Backcountry users enjoy solitude in a designated campsite along Echo Canyon Road/NPS, J. Hallett

Death Valley National Park's backcountry permits for specific areas will be available online beginning April 30.

The online system will make reservations available on Recreation.gov up to six months in advance of start dates. This permit system replaces the current system, which was only available on the same day and in person during business hours at the Furnace Creek Visitor Center or Stovepipe Wells Ranger Station.

This system adds convenience to visitors allowing them to plan ahead and acquire their backcountry permits online. Recreation.gov provides trip planning and reservation services for public lands nationwide and using it for backcountry permits issuance brings the park into alignment with other surrounding public lands. The new backcountry permit fees are $10/per night for Backcountry Roadside Camping Permits and $10/per permit for Wilderness Backpacking Permits. Permit fees will cover costs associated with the new system and fund park projects that provide additional visitor services, address deferred maintenance needs, protect resources, and improve and rehabilitate visitor facilities.

In the fall of 2022, Death Valley National Park acted on the previously developed Wilderness and Backcountry Stewardship Plan by requiring mandatory permits for overnight use of the park’s most popular backcountry areas. This was done to provide a less crowded experience for visitors while limiting impacts to the park’s resources. Permits are a way for the park to communicate with campers about Leave No Trace ethics, current conditions, including hazards, rules and regulations and how they can protect Death Valley. Permit usage information will provide insight for future management decisions to protect the fragile desert ecosystem.

Backcountry permits are required for roadside camping along Cottonwood Canyon, Marble Canyon, Echo Canyon, Hole in the Wall, and Greenwater Valley Roads, and for backpacking in the Cottonwood Canyon and Marble Canyon areas.

Backcountry permits for areas not listed above will continue to be free and optional. For more information where roadside camping and backpacking are allowed visit the park’s backcountry camping page.