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Found a shortcut on the Appalachian Trail last month that saved me 3 miles
I was hiking the A.T. near the Grayson Highlands in Virginia and kept missing the side trail to a shelter... so I asked a thru-hiker who pointed out a blue-blazed path that cut off a huge loop. It went through a rhododendron thicket and ended up popping me right back on track after half a mile. Saved me about 3 miles and a lot of uphill. Anyone else find those hidden connector trails that the maps just don't show well?
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xenagarcia11d ago
Nope, those "shortcuts" usually just wreck the trail worse than switchbacks.
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the_nina10d ago
Actually it's even worse than that. When people cut those switchbacks they create little channels that turn into streams during rain. Water runs straight down those cuts instead of spreading out across the trail which is what the switchbacks are designed to do. I've seen sections of trail in the Smokies that got absolutely destroyed by just a few people taking shortcuts during a wet season. The rangers had to close that section for a year to fix it.
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sean_johnson1611d agoProlific Poster
You're right about that. It's frustrating seeing people cut corners and cause more erosion than if they'd just stuck to the trail.
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