Yosemite National Park: Reservations for Half Dome hiking permits open March 1

If you’re planning a hike up Half Dome this summer, you’ll need a day-use permit -- no matter what day you plan to go.

The National Parks Service this year will require a permit for every date the cables are open for those who want to ascend Yosemite National Park‘s most popular rock face. And you can expect permits to go fast.

Generally cables for the hike to the top are in place from mid-May to mid-October, weather and conditions permitting (more on that below). Just 300 will be issued for day hikers and 100 for backpackers; last year, permits were required only on weekends and holidays.

Reservations for hiking permits open 7 a.m. March 1 for May and June dates; permits for the following months will open on the first day of the month with a three-month booking period. So if you want to go in August, you should plan to make a booking on June 1.

Each person needs his or her own permit, and each reservation can include a maximum of four. Permits are free, but expect a service fee of $1.50 tacked on to each one.

Some advice: Try for a late summer reservation; snow conditions this year have been high. Consider that cables weren’t put up until June 16 last year because of snow and inclement weather -- shutting out Memorial Day crowds and anyone planning an early ascent.

Why do the cables matter? The most popular route to the top of Half Dome and back is a strenuous 17-mile hike starting at Happy Isles. It’s the last 400 feet that make the rock scramble tricky -- and accessible by a ribbon of wooden slats connected to a series of cables.

The park service’s Half Dome Cables Trail Study online page explains the need for permits but also provides a good view of what they look like. And here’s information on what to expect on the Half Dome Hike. Bottom line: It can be scary for some, so make sure you know what you’re getting into.

And one last word of warning: You won’t be able to get same-day permits, so plan accordingly.

To make a reservation starting on March 1, go online to www.recreation.gov (which won’t be activated until the last week in February) or call (877) 444-6777.