Social media is reshaping the Appalachian Trail — viral posts are driving overcrowding, trail damage, and misinformation. As one manager put it: “The trail is being loved to death”

A perfect little example of the Anthropocene. Nature is experienced digitally first, and plans are made driven by the logic of virality, what looks good on Instagram

Online attention with real ecological consequences

Social media is reshaping the Appalachian Trail — viral posts are driving overcrowding, trail damage, and misinformation. As one manager put it: “The trail is being loved to death”

A perfect little example of the Anthropocene. Nature is experienced digitally first, and plans are made driven by the logic of virality, what looks good on Instagram

Online attention with real ecological consequences

https://www.theroanokestar.com/2025/03/31/hiker-tech-use-raising-concerns-on-appalachian-trail/

The Farcaster formerly known as Kchamp. Books, beats, bodybuilding, bright ideas and beautiful things.

katherinechampagne.com

This is unfortunately so true... any nice viewpoint along the AT in PA within a short walk of a major road is overwhelmed on a nice weekend.  Many are completely unprepared for what they need to do to get to the vistas.  I moved most of my backpacking to the middle of the week because of this.  The campsites between parking and vista are completely overrun with trash that people are leaving behind.

extremely blessed highly favored always grateful

Need to update hiker principle “Leave No Trace” for the attention economy 

Leave No Digital Trace

How do we convince people this is worth it — could we?

threddies.com co-founder;  Software dev; beer geek; Sound, light, electronics & bio/chemistry tinkerer. Blogs @ transmutableexplorations.com linktr.ee/jdonmoyer

I feel like a lot of thru/section hikers are already doing this as you can tell that they're trying to feel people out when they get to these more popular places when choosing who they chat with... There are so many people that refuse to follow/see the value in the existing LNT principles though

How do we convince people this is worth it — could we? https://warpcast.com/keccers.eth/0x5d345b1c