Humans argue about a lot of things, but if there’s one thing we’re consistent about, it’s this: we don’t like unnecessary effort. When something feels overcomplicated, we’ll often, whether we realize it or not, look for the easier way out.
That shared instinct often shows up as desire paths, the unofficial trails people create by repeatedly taking the most convenient shortcut. There’s even an entire subreddit dedicated to this phenomenon, and below you’ll find some of the latest posts from it. Funny how nothing gets us on the same page faster than a shared “nope.”
#1 If Not Path, Then Why Path-Shaped?
Image source: Jeffmaster223
#2 My Dog’s Desire Path, Even 10 Years After He’s Gone
Image source: Scion_of_Perturabo
#3 Desire Path Goat?
Image source: Joe-Ferriss
#4 Path Through The Great Wall Of China
Image source: good_hugs
#5 Viscardigasse Is A Street In Munich With A Path Paved In Bronze To Honor Those Who Took It To Avoid Having To Do The Salute
Image source: ChoiceMycologist
#6 Do Non Human Desire Paths Count?
Image source: koki1235
#7 Desire Path Around A Roundabout In My City
Image source: CloudetteMist
#8 Yeah That Wasn’t Gonna Happen
Image source: Ok_Imagination_6130
#9 The Desire Was Strong
Image source: iBeatYouOverTheFence
#10 Slovakia (Allegedly)
Image source: OrbitalChiller
#11 People Said No To This Speed Bump
Image source: stxxyy
#12 This Person Turned A Desire Path To KFC Into California’s Shortest Hiking Trail
Instagram user matterneuroscience spotted an urban desire path that led to a KFC in an urban area in North Auburn California.
In an act of civic silliness, they named the 0.05 mile trail the Chicken Little Trail, put up an official-looking trail marker, and then informed Google Maps of its existence.
Image source: mindful-bed-slug, instagram.com
#13 The People Yearn For A Sidewalk
Image source: Realistic-Farmer6792
#14 McDonald’s Tried To Fight It But After A Few Years Went With It
Image source: AzerimReddit
#15 View From My Office Building
Image source: iKONIC-ONCE
#16 Not Sure How To Feel About This One
Image source: Tigga-tigga-tigga
#17 A Desire Path So Desired That It’s Recognized By Google
Image source: ChrisAvent
#18 Does A Path Created By Ants Count?
Image source: lardladd
#19 Officially Recognized Now
Nice desired path on the UCF campus; after spring break, this sign popped up.
Image source: carson111000
#20 At The University I’m At They Decided To Fence Off A Path To Prevent People Going Up It
Image source: pinheadlarry12345
#21 Why Only One When You Can Have Four?
Image source: kapege
#22 It’s Beautiful
Image source: Nientea
#23 Classic American No-Sidewalk Desire Path
Image source: artofminde
#24 Wish I Could See What The View Is Like From Up There!
Image source: WilliamAEden
#25 The Most Unnecessary Desire Path
Image source: olr1997
#26 Desire Path Through The Hedge
Image source: deryclem
#27 We’ve Been Betrayed
Image source: ThatSirWaffles
#28 Path Of Ice Shows Where People Used To Walk
Image source: StrategyExpensive969
#29 Mushrooms Growing A Straight Line To The Sewer
Image source: camstarrankin
#30 Informally Called The “Kitty Highway”, The Neighborhood Cat Trail Through Our Yard Was Near Invisible Until First Snowfall
Image source: japanther22
#31 I Don’t Think People Are Listening
Image source: 98570
#32 The Amount Of Time Saved By This One Is Insane
Image source: AdOtherwise655
#33 Desire Path Made Official
Image source: DownDeep99
#34 The Bikes Don’t Want To Take The Long Way Around
Image source: Nuzzylockhart
#35 The Desire Path Is (Mostly) Official
Image source: Outside-World9579
#36 People Walking On The Grass Because Of The Huge Uncomfortable “Gravel” Used
Image source: Leestons
#37 Very Pronounced Desire Path At My School
Image source: No-Wash-7001
#38 Nobody Could Plan For This
Image source: trailbob
#39 Desire Paths Connecting A Suburban Neighborhood To The Strip Mall Next To It In The Mojave
Image source: idapitbwidiuatabip
#40 Fun Sign At A School Trying To Abolish, Terminate, And End A Desire Path
Image source: jsoliloquy
#41 You Can’t Stop Them
Image source: Ceramique_nl
#42 It Would Be Easier To Move The Crosswalk Instead
Image source: franferns
#43 Absolute Unit In Prague
Image source: Tip-Important
#44 My And The Other Cats From The House Made A Desirepath Over The Years
It‘s fascinating to see 7 cats adhere to their path.
