My friend told me to skip the switchbacks on the Mist Trail and I'm still paying for it.

Lily Miller · 2026-03-27T10:20:07.201677+00:00

He said the granite steps were 'way faster' than the official path up to Vernal Fall in Yosemite. My knees were shot after just the first mile from all that direct impact. I had to cut my planned 3-day loop short because I could barely walk the next morning. It added an extra hour of driving to bail out early. Has anyone else had a 'shortcut' tip totally backfire on a hike?

hernandez.emma6mo ago

My shortcut at Zion ended the same way.

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caleb_stone6mo ago

Ever try a "shortcut" that was just a straight up cliff? Buddy of mine swore by one at Smith Rock, and I ended up basically rock climbing without a rope, lol. Never again, I'll take the boring safe path every time.

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the_troy6mo ago

Man, that sounds brutal! I used to chase shortcuts too, thinking the beaten path was for tourists. A similar thing happened to me on a different trail, where a "local's route" turned into a slippery, root-filled ankle breaker. Now I just stick to the main trail every single time. The park service usually builds them that way for a good reason, like saving your joints. Your story is a perfect example of why those switchbacks exist, even if they look longer on the map. Hope your knees feel better soon.

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