Debate: Should you share your secret spots or keep them locked down?

Met a guy on the Pacific Crest Trail near Crater Lake last summer. He told me he never posts his campsites online because he found his favorite spot trashed after a blogger shared it. But I argued that keeping quiet hurts the community, new hikers need tips to stay safe. He said a good route takes years to figure out and blasting it on social media ruins the experience. I get both sides but lean toward sharing with respect, like low impact practices. What do you do with your hidden gems, hold out or pass them along?

2 comments

2 Comments

carr.brian13d ago

And honestly, the guy you met has a point about things getting ruined once they blow up. I've seen it happen way too many times where some little known swimming hole or camp spot gets one viral post and then next season it's full of trash and fire pits everywhere. But I also think there's a middle ground that most people skip over. You can share spots with people you actually meet on the trail or in person, like that guy did with you, and still keep them off public maps and forums. That way you're still helping new hikers find good routes but you're not dumping it into some algorithm that'll bring a hundred strangers to one fragile spot. The real problem isn't sharing, it's sharing to the whole internet instead of just to the person standing right next to you.

adams.harper13d ago

I don't know @carr.brian, I feel like we're acting like every spot is some sacred temple. It's a patch of dirt by a river. If a couple extra people show up and leave some trash, that sucks, but is it really "ruined forever" or just mildly less private?

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