Is the JMT getting too crowded or am I just bitter?

I did the John Muir Trail last September, full 211 miles. I expected some company but it felt like a highway. We passed groups every 20 minutes, some with speakers playing music. Made camp near Muir Pass and three other tents were within yelling distance. I get that permits are capped, but it didn't feel wild at all. On the flip side, I met some cool people and the trail is safer with more traffic. So what's the deal, are we okay with crowds if it means the trail stays protected, or should we push for way stricter limits even if that means fewer people get to see it? Anyone else feel this shift?

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hannah4001mo ago

Exactly, the permit cap is the ceiling but the real issue is the culture. Stricter limits would just make it a lottery of the lucky few, so maybe the better move is enforcing quiet hours and banning speakers outright instead of turning the trail into an exclusive club.

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