View source for Pacific Crest Trail

{{short description|Long-distance hiking and equestrian trail in the western US}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox hiking trail
| name = Pacific Crest Trail
| photo = Pct-logo.svg
| photo_size = 210px
| location = [[Mexico]] (border) / [[California]] / [[Oregon]] / [[Washington (state)|Washington]], USA / [[British Columbia|British Columbia, Canada]]
| designation = [[National Scenic Trail]]
| length = {{convert|2653|mi|km|0|abbr=on}}<ref name="go">{{Citation |title=Halfmile's Pacific Crest Trail Notes - Ashland, OR to Manning Park, BC |url=https://www.pctmap.net/wp-content/uploads/pct/halfmiles_pct_notes_orwa.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160309065549/https://www.pctmap.net/wp-content/uploads/pct/halfmiles_pct_notes_orwa.pdf |access-date=March 5, 2016 |archive-date=March 9, 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| elev_change = {{convert|489,000|ft|m|abbr=on}}<ref name="NPS-CraterLake"/>
| trailheads = [[Campo, California]]<br>[[E. C. Manning Provincial Park|Manning Park, British Columbia]]
| use = [[Hiking]]<br>[[Horseback riding]]
| highest = [[Forester Pass]], {{convert|13153|ft|m|0|abbr=on}}<ref name="foresterpass"/>
| lowest = [[Cascade Locks]], {{convert|140|ft|m|0|abbr=on}}<ref name="usfs">{{Cite web |url=http://www.fs.fed.us/pct/text/index.html |title=Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail |publisher=USFS |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100116042557/http://www.fs.fed.us/pct/text/index.html |archive-date=January 16, 2010}}</ref>
| months = Late April to Late September
| sights = [[Sierra Nevada (U.S.)]]<br>[[Cascade Range]]
| hazards = [[Severe weather]]<br>[[Dehydration]]<br>[[Avalanches]]<br>[[Falling (accident)|Falling]]<br>[[Forest fire]]s<br>[[Landslides]]<br>[[Volcanic ash]] (rare)<br>[[American black bear|Black bears]]<br>[[Venomous snake]]s<br>[[Hypothermia]]<br>[[Cougar|Mountain lions]]<br>[[Wilderness-acquired diarrhea|Diarrhea from water]]<br>[[Lightning injury|Lightning strike]]
| map = Locator Map of the Pacific Crest Trail.png
}}

The '''Pacific Crest Trail''' ('''PCT'''), officially designated as the '''Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail''', is a long-distance [[hiking]] and [[Equestrianism|equestrian]] trail closely aligned with the highest portion of the [[Cascade Range|Cascade]] and [[Sierra Nevada (U.S.)|Sierra Nevada]] mountain ranges, which lie {{convert|100|to|150|mi|km|-1}} east of the U.S. Pacific coast. The trail's southern terminus is next to the [[Mexico–United States border]], just south of [[Campo, California]], and its northern terminus is on the [[Canada–United States border|Canada–US border]], upon which it continues unofficially to the Windy Joe Trail within [[E. C. Manning Provincial Park|Manning Park]] in [[British Columbia]]; it passes through the states of [[California]], [[Oregon]], and [[Washington (state)|Washington]].

