South Sister and one of the Green Lakes, as seen near the intersection of the Broken Top and Green Lakes trails.

You have had to get up very early in recent summers to be able to enjoy a hike up Green Lakes Trail in the Cascades without being escorted by a generous flock of fellow hikers and happy dogs.

It’s one of the most coveted hikes around. Rushing water is by your side most of the way. If you are ambitious and in sufficient shape, you can keep right on going and summit the South Sister.

The hike has been a sensational bargain. There has long been a requirement for a parking pass and a wilderness permit. But buying a seasonal parking pass was a simple -enough hurdle, and the permits were free.

This summer, it changes — for sure — the U.S. Forest Service announced this week. It will still be a relative bargain, but you won’t be able to go unless you can snag one of the limited permits. “Beginning Friday, May 28 and ending on Friday, September 24, 2021 day-use permits will be required for 19 out of 79 trails in the Mt. Jefferson, Mt. Washington, and Three Sisters wilderness areas,” the announcement read. A day-use permit is only $1 per person per outing. An overnight permit is $6 per outing. (An overnight outing can cover up to 12 people for a total of 14 nights. Not every member of the party needs a permit only the trip leader.)

Some permits will go on sale starting at 7 a.m. on April 6 at www.recreation.gov. The balance will be held on a 7-day rolling window so people can be slightly more spontaneous. You can also call for reservations at 1-877-444-6777 or visit a local Forest Service office, if it is open.

It’s not hard to understand why the Forest Service has forced the public into quotas for access to the wilderness areas. The trails are popular. Access is relatively close to a wilderness-hungry population. And some people treat the areas alongside the trail with less respect than a trash can or a bathroom in their home. Could the Forest Service have stepped up enforcement, instead? That would take a very unwilderness like level of security.

We still can’t stop feeling a sense of loss, because there is loss. Access to the wilderness has become more exclusive. People with time and money are less likely to suffer much of an inconvenience. It could lead to diminished appreciation of the wild spaces close by — even though they will be more protected than ever.