The Enchantments are on the up and up.

Or at least, things are looking better than last year.

The 18-mile stretch in the Cascades has long been a popular destination for hikers and backpackers in Washington.

But federal cuts and staffing shortages last year made the Enchantments pretty disenchanting.

In 2025, only one ranger was in charge of patrolling the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest - which spans 900 miles.

That made trail maintenance really difficult.

We’re talking trash on the trails, overflowing garbage cans, and overflowing toilets.

It didn’t help that last summer, the area saw record-shattering crowds - with 2,400 people visiting on one day during the July Fourth weekend.

It’s been a year, and while some things have improved, there’s still a lot of work to be done in the region.

Guest:

• Gregory Scruggs, outdoors reporter for The Seattle Times

Related Stories:

• Here’s where the Enchantments stand for WA summer hiking season | The Seattle Times
• The Enchantments face dire conditions amid staffing shortage | The Seattle Times

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.