Take a Trek

Pacific Crest Trail

The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT)

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Acclaimed for it’s immense geological diversity, The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) is a scenic corridor of desert valleys, alpine tundra, old growth forests, volcanos, and rain forests. Buckle up, buttercup. This one will blow your mind.

PCT Overview

  • 2,650 miles (4,265 km)
  • Mexico to Canada
  • California, Oregon, and Washington
  • 7 National Parks
  • 23 National Forests
  • 60 Major mountain passes
  • over 420,000 feet of elevation gain
  • A thru typically takes between four and six months
  • Designated as a National Scenic Trail in 1968 and completed in 1993

PCT Resources

  • The Pacific Crest Trail Association (PCTA) is responsible for protecting, preserving, and promoting the PCT.
  • Updated annually, Halfmile’s PCT Maps are accurate, detailed, and free to download in .pdf format. There’s also a GPS app for your iPhone or Android device. Halfmile asks that you make a monetary donation to the PCTA, if you use these resources.
  • Yogi’s PCT Guide is an indispensable tool for planning a thru-hike of the PCT. In The first half of the book, veteran thru-hikers offer advice on everything from gear selection to convincing your friends and family that you haven’t lost your mind. The second half of the book is primarily a town guide, highlighting over 100 potential resupply points.
  • If you don’t want to guess where your next water source is going to be, especially in Southern California, you’ll want to keep track of this water report.
  • The Annual Day Zero PCT Kickoff (ADZPCTKO) is an informative, two-day gathering of past, present, and future PCT hikers. The event goes down in mid-April at Lake Morena, 20 miles north of the Mexican border. Reservation required.
  • Yes, you need a permit to hike long distances on the PCT.
  • Our class video from 2015 is awesome. A thru-hiker named Ratatouille collected more than 13,000 images from over 200 people and mashed everything into a movie masterpiece.