Image source: Ankarim
#45 Two Different Desire Paths By Squirrels And Rats. The Park Is Covered By Them. I Think It’s Neat
Image source: mirxa
#46 Because Walking Above The Path Is More Fun
Image source: Pri-The-2nd
#47 The Stray Cats Have Walked A Little Path In Our Backyard
Image source: cucumbercoast
#48 There’s A Guy At The Park Who Does Tai Chi So Much He Left A Ring In The Ground
Image source: sirhoracedarwin
#49 My Trusty Desire Path Is Under Attack. How To Proceed?
Image source: Barbarenspiess
#50 Desire Path Blocked With Impermeable Barrier
Image source: BlueHeron0_0
#51 Brussels University
Image source: eating-pasta
#52 Does This Count? My Neighbours Cat Likes This Shortcut
Image source: Ok-Return7643
#53 Best Thing To Prevent Desire Path
Image source: Few_Cabinet_5644
#54 They Took Our Desire Path :(
Image source: juleslikethejuul
#55 I’m Pretty Sure The Homeowners Made This For Themselves
Image source: Fluffy-Guava-4573
#56 Golf Course Trying To Fight The Desire Path
Image source: RainLollo
#57 Compacted Snow Takes Longer To Melt, Revealing Most Commons Paths Across Plaza
Image source: dnp3
#58 They Think This Will Stop Us
Image source: Axyon09
#59 Bike Desire Path In The Netherlands
Image source: Papa_rainze
#60 A Triple!
Image source: stxxyy
#61 The People Have Spoken
Image source: ILoveMyHoneybear
#62 Alternate Network
Image source: Yarkm13
#63 Oh No They Blocked It
Image source: nicol9
#64 Who Would Want To Walk 200m Extra
Image source: LarsMans
#65 Why Should I Go Left, If I Need To Go Right?
Image source: eleask
#66 I Used The Stairs, I Failed You All
Image source: Palcikaman
#67 Some People Would Do Anything To Avoid Stairs
Image source: Hazzy25
#68 Red Harvester Ants Have Created A Desire Path In My Turf
Image source: ayo4playdoh
#69 Don’t Know If It Counts As Desire Path, But It’s Because A Weekly Fruit Stand
Image source: DownDeep99
#70 Humans: Invent Roads. Also Humans: Nah, I Forge My Own Destiny
Image source: Zmiverse-Eth
#71 Desire Stairs
Image source: InSearchOfTyrael
#72 Shaving Those Valuable Seconds Off!
Image source: Kolec507
#73 Cleveland State – The Snow Melts Slower On The Path
Image source: Lufinator
#74 Who Would’ve Thought That People Have To Go To Zebra Crossings
Image source: Status_Procedure7312
#75 Desire Path Made Into A Real Path!
Image source: TedTheRedMan
#76 Desirestaircase?
Image source: Rango_4
#77 Desire Path In Dutch Is Elephant Path
Image source: DevilDashAFM
#78 Snow Revealing My Greatest Desires
Image source: Firebrill
#79 Not Taking The Stairs
Image source: KnifeKnut
#80 Short-Cutting The School Way
Image source: Notdazedbutalright
#81 The Cones Tried And Failed
Image source: Shorts365
#82 Desired Bike Path
Image source: wolfi_der_wolf
#83 Coastal Desire Path
Image source: Kitttycataclysmic
#84 Could This Be The Smallest One Ever ???
Image source: No_Monitor_1182
#85 The More Pointless, The Better!
Image source: SG133722
#86 Desire Path?
Image source: NovaElixir
#87 Shortcut To The Trailhead
Image source: anotherindycarblog
#88 Little Delta Of Desirepath In Riga
Image source: ku1ppana
#89 Wow! 🤩 Does This Count? A Paved Desire Path In Tirana, Albania
Image source: KnifeKnut
#90 Steep But Short
Image source: Fast_Dealer_6462
#91 Wollongong, Australia
Image source: Kitttycataclysmic
#92 Quite The Shortcut From The Official Path
Image source: MontePraMan
#93 Corner Lawn
Image source: pupupeepee
#94 Man Taking A Long Desire Path To Deliver Food In Dubai
Image source: PixelatedName
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