[rtkaratekid]

It's not just Iceland. My wife and I typically travel for the outdoors and we are extremely impact conscious. I've noticed a significant growth in outdoor activity in the last ten years or so. Along with the that growth I've noticed more trash, more people going off established trails when they shouldn't (I'm not 100% anti off-trail travel), more disrespect for others who are trying to escape into nature, more people who are unprepared for somewhat serious activities (particularly rock climbing in remote locations, I've had to do a few rescues at this point), more trail braiding and erosion, and to get away from the people getting away, one must go deeper and farther into the backcountry. Iceland was beautiful, but the best places on the island (imho) were often places we explored that were relatively unknown. It's a tough issue that many people in the outdoor community are scratching heads over how to deal with. I want to think that it's a solvable problem, but the cynic in me says it's a societal issue manifesting itself in this form and can't be easily fixed.

[serpix]

The key is accessibility. If you have a good road then you get people who treat nature as bad as themselves.

The higher up without accessible road or further in towards tougher trails and you start to have people there who have the will and stamina to be there and take the necessary precautions.

[rtkaratekid]

I agree. The higher the non-money relate commitment of getting to a location the fewer people I see. The ones I do see are generally people who have greater respect for where they are. Unfortunately I think that many wonderful places have fallen victim to the "easy to get to" issue.

[tarsinge]

Preikestolen in Norway is a good example of that done right I think, a 5-hour round trip trail to take your picture is a good filter.

[geggam]

The logical conclusion of people visiting a place is a city. Most of the earth is beautiful if you take mans impact out of the equation.

It's not really a problem unless you think people are a problem and then it gets philosophical