The Pacific Crest Trail through Oregon used to be a quiet dream, now it's a crowded highway

I hiked the Oregon section in 2015 and again this past August. The change is crazy. In 2015, I'd go a full day maybe seeing two other people. This year, I was in a line of eight people waiting to use the same log to cross a creek near Three Sisters. The trail is wider, the campsites are packed, and you see way more trash. I think the big movies and social media made it look too easy, so everyone wants a piece of it. The permit system tries to help, but it just packs people into the same start dates. It's not a wild escape anymore, it's a social event. Has anyone found a good, truly quiet long trail that hasn't been ruined yet?

3 comments

3 Comments

clairen8512d ago

You're right about it feeling like a social event now. I switched to the Continental Divide Trail and it was a totally different vibe. It's way harder, so the crowds thin out fast after the first hundred miles. I had whole sections in Montana where I didn't see another person for days.

clairen8512d ago

Yeah, that solitude sounds amazing. I did a week in the Wind River Range once and it was the same deal, just me and the mountains. Makes you remember why you went out there in the first place, you know?

bell.felix12d ago

Totally. It's like everything's getting crowded now, even the quiet spots. Feels like you gotta work harder just to find some peace.