Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests Pawnee Ng
This is the page to purchase Indian Peaks Wilderness Overnight Permits – Full Season in Advance.
Permits go on sale the first Tuesday in March. For 2025 this will be March 4th at 8:00 a.m. Mountain Standard Time.
For the most current trail conditions please visit Indian Peaks Wilderness Alliance
This may not be the only permit you need for your trip. Overnight Permits, Day Use Permits and Parking Reservations are required to visit Indian Peaks Wilderness depending on season, group size, and location. Before purchasing this permit, view all requirements at Indian Peaks Wilderness .
Indian Peaks Wilderness is located along the Continental Divide between Boulder County to the east and Grand County to the west. Indian Peaks Wilderness is a popular destination for day hiking, backpacking, fishing, and viewing wildlife.
Indian Peaks Wilderness is divided into 17 backcountry zones. Each zone has a permit quota to ensure enjoyment by all visitors and to protect and preserve the wilderness environment from the adverse cumulative impacts due to repeated use.
No access to 4th of July Road and Trailhead July 28th and 29th.
In order to safely and effectively repair the surface and drainage of the gravel portion of 4th of July Road/CR 130, the roadway will be closed in to all travelers starting at the intersection of County Road 111 and Forest Service road 111.1. Access to residents of the 4th of July road will be maintained. Hessie trailhead access will also be maintained. For those with Indian Peaks Wilderness permits EXITING from the 4th of July trailhead during these dates, there may be delays, but traffic will be able to exit from the trailhead.
CONDITIONS UPDATE (AS OF JULY 7TH):
TRAILS AND MOUNTAIN PASSES: Trails at higher elevations remain wet and muddy. Many are snow-free with only occasional snow drifts, but a few places still have large, persistent drifts. Buchanan Pass is still completely blocked by a large cornice and steep snowfield on the east side of the Continental Divide and is not passable. It may be blocked for several more weeks. Devil’s Thumb Pass also has a large cornice making passage difficult. Loop hikes are generally not recommended until passes melt out. The Buchanan/Pawnee Pass loop is strongly discouraged at this time. Please remember, scrambling at all costs to reach your destination causes significant trail and resource damage.
CAMPSITES: Campsites at popular lake destinations above 10,500ft. are more available than one week ago. However, snow or water still remains in a few campsites. As a reminder, ALL CAMPING MUST REMAIN IN COMPLIANCE WITH WILDERNESS REGULATIONS, regardless of snow conditions. In zones that have designated campsites, tents must be in an official campsite (marked by numbered, wooden signs).
-The designated campsites at Diamond Lake are all available with the exception of sites 6 and 7, which are still completely buried under very large drifts (6 is the group site). These snow-covered sites can still be used with a tarp and some shoveling to level the snow.
-At Jasper Lake, sites 2, 5, 6 and 7 can be used. Site 4 was not observed but should have enough snow-free area to be useable. Sites 1 and 3 need a few more minutes in the oven. The ground in 3 was still very wet from the melting of large drifts next to the site. It can still be used, but a tarp is recommended to cover the ground. Site 1 (the group site) should be snow-free within 2-5 days but may still need to dry out after the snow is gone (there is currently a large pool of water covering most of the site).
We recommend that you check snow conditions prior to your trip. Conditions are being assessed throughout the week. THIS REPORT IS UPDATED AS THE SNOW CONTINUES TO MELT AND CONDITIONS CHANGE. For more information, you can also contact the Forest Service Visitor Information Line at (970) 295-6600 or visit the Forest Service website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/arp.
These permits allow for advanced planning and are released for the entire season in early March. During the summer, you can also check the "3 Day in Advance" permits for additional availability.
This permit allows the permit holder and their group (max. 12 people) to overnight camp in one of the selected Backcountry Zones within Indian Peaks Wilderness. The permit holder will have the ability to print their permit through their Recreation.gov account starting 7 days prior to the permit entry date.
This may not be the only permit you need for your trip. Overnight Permits, Day Use Permits and Parking Reservations are required to visit Indian Peaks Wilderness depending on season, group size, and location. Before purchasing this permit, view all requirements at Indian Peaks Wilderness .
Regulations –These regulations exist to protect and preserve the Indian Peaks for present and future generations. The following are subject to minimum $100 and maximum $5000 in fines and/or 6 months imprisonment:
Campfires
Pets
Camping
Group Size
Motorized/Mechanized Equipment
Recreation Livestock
Backcountry Safety
Leave No Trace
Each Overnight Permit costs $11.00
Cancellation Policy:
Change Policy:
Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests & Pawnee National Grassland Visitor Information: 970-295-6600
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