The Pacific Crest Trail is {{convert|2653|mi|km|0|abbr=on}} long<ref name=go/> and ranges in elevation from roughly {{convert|110|ft|m|0}}{{#tag:ref|The bridge deck itself lies at ~180 feet above sea level, with the water below at ~77 feet. North of the bridge, the trail declines slightly in elevation to about 108 ft near Wauna Lake Road, about a mile past the bridge. The Eagle Creek Trail, a popular alternate route on the Oregon side, reaches a lower elevation of {{convert|80|ft|m|0}}. This is according to PCT's official trail data<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.pcta.org/discover-the-trail/maps/pct-data/ | title=PCT data}}</ref> used on a 1m DEM from USGS/FEMA<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.sciencebase.gov/catalog/item/61a7171fd34eb622f697adef | title=USGS 1 Meter 10 x58y506 WA_FEMAHQ_2018_D18 - ScienceBase-Catalog }}</ref>}} above sea level near the [[Bridge of the Gods (modern structure)|Bridge of the Gods]] on the Oregon–Washington border to {{convert|13153|ft|m|0}}{{#tag:ref|
  Sources disagree on Forester Pass's elevation. The Forest Service claims {{convert|13180|ft|m|0}}<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.fs.fed.us/pct/central_california_segment.html |title=Pacific Crest Trail – Central California Online Map and Guide |date=April 26, 2005 |publisher=USFS |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060525085224/http://www.fs.fed.us/pct/central_california_segment.html |archive-date=May 25, 2006 |access-date=September 23, 2006}}</ref> while the USGS says {{convert|13153|ft|m|0}},<ref>{{cite gnis|id=260262|name=Forester Pass}}</ref> but topographic maps showing {{coord|36.6941|-118.3720|region:US_type:mountain}} indicate a little less than {{convert|4000|m|ft|0|order=flip}}.|name=foresterpass}} at [[Forester Pass]] in the Sierra Nevada. The route passes through 25 national forests and 7 national parks.<ref>"Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail." Parks Directory of the United States. 2004 ed.</ref> Its midpoint is near [[Chester, California]] (near [[Lassen Peak|Mt. Lassen]]), where the Sierra and Cascade mountain ranges meet.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.trimbleoutdoors.com/ViewTrip/28944 |title=Pacific Crest Trail: CA Section 31 |last=Backpacker Magazine |publisher=Trimble Outdoors |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402093047/http://www.trimbleoutdoors.com/ViewTrip/28944 |archive-date=April 2, 2015 |access-date=March 29, 2015 }}</ref> The overall [[elevation gain]] for the Pacific Crest Trail is approximately {{convert|489,000|ft|m|abbr=on}}.<ref name="NPS-CraterLake">{{cite web |date=2022 |title=Crater Lake: Reflections Visitor Guide |page=4 |url=https://www.nps.gov/crla/learn/news/upload/Crater_Lake_Reflections_Summer-Fall_2022_for_Website-2.pdf |publisher=National Park Service |accessdate=February 26, 2024}}</ref>

It was designated a [[National Scenic Trail]] in 1968, although it was not officially completed until 1993.<ref name=pcthist/> The PCT was conceived by Clinton Churchill Clarke in 1932.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Gally |first=Sid |url=http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/general-news/20130811/sid-gally-the-pacific-crest-trail-had-its-roots-in-pasadena |title=The Pacific Crest Trail had its roots in Pasadena |work=Pasadena Star News |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150114145427/http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/general-news/20130811/sid-gally-the-pacific-crest-trail-had-its-roots-in-pasadena |archive-date=January 14, 2015}}</ref> It received official status under the [[National Trails System]] Act of 1968.

The Pacific Crest Trail, the [[Appalachian Trail]], and the [[Continental Divide Trail]] form what is known as the [[Triple Crown of Hiking]] in the United States.<ref>{{cite book|last=Berger|first=Karen|title=Hiking the Triple Crown: How to Hike America's Longest Trails : Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, Continental Divide Trail|location=Seattle|publisher=Mountaineers Press|year=2001|isbn=978-0-89886-760-2}}</ref> The Pacific Crest Trail is also part of the 6,875-mile [[Great Western Loop]].

==Route==
[[Image:Pacific crest trail route overview.png|thumb|left|PCT overview from Forest Service brochure]]
The route is mostly through National Forest and protected [[wilderness]]. It also passes through seven national parks: Kings Canyon, Sequoia, Yosemite, Lassen Volcanic, Crater Lake, Mt. Rainier, and North Cascades. The trail avoids civilization and covers scenic and pristine mountainous terrain with few roads. It passes through the [[Laguna Mountains|Laguna]], [[Santa Rosa Mountains (California)|Santa Rosa]], [[San Jacinto Mountains|San Jacinto]], [[San Bernardino Mountains|San Bernardino]], [[San Gabriel Mountains|San Gabriel]], [[Liebre Mountains|Liebre]], [[Tehachapi Mountains|Tehachapi]], [[Sierra Nevada (U.S.)|Sierra Nevada]], and [[Klamath Mountains|Klamath]] ranges in [[California]], and the [[Cascade Range]] in [[California]], [[Oregon]], and [[Washington (state)|Washington]].

