Jessie Garton of Buffalo N.Y. gets muddy as her husband Matt drives their Jeep into a mud pit at the Jeep playground at the 2018 Bantam Jeep Heritage Festival at Cooper's Lake Campground.

Monday was the first day of registration for the 2022 Bantam Jeep Heritage Festival, and the numbers climbed like a CJ-5 up a muddy hill.

Patti Jo Lambert, festival director, said 514 Jeeps were registered from 9 a.m. Monday to midnight for the 11th annual festival to be held June 10 to 12 at Cooper’s Lake Campground.

That’s a 51% increase over first-day registration in 2020, Lambert said.

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Kent McFadden drives his Jeep Rubicon down one of the new Jeep Fest Trails near McConnells Mill State Park. Festival organizers aquired a new plot of land to be used at this years festival.

Kent McFadden drives his Jeep Rubicon over an obstacle on the new Jeep Fest Trails near McConnells Mill State Park. Festival organizers acquired a new plot of land to be used at this year's festival.