I just got back from hiking the first 200 miles will get back on hopefully Sunday. Anyway. I hiked most of the time by myself. Some hikers passed me some I passed. So the trail was not crowded. I always could sleep in a shelter if I wanted to. There is plenty of camp sites with fire rings. One camp site we ended up with about 20 tents But we all did our own thing. The farther north you go the less hikers. But what is crowded to you? You know what they say. Hike your own Hike. Which everyone does.