
How John Muir Trail permits actually work
The JMT is quota-controlled at both ends. Here is how the Yosemite lottery, the Donohue Pass exit quota and the Mount Whitney lottery fit together.
· updated August 20, 2026
- 02
When to hike the JMT — season, snow and weather
Snowpack opens the passes and the first autumn storm closes them. Why most JMT hikes happen between mid-July and mid-September, and how each month behaves.
· updated August 20, 2026
- 03
JMT resupply basics
Four realistic resupply points across 211 miles, what each one takes to arrange, and how they shape your pack weight and your bear canister choice.
· updated August 20, 2026