Merriam Webster dictionary defines a desire path as “an unplanned route or path (such as one worn into a grassy surface by repeated foot traffic) that is used by pedestrians in preference to or in the absence of a designated alternative (such as a paved pathway).”
This may sound like a pretty formal definition, but in its heart, desire paths show so much more than our daily shortcuts and preferred ways to reach destinations. They reflect routines, habits and presence of a living being, whether it’s a human or an animal. They stand like lines of traces carved well into dirt, grass, and anywhere, really.
There’s even this mesmerizing corner of Reddit, “Desire Paths,” “dedicated to the paths that humans prefer, rather than the paths that humans create.” Below we wrapped up some of the most interesting examples that capture our imagination.
#1 The World’s (Actual) Greatest Desire Path! He Carved A Road Through A Mountain Over 22yrs To Shorten The Distance From His Village To The Nearest Hospital From 70km To 1km
Image source: johnjames460
#2 My Cat Passed Away Last Night. These Were His Paths
Image source: Just_some_soundguy
#3 If You Try Sometimes, You Get What You Need
Image source: _qwertsquirt
#4 Generations Of Bunnies Have Worn A Perfect Groove In My Neighbor’s Fence
Image source: bighag
#5 After Our Dog Passed, We Turned His Desire Path Into A Forever Path
Image source: Muscles_McGeee
#6 Desire Path Of A 17yo Kitty
Image source: littlem00se
#7 The Oval Walkways At Ohio State University Were Paved Based On The Students’ Desire Paths
Image source: ADTR20
#8 Found This Beautiful Path Earlier This Year
Image source: Degenerated__
#9 Found A Lovely One In Dorset
Image source: imalizzard
#10 Doggo Desire Path At A Local Off-Leash Park. Remember That Pavement Can Be Too Hot For Paws On A Sunny Day!
Image source: Nealios
#11 It Took 4 Years
Image source: WillySpoon
#12 The Ants In My Garage Built A Bridge Over My Glue Trap
Image source: halfhippo999
#13 The Never Ending Path
Image source: KnowKnow92
#14 I’m In A Long Distance Relationship With My Girlfriend, And This Is Where I Walk When I’m On The Phone With Her Every Night
Image source: cosmicnate
#15 Ux vs. Design
Image source: reddit.com
#16 At The Student Residence. I Tried To Walk The Intended Path For Once. It Was Long
Image source: TopoNewt
#17 Superstition
Image source: one_finger_salute
#18 Desire Stairs
Image source: Oops_I_Sparted
#19 This College Paved Over The Desire Paths After Waiting A Year To See Where Mud Trails Formed
Image source: Epithymetic
#20 My Dog’s Desire Path Is Filling Up With Flower Petals. Looks Pretty At The Moment!
Image source: LiteBriteJorge
#21 Yes Yes Yes!!
Image source: kabailey88
#22 Honestly I’m Not Sure What They Expected
Image source: sparrowdronehsv
#23 Desire Path Spotted On The Campus Of Monster’s University
Image source: jbauer777
#24 Found This As A Post On Facebook. Elephant Paths Anyone?
Image source: izurietavarea
#25 Does This Count? A Footpath So Badly Constructed Nobody Wants To Use It
Image source: Gaudern
#26 Not Sure If This Is Allowed. Swimming Paths Made By A Moorhen On The Way To And From Its Nest
Image source: bwl17
#27 The Sidewalks On My School’s Quad Are Not Symmetrical Because They Were Installed Based On Where The Grass Was Worn Out…
Image source: Maximum-Excitement58
#28 One Step Desire Path. Shortest One Ever
Image source: IamsoberIswear
#29 My College Put Sod On The Path And Put Up A Sign. The Students Listened To The Sign And Created A Path Next To The Sod
Image source: TheSaifman
#30 She’s Made A Few Desire Paths. I Like This One The Most
Image source: clayts1983
#31 Google Acknowledges The Desire Paths On Our Campus
Image source: tim_reheht
#32 This Path In Russia Is Very Desired
Image source: mysticalmisogynistic
#33 You Can’t Make This Stuff Up
Image source: wsmason
#34 Was Told To Post This Here, So Here I Am Posting This Here
Image source: abc123987xyz
#35 Squirrel Desire Path
Image source: periwinkle-pangolin
#36 Well Worn Wall Mart Path. Deepest I’ve Ever Seen
Image source: reddit.com
#37 It Seems We Desire A Sidewalk
Image source: juuler
#38 People Made A Desire Pentagram Inside A Big Roundabout
Image source: reddit.com
#39 My Dad Shoveled A Path But The Rest Of The Family Decided It Was Too Far
Image source: TrekkieTay
#40 This Desire Path Has Slowly Disappeared Now That No One Is Coming To The Office Due To Covid… Wonder How Many Others Are Disappearing
Image source: trishayyy10
#41 Restrictions In Poland Hitting Hard
Image source: kilhart
#42 If This Isn’t A Big Enough Sign That You Need To Trim Your Hedges More Often I Don’t Know What Is
Image source: poshbo
#43 My Moms Path For Entering And Leaving The Lake
Image source: patprika
#44 Extreme Desire Path
Image source: fremastr
#45 Technical University Delft (Nl) Paved All Desire Paths
Image source: thsvnlwn
#46 What Am I To Do With The 2 Seconds I Saved Today?
Image source: casbul
#47 My University Giving Into The Desire Path
Image source: rillweed
#48 Check Out The Size Of This Absolute Unit
Image source: rcw12627
#49 Dutch Anti-Cobblestone Bicycle Desire Path
Image source: rinkbgood
#50 This Attempt At Making A Pathway Through A Park
Image source: altacan
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