When exact geotags for specific trails, overlooks, and secluded viewpoints go viral on Instagram, they can trigger sudden surges of visitors to places that were never meant for that kind of traffic. Many arrive unprepared, damaging delicate environments, trampling vegetation, causing erosion, leaving trash, and more.

What were once quiet, “hidden gem” spots in National Parks are now becoming overwhelmed destinations chased for the photo-op, to the point where parks are seeing their most fragile landscapes quite literally being loved to death.

So we’ll introduce an Instagram feature that replaces the exact names of vulnerable spots and overlooks with a broader label like ‘Somewhere at Acadia.’

Additionally, to make the problem impossible to ignore, we’ll partner with large-scale installation artist Olafur Eliasson to build a living trail made of real soil, roots, and moss—then place it in a high-traffic space and let audiences walk on it, trample the vegetation, tag the exact location and encourage more people to come, and witness its dramatic before-and-after.

Not only is our goal to reduce geotagging at fragile trails, but also to help shift the focus from treating nature as a photo op for social media to actually experiencing it. This will keep these places wild and protected for those who truly appreciate them.