10 Famous Trails Too Crowded to Be Worth Hiking

When a Famous Trail Stops Being a Trail

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Social media has turned a handful of trails into destinations people tick off a list, and the result is lines for photos, trailhead parking at dawn and permits that vanish in minutes. Land managers have responded with lotteries, timed-entry tickets and shuttle systems, which protect the resource but can turn a spontaneous hike into a logistics project. None of these trails is bad. Most are famous for good reasons, and a few are worth the hassle if you plan well. The question is whether the experience matches the effort for you, especially on summer weekends when the crowd is part of the view. The list below picks famous routes where crowding changes the hike, and for each, it points to a quieter alternative that gives you the same kind of scenery and a better chance of hearing your own footsteps. Rules change often, so check the current permit, ticket and shuttle requirements with the managing agency before you go. Whichever you choose, going on a weekday, at dawn or in shoulder season helps a lot.

Angels Landing, Zion National Park, Utah

Angels Landing is a 5.4-mile round trip with nearly 1,500 feet of climbing, ending on a knife-edge ridge where hikers hold onto chains bolted into the sandstone. Before 2022, up to roughly a thousand people a day tried it in peak season, and a Memorial Day weekend saw waits of hours for the chain section. Zion introduced a permit lottery that year, so most hikers must now win a permit in advance. Hikers can still reach Scout Lookout without a permit, which has stunning views of Zion Canyon. Fatalities on the chains over the years are the other reason for the controls. For a similar canyon view without the line, try the Canyon Overlook Trail near the east entrance, a short hike with a big payoff, or head to the Kolob Canyons section on the park's northwest side, which sees far fewer visitors. Go in shoulder season or on a weekday, and check the National Park Service for current permit rules and lottery dates.

Half Dome, Yosemite National Park, California

Half Dome is a 14- to 16-mile round trip with roughly 4,800 feet of gain, and the last 400 feet climb a pair of steel cables up a steep granite face. The cables have been a congestion point for decades, with traffic jams that put hikers in danger when weather turns. The National Park Service now requires permits for the cables, capped at 300 hikers a day, awarded through a preseason lottery and a daily lottery. The hike itself is a classic that many call among the best in America, and the views from the top over Yosemite Valley and the High Sierra are excellent. If you miss the lottery, consider Clouds Rest, whose summit at about 9,900 feet is higher than Half Dome, with a similarly dramatic view and no cables or permits for day hikes. It starts at Tenaya Lake off Tioga Road and is a long day, so start early and carry plenty of water. Check road and permit status before going.

Old Rag Mountain, Shenandoah National Park, Virginia

Old Rag is often called Virginia's most popular hike, a roughly nine-mile circuit that includes a rock scramble through granite boulders with views over the Piedmont. On fall weekends, the scramble becomes a slow bottleneck, and hundreds of cars can fill the parking area and spill onto the road. Shenandoah introduced a day-use ticket system for Old Rag in 2022, which applies during the main season from spring through the fall, so plan ahead and check the National Park Service for the current rules. The scramble is not technical but is strenuous, and rescues are common. If you want a similar hike with less crowding, try Hawksbill, the highest peak in the park at 4,051 feet, via a loop that reaches a stone observation platform, or the Whiteoak Canyon waterfall circuit, which passes a series of cascades in a shaded gorge. Go on a weekday in late autumn, when the leaves are down and the crowds have thinned, and bring a headlamp, since the loop takes most of a day.

Delicate Arch, Arches National Park, Utah

Delicate Arch is the symbol of Utah, printed on license plates and featured in countless photographs, and the 3.2-mile round-trip hike to it is among the most-visited in the state. The trail climbs about 480 feet over slickrock to a natural amphitheater, and the arch stands alone on the rim. At sunset, the area around the arch fills with visitors queuing for pictures, and the experience can feel more like a line than a hike. Arches has used timed-entry reservations during peak season in recent years to manage crowds, so check the National Park Service for the current requirements. For a similar arch with fewer people, visit Corona Arch near Moab, a roughly three-mile round trip to a huge arch where ropes swing in summer, or walk the Devils Garden trail in Arches to Double O Arch. Carry water and a headlamp, avoid the midday heat, and consider sunrise instead of sunset.

Mist Trail, Yosemite National Park, California

The Mist Trail climbs beside the Merced River past Vernal Fall and Nevada Fall, and in spring and early summer the spray soaks hikers on the granite steps. It is deservedly popular and also one of Yosemite's busiest trails, with a constant stream of people on the stairs and a crowded viewpoint at the top of Vernal Fall. The Happy Isles trailhead is reachable by shuttle, and parking in Yosemite Valley is limited on summer days. The hike to the top of Vernal Fall is about three miles round trip, while Nevada Fall adds more distance and climbing. If you want waterfalls and granite domes with fewer people, try the Cathedral Lakes trail near Tuolumne Meadows in the high country, a moderate hike to alpine lakes beneath Cathedral Peak. The high country opens in early summer when Tioga Road clears. Start early, bring a rain jacket in spring, and respect the closures of slippery sections, since the river has claimed lives.

