Half Dome Permits 2026: What to Do After Lottery Results

If you applied for the preseason lottery, the next thing to watch is the results email. Yosemite’s day-hiker permit page says the preseason application window runs from March 1 through March 31, and results go out in mid-April. If you got a permit, the rest of the trip needs to come together fast. If you did not, the daily lottery is the next route to pay attention to.

Quick answer

For 2026, Yosemite says preseason Half Dome applications run March 1 through March 31, with results in mid-April. A permit is required when the cables are up, and if you miss in the preseason lottery, Yosemite also runs a daily lottery during the hiking season, with applications due two days before your intended hike date.

When the Half Dome lottery results come out in 2026

Yosemite does not pin the preseason results to a single public calendar date on the permit page. What it does say is mid-April, which is the useful planning window unless Recreation.gov gives you something more specific in your account.

That timing matters because the permit is only one part of the trip. By mid-April, convenient campground dates, lodging, and cleaner weekday plans may already be harder to line up.

What to do if you got a permit

Start with the reservation itself. Make sure the date is right, the group size is right, and the named permit holder or alternate is someone who will actually be there. Yosemite says one of those named people must be present for the permit to be valid, and permits are not transferable.

Then move on to the things the permit does not solve. A Half Dome permit does not include camping, lodging, or any other overnight arrangement. If you want to stay in the park before or after the hike, or camp as part of the trip, that is separate and worth dealing with early.

A short checklist is enough here:

• Confirm the date, names, and group count.
• Lock in lodging or camping if you still need it.
• Plan for an early start.
• Get food, water, layers, and lighting sorted before the trip week.

Most of the stress after a permit win comes from everything around the hike, not the permit itself.

What to do if you did not get a permit

Not getting one in the preseason lottery is frustrating, but it is not the end of the plan. Yosemite also offers additional permits through a daily lottery during the hiking season, based on cancellations and estimated under-use.

If you are already planning to be in Yosemite, it usually makes sense to keep one hiking day flexible and try again. If your travel dates are movable, this is also the point where weekday options start to matter more.

Have a backup hike in mind, too. That way, the trip is not hanging entirely on one late permit result.

How the Half Dome daily lottery works

Yosemite says the daily lottery opens two days before the intended hike date. The application window runs from midnight to 4:00 p.m. Pacific time, and results are sent late that night. So if you want to hike on Saturday, you apply on Thursday and check for the result Thursday night. Yosemite also notes that results are available online or by phone the following morning.

One important difference from the preseason process: the daily lottery does not allow an alternate permit holder.

Best strategy if your dates are flexible

Weekdays are usually the better play. Yosemite’s statistics page shows weekend demand running higher than weekday demand in the preseason lottery, with Saturday at 21% of preseason requests in the posted day-of-week chart, while Monday and Thursday are at 12%. Yosemite also says daily-lottery chances are generally better on weekdays, and its 2024 statistics page lists a 22% weekday success rate versus 14% on weekends for the daily lottery. Yosemite also cautions that past statistics do not necessarily predict this year’s results.

So if you have room to choose, midweek is usually the better bet. It does not guarantee anything. It just gives you a cleaner angle than aiming straight at the most crowded days.

What a Half Dome permit does and does not include

A Half Dome permit lets day hikers continue beyond the base of the subdome and use the cables when they are up. Yosemite caps that use at 300 hikers per day, with about 225 day hikers and 75 backpackers. Backpackers who want to include Half Dome with a wilderness trip use a different permit path tied to their wilderness permit.

What the day-hiker permit does not include is just as important: it does not cover camping, lodging, or other overnight arrangements.

What to pack for a Half Dome day hike

This is a long day, and the basics matter more than having a highly tuned gear list. Bring enough water for the climb, whether that means bottles you already trust or a pack set up with a hydration reservoir. Wear something light that you will still be comfortable in after a few hot hours, like a technical tee or a sun hoodie. If the weather looks mixed, a lightweight rain jacket is easy insurance. A headlamp is worth having even if you expect to finish in daylight, and trekking poles can feel very welcome on the way down.

You do not need to overthink it. You just want the ordinary stuff handled before it turns into a problem late in the day.

FAQ

When do Half Dome lottery results come out in 2026?

Yosemite says preseason lottery results are released in mid-April after the March 1 through March 31 application window.

Do you need a permit for Half Dome in 2026?

Yes. Yosemite says permits are required seven days per week when the cables are up. The park says the cables are normally up from the Friday before Memorial Day through the day after the second Monday in October, though conditions can change that.

What happens if you do not win the preseason lottery?

You can still try for a permit through Yosemite’s daily lottery during the hiking season. Those permits are released based on cancellations and estimated under-use.

How does the Half Dome daily lottery work?

You apply two days before the hike between midnight and 4:00 p.m. Pacific time, and Yosemite says results are sent late that night. The daily lottery does not include an alternate permit holder.

Does a Half Dome permit include camping or lodging?

No. Yosemite says the standard Half Dome day-hiker permit does not include camping, lodging, or overnight accommodations.

Are weekdays easier to get than weekends?

Usually, yes. Yosemite’s posted statistics show heavier weekend demand, and the park says daily-lottery chances are generally better on weekdays. Yosemite also notes that past numbers are directional, not a guarantee.