Showerthought: Why does EVERYONE on here recommend the same 3 trails in the Sierras?

I get it, the John Muir Trail is AMAZING and the Rae Lakes Loop is a classic, but not EVERY backpacker wants a 10 day permit fight. I spent last summer doing a random 4 day loop near Emigrant Wilderness that I barely found on AllTrails, and it was way less crowded. My buddy swears by his route up near the Trinity Alps and says the same thing. Why do people here keep acting like there's no good backpacking outside of Yosemite and Sequoia? Anyone else find a hidden gem that totally flew under the radar?

3 comments

3 Comments

dylan_sanchez21h ago

Yeah, why does everyone just stick to the same 3 routes when there's hundreds of miles of emptier trail... feels like people are just chasing likes instead of actual good hiking.

torres.blair1d ago

Why are people scared to branch out? I found a spot near Desolation that had maybe 5 people in 3 days. Secret spots beat the famous ones every time.

wendy_lee485h ago

Secret spots beat the famous ones every time" really got me thinking. I used to be all about the popular trails til I got burned out on crowds, so now I'm with you and @dylan_sanchez on this. Tried a random route off the beaten path last month and it was way more chill than anything instagram hypes up.