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Spotted a 'shortcut' on the map that was actually a deer trail to nowhere
Tried to save time on the Appalachian Trail by taking what looked like a direct route. Ended up walking in circles for two hours before finding the main path again. My hiking buddy still brings up my 'expert navigation' skills.
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hugo1531mo ago
Ever wonder how those fake trails even start? Like does one deer make a path, then a few hikers follow it and wear it in more, making it look real? Saw that in Colorado where a social trail got so packed people thought it was part of the park loop. It just ended at a cliff edge, lmao. Your map probably showed old data that didn't know the difference yet.
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lily_young591mo ago
That cliff edge detail is genuinely terrifying. I saw a similar thing in Yosemite last fall, a well-worn path that just stopped at a steep drop into a creek bed. It's wild how our brains see a clear line in the dirt and assume it was made by park rangers, not just a bunch of lost tourists or animals. Makes you trust your map a lot less and your own eyes a lot more, even when they're fooling you.
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ericbrown1mo ago
You said it ended at a cliff edge? That's insane, lol. It's scary how a random path can look so official and lead nowhere safe. Makes you double-check every trail marker now.
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