Discovered a hidden trail in the Smokies that cut my hike by 2 miles

I was doing the Ramsey Cascades trail last month and got totally turned around near the top. A guy in a ranger vest pointed me to a little used connector trail that shaved off 2 miles and avoided a steep rocky section. It wasn't on any map I had or on AllTrails, just a worn path with a small cairn marking it. Honestly felt like I stumbled onto a secret the locals keep quiet about. Has anyone else found unofficial shortcut trails in national parks that actually work better than the main route?

2 comments

2 Comments

rileyp493h ago

So did you take a secret goat path or just follow some dude in a vest?

elizabethhayes3h ago

Why would a ranger show you a shortcut instead of telling you to stay on the marked trail? Seems like they'd be the last person to point out unofficial paths.