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this post was submitted on 23 Nov 2025
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Isn't this place absolutely swarming with tourists? I'm glad people can still enjoy it despite all the people, but it's unfortunately a deal-breaker for me.
Yes:
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But also no:
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Depends on when you go.
Oof. I live near Mt Rainier National Park and I've learned to simply not go in the summer. Tourists seem like they're allergic to even a little bit of snow, which I take advantage of. I went last week and had the trail entirely to myself.
Having a fear of crowds of people but also enjoying hiking is a potentially tricky combination...
If you’re good at hiking you can always go somewhere more off the beaten path. Especially in the PNW! Even Yosemite gets a lot less crowded once you’ve gone more than 5 miles.
I'm gradually getting better at picking spots that will have fewer people. It's ironic that finding those spots becomes more intimidating when there are this many trails to choose from. Washington has a dizzying amount of hiking.
You're right about the 5 mile thing. Day hikers often turn around after 3 to 5 miles so I tend to just push myself for those first few miles and then slow down once I get some room to myself. And most of the annoying hikers aren't staying overnight. Everybody loves loops but that's also a good reason to avoid them.
Although I did a 40 mile loop in July this year and barely saw anyone. 30 pound backpacks are quite the gatekeeping system.
They allow only a certain amount of people each day. We toured the place the next day. We were the first ones in so it was empty to start. It did fill up, but it never felt crowded.
It's good to hear they're protecting it from overcrowding! Thanks for answering. Peru and Chili are at the top of my list for dream destinations for backpacking. I've heard Chili in particular is paradise for hikers.
Must be, looking at the lack of grass poking through the matting.
I haven’t been, but I thought the long hike limited the amount of visitors, or possibly tour ticketing as well.
I don’t think the matted grass is too bad considering that really any minor traffic in a limited area will compact the soil too much for grass to grow.
At least they have an erosion control in mind.
You don’t have to hike at all. There’s a train and a bus that goes there. It’s pretty touristy but still quite cool to see.
Since everyone on every dating site ever has a picture from right there, i assume so.