by Desire paths appear when people choose the most direct route over the one designed for them. You’ll see them slicing through parks, crossing busy corners, or cutting across awkward landscaping. These trails reveal where planning fails to match real-world behavior. Some cities treat them as a nuisance. Others recognize them as free user feedback and adjust their infrastructure. These 46 images show where planning failed and people filled the gap.
#1.
r/franferns
You’re not the boss of me! I do think this is an incredibly sad example of prioritizing cars instead of people.
#2.
Ya, fair enough. Sidewalks are meant to be for, ya know, walking. Hard to do when it’s completely blocked by a pole. This is a desire path of necessity.
#3.
At what point should a city planner accept that it’s time to pave the path? This might be the best desire path I’ve seen. Imagine the thousands and thousand of people who have walked this route.
#4.
Shout out to the cyclists who created this desire path instead of playing the gate game.
#5.
I feel mad on behalf of the people who made this desire path. The truck should have been forced to find a better parking spot instead of leaving it up to people to go around. Imagine trying to get past that in a wheelchair.
#6.
Is this a desire path? Or a desire valley?
#7.
I love how accidentally ominous this is.
#8.
I really love this example from Poland. It’s not saving people any time. They simply made the choice to not be so close to the road, and I support that completely.
#9.
Think how pretty this would be if they decided to pave the desire paths. It would make for a beautiful courtyard.
#10.
Does it count if the path was made by a cat? I make the rules in this post, so I’m saying yes 😻
#11.
The city decided to “pave” the original desire path as they recognize the need. Unfortunately, they chose stones that were uncomfortable to walk on and impossible for strollers. So, people made a second desire path beside it.
#12.
Let’s follow-up that botched paved desire path with a success story! This lovely desire path in the Czech Republic was made official by the city.
#13.
Do we need another example created by a cat? Yes, yes we do.
#14.
Some desire paths make me scratch my head, and this is one of them. Groups walking together maybe?
#15.
What were the pavers thinking?!
#16.
This is surprisingly pretty. I hope it never becomes one large super desire path.
#17.
Check out the desire path through this stunning seaside location in England.
#18.
Such an interesting look at the natural movement of people from Vratsa, Bulgaria.
#19.
That just makes sense. Why isn’t this paved yet?
#20.
3 seperate, perfectly paved paths to choose from, yet a wild desire path has appeared. The grass/dirt is better for runners, so I think it’s clear who created this new route.
#21.
We have already had a couple cat-created desire paths, so why not show what turtles are capable of? This cute little trail leads to a creek.
#22.
This example from Eastern Europe shows that even cars want to have their say.
#23.
r/petunya-sardean
This path was made out of necessity. When you only care about providing room for cars, you create safety issues.
#24.
r/Adventurous-Cat-2285
The alternative is walking into trees, so I get this.
#25.
r/SmartAss_Guy
It is so satisfying how perfect the curve of this path is.
#26.
r/Alcenana
This might be one of the few desire paths that I object to. Walk around and leave the beautiful wildflower meadow alone ☹️
#27.
r/eleask
The planning here was for safety, and it makes sense. But I think we can all agree that a desire path was the inevitable result.
#28.
r/brgr_face
The gardeners gave in and started trimming the plants to frame the path. The people have won.
#29.
r/Mindless-Hunter-9627
Slightly off-topic, but funny enough that I’m confident you’ll forgive me for adding it.
#30.
r/greenpotatosoup
Look at this adorable attempt by the city to block the desire path. If only there was a way around it.
#31.
r/miaaaaan
Does this win the award for shortest desire path?
#32.
r/RatzzDE
Tourists in Iceland ignoring the signs. Don’t be that person.
#33.
r/dukegonzo13
I find it so satisfying how deep this path is.
#34.
r/Tigga-tigga-tigga
Uhhhh. This is one of the more interesting examples I’ve seen.
#35.
r/kapege
A desire path that wasn’t meant to be ☹️
#36.
r/dbltax
X marks the spot.
#37.
r/savvaspc
Runners doing their thing again.
#38.
r/SteinigerJoonge
This homeowner is losing the battle against desire paths.
#39.
r/domfi86
Clean, classic. Textbook desire path.
#40.
r/Good-Owl-2928
That’s 1.5 extra seconds saved that you can spend doom scrolling later.
#41.
r/H0lyPotato
The desire path is just as impressive as the official one.
#42.
r/poppykart
A fun example of superstition changing human behavior.
#43.
r/Krestenub
I’m not even sure what the urban planners were thinking here.
#44.
r/Iron_wolf_69420
So, so many traffic violations.
#45.
r/Naturenurturenickers
It’s just so perfect.
#46.
r/benbentheben
Let’s wrap up with a success story! This desire path was paved about a year after it appeared. Well done to the city!
