The Deschutes and the Willamette National Forests remind the public permit reservations for the Central Cascade Wilderness Permit System begin next week. On Tuesday, April 6 at 7 a.m. PDT Central Cascades Wilderness Permits will be reservable at Recreation.gov.
The Deschutes Public Library will host a virtual presentation on the new permit system from 6 to 7 p.m. tonight, March 30th. https://www.deschuteslibrary.org/calendar/event/61550. Once the permit season has begun Deschutes Public Libraries (DPL) open each DPL library will have a check-out system for a limited number of wilderness permits for individuals who may need a free permit. For more information about the permit system and planning a wilderness trip, people should go to: https://bit.ly/2Pl8jtT .
The permit system begins the Friday before Memorial Day (May 28, 2021) and ends on the last Friday in September (Sept. 24, 2021). Wilderness permits are required for all overnight use in the Mt. Jefferson, Mt. Washington, and Three Sisters wilderness areas. Day-use permits are required on 19 of the 79 trails into those same three wildernesses.
People are encouraged to go to Recreation.gov prior to next Tuesday and create an account. To find the permits put Central Cascades Wilderness into the search bar and all permit options for day-use or overnight use will show. There is a $1.00 processing charge for day-use permits per individual and a $6.00 processing charge for overnight-use permits per group. An overnight group can be from 1 to 12 people.
Overnight Use Permit Availability:
- 40% of overnight permits will be available on April 6, 2021.
- 60% available of overnight permits will be available on a 7-day rolling window beginning May 28, 2021. The 7-day rolling window means that every day new permits will be available.
Day Use Permit Availability:
- 20-50% of a trailhead’s full season will be available on April 6, 2021.
- 50-80% of a trailhead’s permits will be available on a 7-day rolling window on May 28, 2021. The 7-day rolling window means that every day new permits will be available.
All reservations must be made through Recreation.gov either on-line, by calling (877) 444-6777 or TDD Line at 877-833-6777 from 10 a.m. – 12 a.m. (Eastern Time Zone). People may go to a Willamette or Deschutes National Forests office to reserve a permit. However, currently Forest Service offices are closed due to COVID-19 and people should call an office ahead of going.
