Everyone says the John Muir Trail is the ultimate Sierra hike, but I had a different experience.

I was on the trail near Bishop Pass about two years ago, and a sudden afternoon storm rolled in. I watched a group of maybe 15 hikers, all following the same popular itinerary, get completely soaked and scramble for the same two cramped campsites. It was chaos. Since then, I plan my Sierra trips for late September and pick less crowded parallel routes, like the High Sierra Trail east-west. You still get the views without the traffic jam. Has anyone else ditched the famous thru-hikes for quieter alternatives?

4 comments

4 Comments

betty_kelly93mo ago

Ever wonder if the famous trails are just outdoor conveyor belts?

angela_harris3mo ago

I used to think that way too, but seeing everyone out there just happy to be outside changed my mind.

gibson.avery3mo ago

Feel the same energy from everyone else, that's the whole point. It's a shared thing, not a factory line.

patricia_gonzalez1mo ago

Is it bad that I totally feel like a sheep on a theme park ride when I hike the AT? I once took a wrong turn and ended up following some dude's loud speaker playlist for a mile before I realized I was just part of a mobile party. Nothing like blasting pop music to really connect with nature, right?