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I prefer nature hikes in nearby regions to taking a plane to see X thing that you MUST see. I drive an efficient vehicle, it costs me nothing to get on the trai

I prefer nature hikes in nearby regions to taking a plane to see X thing that you MUST see. I drive an efficient vehicle, it costs me nothing to get on the trail, and most trails just have friendly hikers, not tourists. This is a far more efficient leisure choice than heading to Paris or Rome and joining the throngs.

inetknght 7y ago
Not all places have enjoyable hiking scenery nearby.
gumby 7y ago
Shh. Let the tourist flood Venice and leave our wild places untrammeled.
buboard 7y ago
I envy americans for their national parks, and the access to them.
overcast 7y ago
QUIET YOU. Hiking is the last bastion. However I'm fairly confident that really won't ever change, at least once you get past the 2 mile marker. Tourists fade away beyond that.
- yifanl 7y ago
  I don't buy that. The percentage of people who are willing to hike > 2mi should be fairly static between tourists and non-tourists, no? I know personally, I'll take a trip down to the Bruce Peninsula for a day hike. (I also personally wouldn't fly somewhere JUST for a hike, but that's only because of closer and more easily accessible hiking trails.)
  - overcast 7y ago
    The massive influx of tourism that people are complaining about, are absolutely NOT doing extended day hikes. People are being carted in by chartered buses and tour guides. There is no way you're seeing these families, and selfie teens 5,10,15 miles out there. Which is why I do it. Silence.
    - jointpdf 7y ago
      Unfortunately, this is not so. The John Muir Trail has seen extremely rapid growth [1] in the number of thru-hikers (many of whom are first-time backpackers). It’s the same story for other popular “named” trails that become bucket-list items. There is a cap on the number of permits, but people skirt around those restrictions. Maybe the solution is to develop additional long-distance hiking networks and increase the area of protected land in the US, realizing that the cost-benefit ratio of doing so is outrageously high. [1] https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/images/jmtgraph_2.png https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/images/jmtgraph_2.png
EpicEng 7y ago
I don't see how you can substitute Paris or Rome with a nature hike. I enjoy a hike as much as the next guy, but I doubt I'll run into something like e.g. the Vatican on my journey

inetknght 7y ago

Not all places have enjoyable hiking scenery nearby.

gumby 7y ago

Shh. Let the tourist flood Venice and leave our wild places untrammeled.

buboard 7y ago

I envy americans for their national parks, and the access to them.

overcast 7y ago

QUIET YOU. Hiking is the last bastion. However I'm fairly confident that really won't ever change, at least once you get past the 2 mile marker. Tourists fade away beyond that.

yifanl 7y ago
I don't buy that. The percentage of people who are willing to hike > 2mi should be fairly static between tourists and non-tourists, no? I know personally, I'll take a trip down to the Bruce Peninsula for a day hike. (I also personally wouldn't fly somewhere JUST for a hike, but that's only because of closer and more easily accessible hiking trails.)
- overcast 7y ago
  The massive influx of tourism that people are complaining about, are absolutely NOT doing extended day hikes. People are being carted in by chartered buses and tour guides. There is no way you're seeing these families, and selfie teens 5,10,15 miles out there. Which is why I do it. Silence.
  - jointpdf 7y ago
    Unfortunately, this is not so. The John Muir Trail has seen extremely rapid growth [1] in the number of thru-hikers (many of whom are first-time backpackers). It’s the same story for other popular “named” trails that become bucket-list items. There is a cap on the number of permits, but people skirt around those restrictions. Maybe the solution is to develop additional long-distance hiking networks and increase the area of protected land in the US, realizing that the cost-benefit ratio of doing so is outrageously high. [1] https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/images/jmtgraph_2.png https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/images/jmtgraph_2.png

EpicEng 7y ago

I don't see how you can substitute Paris or Rome with a nature hike. I enjoy a hike as much as the next guy, but I doubt I'll run into something like e.g. the Vatican on my journey