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.chrisca wrote: ↑April 11th, 2018, 12:18 amMost 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."
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.