Backpackers looking to sleep under the stars in Oregon’s central Cascade Mountain wilderness should get their plans in order now.
Overnight wilderness permits will go on sale Tuesday, April 4, for the 2023 season, the U.S. Forest Service announced this week. Permits are necessary for all overnight trips in the Mount Jefferson, Mount Washington and Three Sisters wilderness areas from June 15 to Oct. 15 this year.
Those permits will be available online at Recreation.gov starting at 7 a.m. Tuesday, the agency said. Of the overnight permits allotted for the year, 40% will be made available April 4, while the remaining 60% will be available seven days in advance of the date requested. A permit is technically free but comes with a $6 processing fee.
Day hikers also need permits between June 15 and Oct. 15, but won’t be able to book them as far in advance. Those day-use permits will be made available on Recreation.gov starting 10 days in advance, with another batch released two days in advance. Permits are required on 19 of 79 trails within the three wilderness areas.
Forest officials changed the permitting system in 2022 following a rash of “no-show” hikers in 2021, the first year the system was implemented, by releasing more last-minute permits and increasing the number of permits issued for each trailhead.
A “no show” happens when a permit is purchased but not actually printed out to be used. After securing a permit online, a hiker or backpacker must go back to Recreation.gov within 14 days of the booked date to “issue” the permit and print it out to use it.
In 2021, during the 30-day peak use period between late July and early August, only 63% of requested permits were actually issued, according to U.S. Forest Service data. That number only rose to 67% in 2022, according to forest officials, though Jaimie Olle, spokesperson for the Deschutes National Forest, said the “no show” data doesn’t paint an accurate picture.
Olle said that rangers stationed at trailheads last year found many hikers had secured a permit but never “issued” it, bringing along a printed receipt instead of a printed permit. Those hikers might be considered “no shows” in the data, despite showing up for the hike.
“The issue rate is only one piece of the overall picture that prompted a series of changes to the permit system,” Olle said. “The issue rate improved from the first to the second year and we expect that trend to continue as people become more familiar with the system.”
Recreation.gov is developing a notification system to alert people about printing out permits, Olle said, though there’s no timeline for implementing it.
Forest officials have encouraged people who don’t plan on using their permits to release them back into the system. The $6 processing fee will not be refunded, but canceling does open a spot for somebody else to enjoy the trail.
The central Cascade Mountain wilderness areas are known for spectacular views, lush forests and peaceful lakeside campsites. The U.S. Forest Service introduced permits to help protect natural areas that the agency said in recent years had become overcrowded to the point of damaging the ecosystem.
— Jamie Hale
503-294-4077; jhale@oregonian.com; @HaleJamesB