What is a Desire Path?

Ever been walking and seen a worn-out trail in the grass between two paths? That's a Desire Path. Humans will see a shorter route between two destinations and take it, regardless of the pre-built paths. This causes erosion from foot traffic, eventually making the Desire Path more visible, and more likely to be used.

Architects and landscapers try to plan paths that they anticipate that people will follow. However, these don't take into account the psychology of travel. They plan mostly for aesthetics - humans are significantly more likely to take a route they deem faster or more enjoyable. This could be cutt...