The permit you need is one cancellation away.
Backpacking permits, river trips, timed-entry reservations, sunrise slots and ranger-led tours are capped by daily quotas. When someone gives one back, it goes to whoever notices first. Nabbi notices for you.
What we watch
62 permits and timed entries on Recreation.gov, with more added as they appear.
Wilderness & backpacking
Overnight permits by trailhead or zone, with your group size.
Mt. Whitney · Yosemite Wilderness · Sequoia & Kings Canyon · Inyo and Sierra National Forests · Desolation Wilderness · The Enchantments · Lost Coast · Boundary Waters
River trips
Launch dates for the West’s most-wanted multi-day floats.
Middle Fork of the Salmon · Hells Canyon of the Snake · Green & Yampa (Dinosaur) · Desolation & Gray Canyons · Lower Deschutes
Timed entry & scenic drives
Entry windows for busy parks and roads during their reservation season.
Rocky Mountain timed entry · Cadillac Summit Road (Acadia) · Haleakalā sunrise · Multnomah Falls · Red Rock Canyon Scenic Drive · Muir Woods
Ranger-led tours
Cave tours, cliff dwellings and history tours with small group sizes.
Carlsbad Caverns · Mammoth Cave · Mesa Verde · Wind Cave · Jewel Cave · Independence Hall · Washington Monument · Pearl Harbor
How permit alerts work
Most permits on Recreation.gov are released two ways: a big release or lottery months ahead, then cancellations and leftover quota that trickle back until the day itself. Nabbi watches the second part, which is where most last-minute trips come from.
- Choose the permit, then the entry point, trailhead or tour if it has them.
- Pick your dates and how many people need to be on the permit.
- We check the quota for those dates every 10 minutes (2 with Priority).
- When enough spots open for your group, you get an email with the link.
Good to know
- Lotteries are separate. If a permit is awarded by lottery, apply on the official site. Nabbi helps with the leftovers and cancellations after the draw.
- Some quota is held back. Many parks release part of the quota a few days ahead or the day before. Keep alerts on through your trip date.
- Timed entry is seasonal. Reservations are only needed during the park’s busy season. Outside it, you can just drive in.
- Read the permit rules. Group size limits, pickup times and bear canister rules apply once you book.
Same-day openings happenTimed-entry and tour slots often open the evening before or the morning of. Priority’s faster checks help most here.
Permit questions
Can you enter the lottery for me?
No. Lotteries are run by the agency and require your own account. We focus on what comes back after the lottery: cancellations, no-shows released early and leftover quota.
Will you alert me for just one spot when I need four?
No. Tell us your group size and we only alert you when there’s room for everyone on the permit.
Do you watch Half Dome day-hike permits?
Half Dome day hikes are awarded by lottery, so there’s no open calendar to watch. Overnight Yosemite Wilderness permits that include Half Dome are released by trailhead, and those we can watch.
The permit I want isn’t listed.
If it’s on Recreation.gov, it may just be new. Send us the link and we’ll look at adding it.
Get the permit. Take the trip.
Pick your permit, entry point and dates. We’ll email you when there’s room for your group.