An unofficial trail formed by people, animals, or erosion is called a social path, a desire path, or a cow path. This is part of a complete episode.
Transcript of “What Do You Call Unofficial Paths?”
I just got back from Sedona, Arizona, and I was doing a little bit of hiking.
And I kept hearing people talk about social paths.
Oh, desire paths.
Exactly. It’s the same thing as a desire path.
I had never heard the term social path, all this hiking that I’ve done.
Here you are with another one of those urban planning things.
I know. Social paths. It’s an unofficial trail, an unofficial path that maybe was formed by erosion or humans going where they shouldn’t go or animals.
Right. So they cross a patch of ground where there’s no gravel laid or no concrete or no asphalt or something.
And if enough people go that way, then a path is formed.
Right. And I love that term desire path. You see that on a college campus, the fastest way to get to the cafeteria.
They might be called cow paths sometimes, even if a cow has never traveled that way.
Super cool.
Yeah.
