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The John Muir Trail was a totally different animal in 2019 vs last month
I hiked the full JMT back in 2019 and it felt like a crowded sidewalk the whole way. Campsites near Red's Meadow were packed by 3pm and I had to share spots with people I didn't know almost every night. Last month I went back for a section from Muir Trail Ranch to Bishop Pass and it was like a ghost town. I saw maybe 4 other hikers in 5 days, and one of those was a ranger. The difference was timing, I did it in late September both times, but the permits this year were way easier to grab. I got mine 2 weeks out and there were still slots open. Anyone else notice the crowds thinning out that much or did I just get lucky with weather and the seasonal calendar shift?
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avery_flores171mo ago
Ghost town" seems like a stretch. Four hikers in five days is slow, sure, but late September on that section is always quiet. You also skipped the most crowded parts of the trail. MTR to Bishop Pass is not exactly the zoo that Whitney Zone is. Maybe you just got lucky with a weird weather window.
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