==History==

The Pacific Crest Trail was first proposed around 1932 by Clinton C. Clarke as a trail running from Mexico to Canada along the crest of the mountains in California, Oregon, and Washington. The original proposal was to link the [[John Muir Trail]], the [[Tahoe–Yosemite Trail]] (both in California), the [[Skyline Trail (Oregon)|Skyline Trail]] (in Oregon) and the Cascade Crest Trail (in Washington).<ref name="pcthist">{{Cite web |url=http://www.fs.fed.us/pct/pacific_crest_trail_history.html |title=History of the Pacific Crest Trail |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100122032122/http://www.fs.fed.us/pct/pacific_crest_trail_history.html |archive-date=January 22, 2010 |access-date=March 28, 2010}}</ref>

The Pacific Crest Trail System Conference was formed by Clarke to both plan the trail and to lobby the federal government to protect the trail. The conference was founded by Clarke, the [[Boy Scouts of America|Boy Scouts]], the [[YMCA]], and [[Ansel Adams]] (amongst others). From 1935 through 1938, YMCA groups explored the 2,000 miles of potential trail and planned a route, which has been closely followed by the modern PCT route.<ref name=pcthist/>

In recent years, Washington state clubwoman and educator [[Catherine T. Montgomery]]'s contributions to the initial concept of the Pacific Crest Trail have been explored and she is known as the "Mother of the Pacific Crest Trail".<ref>{{Cite web|date=May 14, 2017|title=Meet the mother of the Pacific Crest Trail: Catherine Montgomery|url=https://www.pcta.org/2017/mother-pacific-crest-trail-catherine-montgomery-48060/|access-date=January 3, 2022|website=Pacific Crest Trail Association|language=en-US}}</ref>

In 1968, President [[Lyndon B. Johnson]] defined the PCT and the [[Appalachian Trail]] with the [[National Trails System Act]]. The PCT was then constructed through cooperation between the federal government and volunteers organized by the [[Pacific Crest Trail Association]]. In 1993, the PCT was officially declared finished.<ref name=pcthist/>

The Trust for Public Land has purchased and conserved more than {{convert|3000|acre|sqkm}} along the Pacific Crest Trail in Washington.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.tpl.org/our-work/pacific-crest-scenic-trail#sm.000001tw1n9rvrfo8u6y3v8zmk5xa|title=Pacific Crest Scenic Trail|work=The Trust for Public Land|access-date=August 3, 2018|language=en}}</ref> Consolidation of this land has allowed for better recreational access as well as greater ease to manage conservation lands.<ref name=":0" />

A [[bicycle touring]] route has been developed to parallel the PCT on paved and unpaved roads.<ref>{{cite book|author=Bil Paul|title=Pacific Crest Bicycle Trail|date=October 1990|publisher=Bittersweet Publishing Company|isbn=0-931255-06-6}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=November 19, 2015|title=Sierra Cascades {{!}} Adventure Cycling Route Network|url=https://www.adventurecycling.org/routes-and-maps/adventure-cycling-route-network/sierra-cascades/|access-date=April 13, 2021|website=Adventure Cycling Association|language=en}}</ref>

==Thru-hiking==
[[Thru-hiking]] is a term used in referring to hikers who complete long-distance trails from end to end in a single trip. Thru-hiking is a long commitment, usually taking between four and six months, that requires thorough preparation and dedication. The Pacific Crest Trail Association estimates that it takes most hikers between six and eight months to plan, train, and get ready for their trips.<ref name="pctfaq">{{cite web | url = https://www.pcta.org/discover-the-trail/thru-hiking-long-distance-hiking/thruhiker-faq/ | title = Thru-hiker FAQ | publisher = Pacific Crest Trail Association | access-date = July 16, 2021}}</ref> It is estimated the average completion rate is around 14%.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Murphy |first1=Jen |title=Go for a hike - for a few months |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/thru-hike-pacific-crest-appalachian-trails-11657916230 |work=The Wall Street Journal |publisher=Dow Jones |date=July 18, 2022}}</ref>

