OREGON — A beloved Oregon hiking trail once known only to a handful of locals, several deer, and one suspiciously territorial raccoon has now been declared “completely over” after being featured in the debut episode of influencer Sage Emberly’s new video series, Untouched Secret Trails — which she described as “a quiet, sacred gift” to her 3.2 million followers.
“This place is so special and I really don’t want it to get ruined,” Sage whispered into her GoPro, as a drone captured a sweeping shot of her standing barefoot on a mossy rock in a $260 sustainably-sourced crochet bikini. “So I’m sharing it in the spirit of reverence… and also brand engagement.”
The video, captioned “shhhh don’t tell anyone 🌿🧘♀️ #HiddenGem #UntouchedOregon #TrailTok” has since amassed over 9 million views, 84,000 comments, and a pop-up coffee cart now parked at the trailhead.
Within 24 hours of the video going live, the once-silent trail was bustling with aspiring influencers, sound bath practitioners, and one man live-streaming himself yelling “DO YOU GUYS EVEN KNOW WHO SAGE IS?!”
When asked whether she saw the irony of launching a series about “untouched” trails by broadcasting them to millions of followers, Sage responded, “I don’t gatekeep. Gatekeeping is toxic. Plus, if people aren’t willing to hike 200 yards from the parking lot for spiritual renewal, that’s on them.”
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Oregon Parks & Recreation has since announced that the trail will be temporarily closed for emergency moss restoration, drone part cleanup, and “general influencer detoxification.” New signage will be added in both English and Instagram Caption Font warning: “If You Found This Place Through Someone Who Said Not to Tell Anyone, Please Leave Immediately.”
Meanwhile, Sage has teased Episode 2 of Untouched Secret Trails, promising to “connect people to places that weren’t asking to be connected to.”
Officials are asking the public to please stop hiking while holding ring lights.
As for the trail itself, it is scheduled to reopen in 2028 following a full rewilding, replanting, and ceremonial sage-cleansing of the geotag.