Help
Questions, answered.
How Tarn Permits finds you a spot — and what it does and doesn’t do.
Getting started
→What is Tarn Permits?
We watch recreation.gov permits and campgrounds around the clock and alert you the instant a spot opens — usually a cancellation — so you can grab it before it’s gone.
→How does it work?
Create a tracker: pick a permit or campground, the zones or sites, and the dates you want. We watch recreation.gov continuously, and the moment a matching spot appears we alert you on your chosen channels. You open the link and book it.
→Can you watch campgrounds too?
Yes. Alongside wilderness permits we watch individual recreation.gov campgrounds — track a whole campground or specific sites, narrow to a site type (tent-only, RV, electric) or your party size, and hear the moment a night frees up. Under Browse, switch to the Campgrounds tab and search for one.
→Which permits and campgrounds can you watch?
Any wilderness permit or campground that books through recreation.gov. See what’s already in the catalog under Browse — and if your trip isn’t there yet, ask (the invite-request note or the Feedback button) and we’ll usually add it within a day.
→Can I add Tarn to my phone?
Yes — open tarnpermits.app in your phone browser, then Share → “Add to Home Screen” (Safari on iOS) or the browser menu (Android). It installs with its own icon and opens full-screen, like an app — handy for checking your trackers on the go.
→Do you book the permit for me?
No — we alert you, you book it yourself in your own recreation.gov account. We point you straight at the open spot; the reservation is always yours to make.
→How fast are the alerts?
Usually within about 30 seconds of a spot appearing — we poll recreation.gov continuously and alert the moment a cancellation opens up.
→Will I definitely get the permit?
No guarantee — popular cancellations go fast and other people may be watching too. What we promise is that you’ll be among the first to know; the rest is speed and a little luck.
Alerts & channels
→Where can I get alerts?
Telegram and email. Mix and match under Account → Notification channels.
→Which channel should I use?
Telegram is instant push — best for “drop everything.” Email is the slower fallback. Most people run Telegram plus email.
→How do I connect Telegram?
Open Account → Notification channels and hit “Open Telegram & link automatically.” It starts a chat with our bot and links your account in one tap — no chat IDs to copy.
→Can I set my party size?
Yes. Tell us how many people and we only alert when there are enough spots — or opt into partial alerts to hear about smaller openings too.
→Can I track several permits or trips?
As many as you like — different permits, zones, and date ranges, each with its own alerts.
Access & privacy
→How do I get in?
Tarn Permits is in closed beta right now — invite-only. Request an invite from the homepage and we’ll be in touch.
→What do you do with my data?
We store your email and the permits and campgrounds you’ve asked us to watch — that’s it. We never touch your recreation.gov account or password; you book everything yourself.
Still wondering something?
Request an invite and ask us anything — we read every note.
Request an invite