While most hikers travel from the southern terminus at the Mexico–US border northward to Manning Park, British Columbia, some hikers prefer a southbound route. In a normal weather year, northbound hikes are most practical due to snow and temperature considerations. Additionally, some hiker services are seasonal and may be better timed for northbound hikers.<ref>{{cite book|last=Mitchell|first=Jackie|year=2017|title=Yogi's Pacific Crest Trail Handbook 2017-2018}}</ref> If snowpack in the Sierra Nevada is high in early June and low in the Northern Cascades, some hikers may choose to 'flip-flop.' Flip-flopping can take many forms but often describes a process whereby a hiker begins at one end (on the PCT, usually the southern end) of the trail and then, at some point, like reaching the Sierra, 'flips' to the end of the trail at the Canada–US border and hikes southbound to complete the trail. However, it is not currently possible to legally enter the United States from Canada by using the Pacific Crest Trail.<ref>{{cite news|title=Mind the border: Feds warn Pacific Crest Trail hikers crossing from Canada to U.S.|newspaper=The Oregonian|first=Kimberly|last=Wilson|date=July 2, 2010|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2010/07/mind_the_border_feds_warn_pacific_crest_trail_hikers_crossing_from_canada_to_us.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131109194740/http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2010/07/mind_the_border_feds_warn_pacific_crest_trail_hikers_crossing_from_canada_to_us.html|archive-date=November 9, 2013}}</ref>

Hikers also have to determine their resupply points. Resupply points are towns or post offices where hikers replenish food and other supplies such as cooking fuel. Hikers can ship packages to themselves at the U.S. Post Offices along the trail, resupply at general and grocery stores along the trail, or any combination of the two.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.planyourhike.com/planning/resupplypoints.php | title = Pacific Crest Trail Resupply Points | publisher = PlanYourHike.com | access-date = March 1, 2010 | url-status = live | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110107211853/http://www.planyourhike.com/planning/resupplypoints.php | archive-date = January 7, 2011 }}</ref> The final major logistical step is to create an approximate schedule for completion. Thru hikers have to make sure they complete enough miles every day to reach the opposite end of the trail before weather conditions make sections impassable. For northbound thru-hikers, deep snow pack in the Sierra Nevada can prevent an early start. The timing is a balance between not getting to the Sierra too soon nor the Northern Cascades too late. Most hikers cover about 20 miles (32&nbsp;km) per day.<ref name=pctfaq/>

In order to reduce their hiking time and thereby increase their chances of completing the trail, many hikers try to substantially reduce their pack weight. Since the creation of the Pacific Crest Trail there has been a large movement by hikers to get away from large heavy packs with a lot of gear. There are three general classifications for hikers: Traditional, Lightweight, and [[Ultralight backpacking|Ultralight]].<ref name=Jardine>{{cite book|last=Jardine|first=Ray|title=Beyond Backpacking: Ray Jardine's Guide to Lightweight Hiking|location=LaPine, OR|publisher=AventureLore|year=2000|isbn=978-0-9632359-3-0}}</ref><ref name="UltraLight Backpacking">{{cite web|title=Ultralight Backpacking: Have You Considered It?|url=https://hikingspree.com/ultralight-backpacking/|website=hikingspree.com|access-date=September 23, 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170924001503/https://hikingspree.com/ultralight-backpacking/|archive-date=September 24, 2017}}</ref>

==Notable hikers==
Before the PCT became an official trail, Martin Papendick was the first known person to hike across three states of the PCT in 1952.<ref name=PCTbook>{{cite book|title=The Pacific Crest Trail: Southern California|first1=Ben|last1=Schifrin|first2=Jeffrey P|last2=Schaffer|first3=Ruby Johnson|last3=Jenkins|page=5|publisher=Wilderness Press|year=2003|isbn=978-0-89997-316-6|url=https://archive.org/details/pacificcresttrai0000unse/page/5}}</ref> After being one of the first to finish the Appalachian Trail in 1951, Papendick hiked between July 4 and December 1, 1952, from British Columbia to the Mexico–US border over the crests of the mountains along the Pacific Coast, a feat he reported in a periodical under the title "Pacific Crest Trails".<ref>{{cite journal|first=Martin|last=Papendick|title=Pacific Crest Trails|journal=Appalachia|volume=XXVIII|pages=374–376|publisher=Appalachian Mountain Club, 1953}}</ref>

