Last fall, scientists from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) revealed that a popular lake in Wyoming’s Wind River Range is contaminated with human feces. And not just contaminated, but the most heavily contaminated lake out of nearly 1,000 lakes surveyed across the United States.

Look up a picture of Lonesome Lake, and you may be surprised. It doesn’t look like a biohazard. At first glance, it seems like paradise. The alpine lake sits at around 10,000 feet in elevation, and is ringed by the Cirque of the Towers—a picturesque semi-circle of 12,000-foot granite spires that has long enchanted rock climbers and trekkers alike. It’s also a stone’s throw from the Continental Divide Trail and a common stopping point for long-distance hikers. As a result, it is among the most heavily-trafficked backpacking destinations in the region. During peak season in August, as many as 400 hikers may visit the Cirque of the Towers each week.

In the spring of 2022, as part of the EPA’s National Lakes Assessment, the agency collected samples of water from 981 lakes around the country, including Lonesome. The results, published last fall, show that Lonesome Lake contains 490,895 calibrator cell equivalents of the bacteria genus Enterococci for every 100 milliliters of water, the highest of any lake tested. The EPA’s safe limit for swimming—not just drinking, mind you, but swimming—is 1,280 per 100 milliliters, meaning the contamination in Lonesome Lake is a jaw-dropping 384 times higher than the recommended limit.

As noted by local nonprofit news outlet WyoFile, “Arguably, Lonesome Lake was the most spectacular, remote waterbody in the broad study examining lake health all around the United States … and yet the data also suggested that Lonesome Lake’s water was the most polluted by poop. That’s especially remarkable given that the assessment also looked at lakes and ponds in urban areas and agricultural regions more typically associated with feces-related pollution.”

It’s worth noting that high concentrations of Enterococci do not necessarily equate one-to-one to high concentrations of feces. Researchers say more work still needs to be done. “A single datapoint doesn’t necessarily tell us much of anything,” the DEQ’s Ron Steg told WyoFile. “We need to get some real data to understand if there is a problem. If there is, we’ll react to the results of the data.”

Enterococci is intestinal bacteria, and thus its presence in a water supply is a strong indicator of fecal contamination. The sampling at Lonesome was conducted through the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), and when the results came in last fall, researchers from the DEQ and U.S. Forest Service went out to take additional samples at the lake, this time searching for another indicator of fecal contamination, Escherichia coli, but came up with nothing. Over the next two months, scientists plan to take more samples at Lonesome Lake and nearby Big Sandy Lake, another popular trekking destination, to get a more definitive picture of the degree of contamination.

But to those in the know, the study results come as no surprise. “I tell people definitely do not swim in there, I tell people definitely do not drink the water,” Brian Cromack, a local outdoor gear shop employee, told WyoFile. “It’s been heavily contaminated for a long time, just via the negligence of outdoor recreation enthusiasts over the years.”

Although they may look pristine, alpine lakes surrounded by granite peaks like the Winds can face higher levels of contamination, because the non-porous granite and thin soil create a “bathtub effect,” offering no natural filtration for water. This, combined with the steep gradients, means that rain and snowmelt quickly wash fecal matter—not just from humans, but from dogs and natural wildlife—from the surrounding slopes down into the low-lying lakes. This problem peaks during spring thaw, when months of waste frozen in snowpack are often flushed into the water all at once, coinciding with peak visitation periods in the summer. At high elevations, cold water temperatures also allow dangerous pathogens like Giardia and E. coli to survive for longer periods.

It remains to be seen what the follow-up studies will reveal at Lonesome Lake, or what is to be done about it. Other high-traffic wilderness locales, like California’s Mount Whitney Zone, now require all visitors to pack their waste out in a “wag bag.” Currently there is no specific stipulation on how to dispose of bodily waste in the Cirque of the Towers, aside from following basic Leave No Trace principles—bury waste in a hole six inches deep, 200 feet from trails and water sources. But research is increasingly indicating that, taking into account the growing number of people recreating in the wilderness, these practices actually are no longer enough to prevent fecal contamination.

Birds of a feather flock together.

Since most people travel during the summer season, some of the world’s most beautiful destinations are also its most overcrowded.

A new ranking by Go2Africa has revealed the top 15 most overcrowded tourist destinations in the world — where the number of visitors dramatically outweighs the local population.

It highlights a growing global trend: picturesque destinations are feeling the strain of overtourism.

As travel rebounds worldwide, congestion of tourists raises questions about sustainability, local impact and the delicate balance between welcome and overwhelm.

To figure out which countries made this list, Go2Africa compared each country’s total number of visitors per year to its population data by analyzing tourism figures from national tourist boards and reports.

