My brother-in-law thinks the John Muir Trail is overrated now

We were packing for a trip and he said, 'The permit lottery and crowds have turned it into a theme park line, not a wilderness experience.' He's done it three times since 2010 and swears the vibe is totally different. That hit different coming from him, because he's the one who got me into backpacking in the first place. Has anyone else found a classic route that's lost its magic for them?

4 comments

4 Comments

patricia2622mo ago

Honestly, my buddy quit the PCT halfway because it felt like a conga line.

ward.kim1mo ago

Did you ever find a way to dodge the crowds on that hike? For me, I started going at dawn and taking the less popular side trails, it made such a difference. Pacing yourself and picking off-peak times really saved the experience for me.

aaron_mitchell2mo ago

See it with everything good now.

grant4782mo ago

Man, I always argued it was still worth it. But hearing that from him? Yeah, that actually makes me see his point.