PermitSnag

Search US backcountry and wilderness permits

search_permits

Read-onlyIdempotent

Find US backcountry and wilderness permits by name, park, trail or area, for hikes, climbs, river trips and overnight trips in national parks, national forests and state parks. Use this when someone asks how to get a permit or which permit a trip needs. Returns up to 10 permits with their PermitSnag page and whether PermitSnag scans them for cancellation openings. It does not check dates; use check_availability for that, and get_permit_details for the rules of one permit.

Input Schema

Name	Required	Description
`limit`	No	How many results, 1 to 10. Default 5.
`query`	Yes	A permit, trail, park or area name, like "Mount Whitney" or "Enchantments".
`state`	No	Optional two-letter US state code to narrow results, like CA.

Output Schema

Name	Required	Description
`query`	Yes	The search as asked.
`state`	Yes	The two-letter state filter, or null.
`results`	Yes

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed1 schema field changedOct 9, 2026

changedOutput schema / (root)

Previous value: -nullNew value: +{
+  "additionalProperties": false,
+  "description": "US backcountry and wilderness permits that match the search.",
+  "properties": {
+    "query": {
+      "description": "The search as asked.",
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "results": {
+      "items": {
+        "additionalProperties": false,
+        "properties": {
+          "id": {
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          "name": {
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          "pageUrl": {
+            "description": "The permit page on permitsnag.com.",
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          "park": {
+            "type": [
+              "string",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "scanRoute": {
+            "description": "How PermitSnag reaches this permit for cancellation openings: direct, through a zone or starting area, through its entry points, or none.",
+            "enum": [
+              "direct",
+              "via_zone",
+              "via_children",
+              "none",
+              null
+            ]
+          },
+          "scannable": {
+            "description": "True when PermitSnag scans this permit for cancellation openings. Whether an alert is on offer today is in get_permit_details.",
+            "type": "boolean"
+          },
+          "slug": {
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          "usState": {
+            "type": [
+              "string",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          }
+        },
+        "required": [
+          "id",
+          "slug",
+          "name",
+          "park",
+          "usState",
+          "pageUrl",
+          "scanRoute",
+          "scannable"
+        ],
+        "type": "object"
+      },
+      "maxItems": 10,
+      "type": "array"
+    },
+    "state": {
+      "description": "The two-letter state filter, or null.",
+      "type": [
+        "string",
+        "null"
+      ]
+    }
+  },
+  "required": [
+    "query",
+    "state",
+    "results"
+  ],
+  "type": "object"
+}

First observedOct 9, 2026

TDQS

A4.5/5.0

Behavior4/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already declare readOnly, idempotent, non-destructive and closed-world, so the safety profile is covered. The description adds genuinely useful scope limits ('It does not check dates') and result shape (up to 10 permits with PermitSnag page and cancellation-scan status), though the return detail partially overlaps the output schema.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Three tight sentences: what it searches, when to use it, then what it returns and which siblings cover the adjacent jobs. Front-loaded and free of filler.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness5/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

With an output schema present it need not explain returns, yet it still summarizes them, and the routing to check_availability and get_permit_details resolves the main ambiguity. An agent has everything needed to call this correctly.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema coverage is 100%, so the schema already documents query, state and limit with examples and bounds. The description mirrors the query semantics but adds no syntax or format detail beyond it, so the baseline 3 applies.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

States a specific verb (Find) and resource (US backcountry and wilderness permits) and enumerates the matching fields (name, park, trail, area) plus trip types. It is clearly distinguishable from siblings like search_campgrounds and get_permit_details.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines5/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

Explicitly says when to use it ('someone asks how to get a permit or which permit a trip needs') and names two exclusions with their alternatives: check_availability for dates and get_permit_details for one permit's rules. Nothing is left to inference.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

All PermitSnag tools Inspect

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