North Sierras trail usage levels? (Vista, Quincy: 2015, estimated, relocate)

[NW Crow]

I have hiked in a number of areas in the Sierras but quite awhile ago. I was wondering if anyone could help give me a sense of how crowded the trails and trailhead parking areas are these days, particularly in the Sierras 1-2 hours north / west of Tahoe. I'd take comments about usage closer to Tahoe too but I'm guessing pretty crowded there. I don't have a sense of how big an impact Bay area hikers have north of Tahoe.


Thanks for any feedback. If you can compare crowd levels to the Cascades of WA or parts of Colorado that would be useful. I might relocate and this is one factor to consider. I am not hyper sensitive to sharing the trail but wouldn't want to have big issues getting parking even outside of the most popular spots and having many dozens passing me.

[Hulsker 1856]

Originally Posted by NW Crow

I have hiked in a number of areas in the Sierras but quite awhile ago. I was wondering if anyone could help give me a sense of how crowded the trails and trailhead parking areas are these days, particularly in the Sierras 1-2 hours north / west of Tahoe. I'd take comments about usage closer to Tahoe too but I'm guessing pretty crowded there. Thanks for any feedback. If you can compare crowd levels to the Cascades of WA or parts of Colorado that would be useful. I might relocate and this is one factor to consider.

Trails in any National Forest generally vary greatly in usage. Some trails are veritable thoroughfares, others receive moderate use, and others are used so lightly that you need to be able to route-find with a map because the track itself disappears.

You need to be more specific in general (as well as for your comparative examples of the Washington Cascades and 'parts of Colorado' - those are enormous areas with similarly varying degrees of use. In general, trails in parks - national and state - get higher usage. National Forests get less use, but generally more than miscellaneous land not as heavily managed for recreation (such as that of the BLM). Trails tend to get generally less usage the more off the beaten path the trailhead.

But really, you have to look at each individual trail.

[NW Crow]

I am looking for general feedback but let's say in the Plumas National Forest outside Quincy and outside Sierraville.


For comparisons, think outskirts of Mt. Rainier NP or the Enchantments. For Colorado think Indian Peaks Wilderness, west of Buena Vista and / or the San Juans near Durango.

[NW Crow]

I am still interested in firsthand experience / opinion, but I found the Forest Service's National Visitor Use monitoring application.


What I found: Rocky Mountain forest usage estimated higher than "Pacific Southwest" region and more than twice the Pacific Northwest. Tahoe National Forest about 5 times that of Plumas NF. Tahoe usage declining a bit from 2005-2015. Plumas usage up moderately.




These are big regions and forests. I know it will vary greatly by specific spot. But this helps a little. Not as high as I thought it might be and not that off-putting.


Your impressions still welcome.