Seeking: a trail where I will unlikely run into anyone.

Trip recommendations, current conditions, and other trail related Q&A
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jessbee
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Re: Seeking: a trail where I will unlikely run into anyone.

Post by jessbee » April 16th, 2018, 5:49 am

chrisca wrote:
April 11th, 2018, 12:18 am
Most of us would never share online a quiet trail destination. That's a recipe for drawing crowds to a sacred place. Some advice:

Stop in at a ranger station and ask the staff for suggestions. They will be happy to give some.
Buy a Forest Service map and look for trailheads that don't have user fees and require some effort to reach, perhaps on gravel road and/or longer distances from pavement. Those are more likely to be less crowded.
Don't pick a trail with a picturesque knock-your-socks-off destination, especially on a weekend. Those are also likely crowded.
Ask your question differently: "Which trails are too crowded and I should avoid?" Then you'll have a way of narrowing down the possibilities.

"Leave No Virtual Trace."
The best advice of the thread :) it's also very hard to know where to send people not ever having hiked with them before, or knowing anything about their background.

I just took a trip to several places in the Southwest I'd never been before, and got the same old trail suggestions from people (even those I know well!) Your best bet is to do your own research. Some of the most magical and quiet places I visited I found after lots of searching books, maps and websites.
Will break trail for beer.

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