Pro tip: I finally tried a loop route instead of an out-and-back on the same trail

For years I did the same 10 mile out-and-back on the Lost Coast Trail in California. Last fall, a friend showed me how to connect it with the King Range Ridge Trail to make a 15 mile loop. The difference was huge. You see completely new terrain the whole second half instead of just backtracking. It felt like two trips in one. Has anyone else found a good loop that changed a familiar trail for them?

3 comments

3 Comments

cole_patel411mo ago

AllTrails comments are great for ideas, but you really need to cross-check with an official park map or ranger station. I followed a "loop" from there once that turned out to use an unofficial social trail that was actually closed for restoration. The ranger gave me a much better official alternative that was even nicer.

rosep879d ago

Wait, you don't check the official map first? That's the real first step, always. I got burned once too by an AllTrails route that was just plain wrong. It wasted half my day. Now I use the app for photos and maybe ideas, but I always compare it to the park's own map before I go. It saves so much trouble. Why risk it when the official info is right there?

noah_patel1mo ago

Check the trail maps on AllTrails, people post loops in the comments all the time. Found a sick 12-miler near me that way, totally changed my usual route.