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Serious question, has anyone else skipped the popular trail for the less crowded one?
Last spring in the Smokies, everyone was heading to Alum Cave Bluff, but I chose the quieter Brushy Mountain trail instead. It added about two miles to my day, but I saw maybe three other people the whole time. The view from the top was just as good, without the big crowd at the overlook. Has anyone else made a choice like that and been glad they did?
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willow_nelson6mo ago
Totally get that. Sometimes the quiet trail lets you actually hear the birds and the wind instead of just other people's conversations.
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lucasw846mo ago
Ever find a spot so quiet you can hear your own heartbeat? What's the most peaceful trail you've been on?
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rowanw116mo ago
That kind of deep quiet can really mess with your head. It makes you notice all the tiny sounds you normally miss, like the rustle of a mouse in the leaves or the creak of a tree trunk. After a while, your own breathing starts to sound super loud. You end up walking on your toes just to keep from breaking the silence.
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gracethomas6mo ago
That "hear your own heartbeat" quiet is rare, but I found it on an overgrown logging road up near the state line. Lucasw84, it was so still I jumped when a branch fell fifty yards away. Honestly, the peace was kind of spooky after the first ten minutes.
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