Iconic mountain peaks, serene lakes and alpine meadows are a huge draw to the Central Oregon area and provide the perfect backdrop for family backpacking trips and outings. Each summer, visitors from around the world have enjoyed free access to trails in the Mount Jefferson, Mount Washington and Three Sisters Wilderness areas. This year, however, due to the steady increase in the number of visitors and related impacts to these natural areas, the Central Cascades Wilderness Permit system was established to ensure the protection of these landscapes now and into the future. At the end of May, wilderness permits are required for all overnight use in the Mt. Jefferson, Mt. Washington, and Three Sisters wilderness areas. In addition, day-use permits are required on 19 of the 79 trails into those same three wildernesses. Permits may now be reserved for the summer months at Recreation.gov. The permit system begins May 28 and ends September 24, 2021.
For more information, consult the Deschutes National Forest website:
https://www.fs.usda.gov/deschutes