On October 16, 1970, Eric Ryback, an 18-year-old student, completed the first PCT thru-hike. His personal congratulations came by telegram from Edward P. Cliff, Chief of the U.S. Forest Service.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pcta.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/ryback-returns-sept09.pdf|title=Ryback Returns|publisher=Pcta.org|access-date=January 13, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924065924/http://www.pcta.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/ryback-returns-sept09.pdf|archive-date=September 24, 2015}}</ref> Ryback is credited, recognized, and has been honored by the Pacific Crest Trail Association as the official first thru-hiker of the entire trail.<ref name=funFacts/> Ryback completed the Appalachian Trail in 1969 (as a 16-year-old); the Pacific Crest Trail in 1970; and a route approximating today's Continental Divide Trail in 1972.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pcta.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Medals4MilesFeb2010.pdf|title=Medals for Miles|publisher=Pcta.org|access-date=January 13, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924065930/http://www.pcta.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Medals4MilesFeb2010.pdf|archive-date=September 24, 2015}}</ref> Ryback's 1971 book ''The High Adventure of Eric Ryback: Canada to Mexico on Foot'' focused public attention on the PCT. Ryback carried an 80-pound pack on his 1970 thru-hike. He had only five resupply packages on the entire trip and was loaded with 40 pounds of food at the start of each leg. He often ran out of food and foraged or went hungry.<ref name=funFacts>{{cite web|url=http://www.pcta.org/about_trail/fun.asp|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120821135547/http://www.pcta.org/about_trail/fun.asp|archive-date=August 21, 2012|publisher=Pacific Crest Trail Association|title=Fun Facts|access-date=January 13, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> Ryback also helped the Forest Service lay out future plans for the PCT.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mchalepacks.com/ultralight/Detail%20Hi%20Rez%20Pages/Muir%20Trail%20Story.htm|title=Muir Trail Story|publisher=Mchalepacks.com|access-date=January 13, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150226114742/http://www.mchalepacks.com/ultralight/Detail%20Hi%20Rez%20Pages/Muir%20Trail%20Story.htm|archive-date=February 26, 2015}}</ref>

Ryback's claim is disputed. When the guidebook publisher [[Wilderness Press]] stated that Ryback had used motor transport in places along the PCT, Ryback sued for $3 million but withdrew the suit after Wilderness Press revealed statements from the people who claim to have picked up the young hiker along highways parallel to the {{convert|2,600|mile||adj=mid| trail}}. Ryback is in Smithsonian's top 9 list of people ''Cheating Their Way to Fame'' though it notes that "the claims that Ryback 'cheated' are still doubted by some".<ref>{{cite web
 | url = http://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/cheating-their-way-to-fame-the-top-9-adventure-travel-hoaxes-24473354/?no-ist
 | title = Cheating Their Way to Fame
 | author = Alastair Bland
 | publisher = smithsonian.com
 | date = April 17, 2013
| access-date = October 10, 2014
}}</ref>

Richard Watson, who completed the trail on September 1, 1972,<ref name=PCTbook/> was often credited as the first PCT thru-hiker because Papendick was generally unknown and Ryback may have accepted rides. The first woman to complete the PCT was Mary Carstens, who finished the journey later in 1972, accompanied by Jeff Smukler.<ref name=PCTbook/>

The first person to thru-hike the entire PCT both ways in a single continuous round-trip was [[Scott Williamson (hiker)|Scott Williamson]], who completed the "yo-yo" circuit on his fourth attempt in November 2004. Williamson traveled a total of {{convert|5300|mi|km|-1}} in 197 days, covering an average of {{convert|35|to|40|mi|km|0}} per day when not in snow – an overall average of {{convert|27|mi|km}} per day – wearing an extremely [[Ultralight backpacking|ultra-lightweight pack]], which "without food, weighed about {{convert|8.5|lb|kg|1}}".<ref>{{cite news
  | title = Hiker Completes First Round-Trip of Pacific Crest Trail
  | work = Outside Magazine
  | date = November 18, 2004
| url = http://outside.away.com/outside/news/20041118_1.html
  | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20041204235555/http://outside.away.com/outside/news/20041118_1.html
  | archive-date = December 4, 2004
| access-date = September 14, 2009
}}</ref> Williamson then went on to complete a second round trip on November 28, 2006, cutting two weeks off his 2004 time.<ref>{{cite news
 |title       = A solo accomplishment is appreciated by many
 |url         = http://www.utsandiego.com/sports/outdoors/20061202-9999-lz1s2solo.html
 |work        = San Diego Union-Tribune
 |date        = December 2, 2006
|access-date  = December 2, 2006
|url-status     = live
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20121012094748/http://www.utsandiego.com/sports/outdoors/20061202-9999-lz1s2solo.html
 |archive-date = October 12, 2012
}}</ref>

