The High Sierra Trail got way more crowded in just 5 years

I hiked it in 2019 and saw maybe 20 people total over 3 days. Did it again last summer and there were groups every mile. Has anyone else noticed popular routes getting slammed like this after they show up in some magazine spread?

3 comments

3 Comments

violamurray1mo ago

Oh man, I read somewhere that permits for that route jumped like 40% after some big feature in Outside magazine. Sounds like that's exactly what happened to you.

sandra_anderson21mo ago

and it's honestly heartbreaking to see... I did the Rae Lakes Loop a few years back and it was the same story. First time I went I had whole sections to myself, felt like I was the only person in the world. Went back two summers ago and it was like a highway out there, people everywhere, couldn't find a quiet camp spot. I get that more people want to experience the outdoors, I really do, but the magic gets lost when you're tripping over someone's tent every 20 minutes. It's like the secret got out and now we're all just paying the price for it... makes me sad for the trails that used to feel wild.

hugo_schmidt29d ago

@sandra_anderson2 nailed it with the Rae Lakes comparison, same thing happened there. Permits jumping 40% after a magazine feature is brutal, once the secret gets out it's never the same. I hate that we're all just fighting for a quiet patch of dirt now instead of actually escaping. The whole vibe shifts when you can't get that solitary feeling anymore, trails are turning into crowded hallways.