23
I used to plan my trips around the big name trails, but now I look for the quiet ones.
For years, I'd just pick a famous route like the John Muir Trail and try to get a permit. It was always a hassle. About two summers ago, I got tired of the crowds and started looking at maps for trails that connect to the main ones. I found a 40-mile loop near Mammoth Lakes that uses less popular paths and it was so much better. Has anyone else started looking for these hidden connector routes instead?
3 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In3 Comments
rosed322mo ago
Totally get that shift. I started doing something similar but for a weird reason, the quiet trails are actually better for wildlife spotting. On the crowded main trails, everything is scared off. Last fall on a forgotten fire road, I just sat and watched a black bear forage for like twenty minutes, completely unaware of me. You don't get that with a line of hikers behind you. The peace lets the animals act normal.
8
fiona3301mo ago
That "completely unaware of me" part is the real trick. I tried being that still once and a squirrel still chucked a pinecone at my head. I guess my quiet presence just screams "target" to the local wildlife.
5
anderson.jason2mo ago
It's funny how the quiet spots work both ways, right? You get to see more animals, but you also start noticing the smaller stuff, like weird mushrooms or bird calls you'd miss in a crowd. That bear story is the dream, just being a quiet part of the scene instead of an intruder. Makes the whole trip feel more like a visit and less like a parade.
0