Everybody loves the PCT but I think people hype it too much

I did a 500 mile section of the PCT last summer and honestly, a lot of it was just walking through dry, dusty forest with no views for days. People talk about it like it's this life changing thing but half the time you're just staring at your feet trying not to trip on roots. The water caches are a pain to rely on and some of the trail angels are real hit or miss. I got way more out of the Wind River Range in Wyoming in just two weeks. Less crowded, actual alpine scenery, and I didn't have to filter water from a cow pond. Has anyone else done a less famous route that beat their expectations compared to the big name trails?

2 comments

2 Comments

jade2711mo ago

@flores.tessa you nailed it, that dry stretch by Crater Lake was brutal, the Winds totally blew my mind too.

flores.tessa1mo agoMost Upvoted

And boy do I get what you're saying about those long dry stretches on the PCT. I did a week near Crater Lake and some parts felt like walking through a dried out desert with no payoff for miles. That Wind River Range sounds like the real deal, those high alpine basins with actual glacier carved lakes are hard to beat. I had a similar experience on the Olympic Coast Trail where every single day felt like a discovery, not just a grind from one water cache to the next. Sometimes the lesser known routes remind you why you fell in love with hiking in the first place.