Mount Monadnock, New Hampshire

Mount Monadnock rises to 3,165 feet in the southwest corner of New Hampshire, and it is frequently described as one of the most-climbed mountains in the world. Its bare granite summit is reached by several trails, with the White Dot and White Cross trails drawing the most traffic, and weekend crowds in fall foliage season can be intense. The state park charges an entrance fee and the parking area fills early. Climbing the peak is a rite of passage for many New Englanders, and its summit has views that stretch to Boston on a clear day. For a quieter alternative, try Mount Major in the Lakes Region, a short hike to a ledge overlooking Lake Winnipesaukee, though it also gets busy. Pack Monadnock, a smaller peak nearby with a tower and fewer people, is an easy outing, or head to the White Mountains for ridge hikes. Weekdays and early mornings are best, and be prepared for exposed, windy conditions at the summit.

Alum Cave Trail to Mount LeConte, Great Smoky Mountains

The Alum Cave Trail climbs about five and a half miles to Mount LeConte, the third-highest peak in the Smokies at 6,593 feet, and it is the most popular route in the country's most visited national park. The hike passes Arch Rock, Alum Cave Bluffs and a stretch of cable-assisted trail along a narrow ledge, and the lodge at the top offers overnight stays booked a year in advance. On weekends and in fall color, the parking area at Alum Cave overflows and the trail is full. For comparable scenery with space to breathe, consider Ramsey Cascades, an eight-mile round trip through old-growth forest to the tallest waterfall in the park, or head to the Cataloochee Valley, known for elk and historic buildings, which is far less crowded. The park charges a parking fee for stays longer than a few minutes. Start at sunrise, avoid weekends in October, and check the closure alerts, since winter ice can shut the upper trail.

Cathedral Rock, Sedona, Arizona

Cathedral Rock is one of Sedona's best-known formations, and the 1.2-mile round trip to its saddle is a short, steep scramble up red sandstone that rewards hikers with sweeping views of the Verde Valley. The trailhead sits on a narrow road with limited parking, and the Sedona Shuttle runs between lots on busy days. On weekends and during spring break, the line of people on the scramble can slow progress to a crawl. A Red Rock Pass or equivalent parking permit is generally required in the area. For a quieter experience, look at Brins Mesa, a longer loop with views of the red rocks, or Soldier Pass, which has an arch and sinkhole but also draws visitors. Sunrise is the best time for Cathedral Rock, and the light is spectacular. Bring a sturdy pair of shoes with good tread, plenty of water and a layer for the morning chill, and keep in mind that summer heat can be dangerous.

Mount Whitney, Sierra Nevada, California

At 14,505 feet, Mount Whitney is the highest peak in the contiguous United States, and the 22-mile round trip from Whitney Portal draws mountaineers from around the world. The route is a nontechnical walk for fit hikers but a very long day at altitude, with altitude sickness a real risk. Demand far exceeds supply, and the Forest Service uses a lottery system to ration permits, with a limited number of day-use and overnight spots per day. The popularity means that on a summer weekend, you may share the final switchbacks with dozens of others. If you did not win the lottery, consider nearby Mount Langley, a 14,026-foot peak reached from the Cottonwood Lakes trailhead that sees much less traffic, though it also requires a wilderness permit. Whichever you pick, acclimatize for a night or two at altitude, start before dawn, watch afternoon thunderstorms, and know the signs of altitude illness, because turning back is always the right call.

McAfee Knob, Appalachian Trail, Virginia

McAfee Knob is a rock ledge jutting out above the Catawba Valley near Roanoke, and it is often called the most photographed spot on the entire Appalachian Trail. The hike is about 7.8 miles round trip with roughly 1,700 feet of climbing, and the payoff is a wide view and an iconic photo on the overhang. On a clear weekend, the ledge can feel like a queue, and the parking lot on Route 311 fills at dawn. Visitors have had to be rescued from the cliff edge, so the managers ask hikers to take care. For a more adventurous alternative nearby, Dragon's Tooth is a roughly 4.6-mile round trip that ends in a rock tower with a short scramble up iron rungs, and it is generally quieter. Both hikes work well in the cold season, when the leaves are down and visibility is wide. Arrive before sunrise for the best light and the fewest people, and bring a headlamp for the start.

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