Debate: Should you follow marked trails or go your own way on the AT?

I just got back from a 3-day stretch on the Appalachian Trail near Roanoke, VA. On one hand, sticking to the white blazes keeps you safe and connects you to shelters every 8-10 miles. But I saw a group bushwhacking to a hidden waterfall and their route looked amazing on their GPS. Which is better for seeing real wilderness versus avoiding getting lost? Has anyone here tried both approaches and regretted one?

3 comments

3 Comments

alex_king1mo ago

Stumbled onto this topic after a sketchy detour myself last spring. I'd say the real issue is timing and purpose, not just safety. If you're trying to cover miles to hit a town or shelter by dark, stick to the blazes. But if you've got extra food and water and a solid GPS with a backtrack feature, going off trail can be worth it for a specific payoff, like a view or a swimming hole. The guys who get into trouble are the ones who wing it without checking their battery or weather first. What kind of payoff would make a detour worth it for you?

sean_walker451mo ago

So was the payoff worth the risk for his buddy, or did he end up wishing he'd just skipped that detour? Sounds like the kind of thing where you gotta weigh if the story is better than the hassle.

andrewh431mo ago

Had a buddy who went off trail to find some old mining ruins he saw on a map... took him three hours to get back to the blazes and he was out of water by then. Said the ruins were just a pile of rocks anyway.