"road" or "path." The ground would have been hard from the people walking on it.
## they were trampled underfoot ##
This can be translated as "They were stepped on too often for them to grow" or with an active verb as in the UDB. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]])
## devoured them ##
"ate them all"
## they withered ##
"the plants became dry and shriveled up"
## they had no moisture ##
This could be translated as "the ground was too dry."