Their findings revealed that Vatican City — the world’s smallest country by both area and population — tops the list. Despite the population of this sovereign city-state within Rome, Italy being only 882 residents, the spiritual heart of Catholicism welcomes an astounding 6.8 million tourists annually.

That equates to a staggering 7,709.75 visitors for every local — a clear reflection of the city-state’s immense religious and historical draw.

Nestled in the Pyrenees between France and Spain, the mountainous principality of Andorra takes second place.

Best known for its ski resorts and tax-free shopping, this Southwestern European country sees around 9.6 million tourists each year. With a population of just under 82,000, that means there are 117.16 tourists for every resident.

Another European mountainous microstate, San Marino, ranks third. With only 33,581 residents, it attracts 2 million tourists annually.

Known for its medieval architecture and scenic hilltop views, San Marino hosts 59.56 tourists per local.

In fourth place is the Bahamas, a sun-soaked Caribbean paradise. Although home to just over 400,000 people, the island nation welcomes more than 11.2 million visitors each year — equivalent to 27.96 tourists per resident.

Its crystal-clear waters and sandy beaches remain a major pull for international travelers.

The tropical Caribbean country, Saint Kitts and Nevis, rounded out the top five. It has a population of 46,843 and draws in 875,085 visitors annually. The dual-island nation sees 18.68 tourists per resident. Its lush scenery and tranquil beaches have made it a celebrity favorite — most famously with Princess Diana.

These findings highlight the growing impact of tourism not just on infrastructure, but also on local communities.

While scenic and culturally rich destinations remain irresistible to global travelers, the figures reveal the need for sustainable tourism strategies to preserve these special places for generations to come.

The top 15 most overcrowded travel destinations:

1. Vatican City

Local population: 882

Tourists per year: 6,800,000

2. Andorra

Local population: 81,938

Tourists per year: 9,600,000

3. San Marino

Local population: 33,581

Tourists per year: 2,000,000

4. Bahamas

Local population: 401,283

Tourists per year: 11,220,000

5. Saint Kitts and Nevis

Local population: 46,843

Tourists per year: 875,085

6. Antigua and Barbuda

Local population: 93,772

Tourists per year: 1,154,236

7. Bahrain

Local population: 1,607,049

Tourists per year: 14,900,000

8. Monaco

Local population: 38,956

Tourists per year: 340,000

9. Malta 

Local population: 563,443

Tourists per year: 3,563,618

10. Hong Kong

Local population: 7,414,909

Tourists per year: 44,500,000

11. Iceland

Local population: 393,396

Tourists per year: 2,287,341

12. Croatia

Local population: 3,875,325

Tourists per year: 21,300,000

13. Barbados 

Local population: 282,467

Tourists per year: 1,520,740

14. Switzerland 

Local population: 8,921,981

Tourists per year: 42,800,000

15. Grenada 

Local population: 117,081

Tourists per year: 504,000

Start: mile 100.2

End: mile 122.4

Total: 22.2 mi

Ascent: 4432′

Descent: 4485′

I woke up to people talking around 5:30am, but fell back asleep for a while, and then got up at about 6:15am. 

I packed up, again I don’t cook in the morning just eat a bar or pop tart once I start walking, so it’s quick. This was the first campsite I stayed at with a toilet, so I used that, honestly kind of luxury. Then I started hiking at 7am!

Emma started a bit before me and John a bit after me, but I stayed around and between them almost all day long, and we stopped for lunch together at Dolly Creek at mile 112.6 around noon. It was a really nice creek, flowing fast and the water was cool and felt great.

At this point my hunger cues seemed to be kind of coming back, which was nice, so I ate a good amount for lunch.

This whole day we also had a ton of blowdowns (trees laying across the trail, sometimes one sometimes a whole mess of them) and some bushwhacking, which slowed us down a little bit. Sometimes we would have to just jump over and sometimes we’d have to go up and around 50 feet or so off trail.

We kept hiking and got to mile 122.4, where we found a campsite not marked in the map, but recommended to Emma by a hiker who had done this section. It was decently with the few hundred foot walk down from the trail, with nice flat spots to pitch our tents and an amazing river right near to wash up in and get water from.

We sat by the water to eat our dinner, I had ramen, as the valley slowly turned shaded as the sun lowered behind the mountains. The spot I had for my tent was actually a little sloped, but It thought it might help with the congestion that I was feeling.

When in Stehekin I started to have congestion and a cough, which persisted, I didn’t feel awful just annoyed with it. Another plus for this campsite was that there were basically no bugs! No mosquitoes and only a few flies, which was definitely not the case the night before.

Because of the long days so far there was only 66.1 miles to Stevens Pass from here! But the hardest part was yet to come…

See you in the next one!

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