A group of backpackers hike past a cluster of wildflowers in 2015 while making their way along a trail in the Three Sisters Wilderness.

A second year of trail permitting in the Central Oregon Cascades is in the books, and officials say some of the problems that existed in the first year have been smoothed out.

Fewer no-shows were reported compared to the previous year, when around half of the reserved day hikes went unused.

And hikers say there is less overcrowding on trails, which are now cleaner and quieter.

This year, 28,977 day hiking permits were issued to the public to use certain trails in the Central Oregon Cascades, according to data compiled by the Deschutes National Forest. That’s a 26% increase compared to the previous year, when 23,042 day hiking permits were issued. In addition, 65,210 people used the trails this year compared to 56,884 in the previous year.

In 2021 the permitting season was in place from late May until late September. This year, the permits were needed mid-June to mid-October.

The problem with no-shows was reduced this year after officials made changes, said Tim Schenk, director of visitor information services for the Deschutes National Forest.

“With the new overnight system, with its ease of use, and additional daily launch options, we saw a net increase in use and a better utilization of permits,” said Schenk.

Schenk said there was anecdotal evidence that the numbers were elevated and “in the right direction” in terms of cutting down on the no-shows, but an actual percentage was not available.

Changes this year gave the public more opportunities to secure a permit, he said. One change allowed new groups of overnight hikers to launch daily from every trailhead. This was a change from last year, when a group could only start once another group left the wilderness.

Another change this year opened up permits in a 10-day and two-day rolling window. The national forest said this update was made to reduce the number of no-shows and increase opportunities for people to get day-use permits. Last year, the Forest Service offered a full season advance release of day-use permits.

“We made the change to no full-season advanced reservations because so many people reserved permits in April (2021) that they never used and never canceled,” said Jean Nelson-Dean, a spokesperson for the Deschutes National Forest.

“We want to increase the availability of day-use permits to people who know they will use them because it is closer to the time of their planned hike,” Nelson-Dean said.

Also at some trailheads, quotas were increased to account for a higher rate of visitors not showing up.

Day-use permits were required for 19 of 79 trailheads this year between June 15 and Oct.15 in the Mount Jefferson, Mount Washington and Three Sisters wilderness areas. During the same period, overnight-use permits were required for all trials in the three wilderness areas.

Rick Creekmore, a volunteer trailhead host, said there were several improvements this year.

“The numbers were adjusted at a couple of the trailheads, which made the actual numbers closer to what the target should have been,” Creekmore said. “There seemed to be a lot more folks familiar with the system and not so many showing up without a permit.”

Creekmore said the system seems to be serving its purpose.

“We had a number of comments that they really saw the difference with how many folks they saw on the trail,” he said. “I think the system is doing what it is supposed to do and hikers are adjusting to it.”