Hot take: the JMT is way overrated compared to the Sierra High Route

I did the John Muir Trail last August and honestly, I was bored by the time I hit Muir Pass. Too many people, too much following the same dusty trail for miles. Has anyone else found the Sierra High Route gives you better views and actual solitude, or am I just being a snob about it?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_sean21d ago

Ngl, the JMT is basically the Disneyland of thru-hikes now. And honestly, my legs were so tired by that point I would've been bored staring at a blank wall.

wilson.emma21d ago

@the_sean actually makes a good point about being too tired to appreciate the scenery. Most people don't talk about how the last 30 miles of the JMT just blur together because your feet are screaming and you're running on fumes. The real issue is that crowded trail means more groups stopping every 20 feet to take photos, which slows everyone down and makes the exhaustion worse. By the time you hit Whitney Portal, you're not thinking about the views, you're thinking about getting a burger and sitting down.