In 2014, Olive McGloin (from Ireland) became the first woman to thru-hike the PCT both ways in a single continuous round-trip.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/people/a-walk-on-the-wild-side-meet-the-first-woman-to-yoyo-the-pacific-crest-trail-1.2071182|title=A walk on the wild side: meet the first woman to YoYo the Pacific Crest Trail|work=Irish Times|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150125045646/http://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/people/a-walk-on-the-wild-side-meet-the-first-woman-to-yoyo-the-pacific-crest-trail-1.2071182|archive-date=January 25, 2015}}</ref>

The youngest person to hike the trail is Christian Thomas Geiger, who at the age of 6 completed the trail with his parents Andrea Rego and Dion Pagonis.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.buddybackpacker.com/buddy-backpacker-pacific-crest-trail-thru-hiker/ |title=Youngest PCT Thru-Hiker|access-date=January 30, 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160228122118/http://www.buddybackpacker.com/buddy-backpacker-pacific-crest-trail-thru-hiker/ |archive-date=February 28, 2016 }}</ref> Christian, also known by his trail name Buddy Backpacker, was also the youngest person to hike the Appalachian Trail until 2020.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://appalachiantrials.com/buddy-backpacker-5-year-old-thru-hiker/|title=Meet Buddy Backpacker, The 5 Year Old Thru-Hiker - The Trek|date=March 2, 2014|website=appalachiantrials.com|access-date=May 3, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161113212304/http://appalachiantrials.com/buddy-backpacker-5-year-old-thru-hiker|archive-date=November 13, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.backpacker.com/special-features/kindergarten-can-wait/ |title=Kindergarten Can Wait: Buddy Backpacker, 5-Year-Old Thru-Hiker |access-date=October 6, 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161010192055/http://www.backpacker.com/special-features/kindergarten-can-wait/ |archive-date=October 10, 2016 }}</ref>

Other notable young hikers include Sierra Burror and Reed Gjonnes. Burror, who completed a continuous thru-hike of the trail in 2012 at the age of 9, is the youngest girl to thru-hike the trail. She completed her hike with her mother, Heather Burror.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pcta.org/2012/nine-year-old-monkey-completes-the-pct-575/|title=Nine-year-old Monkey completes the PCT|work=Pacific Crest Trail Association|date=September 25, 2012|access-date=January 30, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304023124/http://www.pcta.org/2012/nine-year-old-monkey-completes-the-pct-575/|archive-date=March 4, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://pcttrailsidereader.com/post/47964523891/an-interview-with-monkey/|title=An Interview with "Monkey"|access-date=January 30, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160220050139/http://pcttrailsidereader.com/post/47964523891/an-interview-with-monkey|archive-date=February 20, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Burror|first= Heather|date=March 29, 2014|title=Adventures on the Pacific Crest Trail|newspaper=Inyo Register|pages=15}}</ref> Gjonnes, who thru-hiked the trail in 2011 at age 11, went on to complete the [[Triple Crown of Hiking]], becoming the youngest person ever to do so.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/10/27/young-hiker-triple-crown/3282981/|title=Ore. girl, 13, youngest to claim hiking 'Triple Crown'|author=Zach Urness, (Salem, Ore.) Statesman Journal|date=October 27, 2013|publisher=Usatoday.com|access-date=January 13, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141201091321/http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/10/27/young-hiker-triple-crown/3282981/|archive-date=December 1, 2014}}</ref>

Teddi Boston hiked from Canada to Mexico on the PCT in 1976 at the age of 49. She was one of the first women to hike the trail alone.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.scpr.org/programs/take-two/2015/08/03/43936/teddi-boston-recalls-historic-solo-walk-on-the-pac/|title=Teddi Boston recalls historic solo walk on the Pacific Crest Trail|author=Martinez, A., KPCC Take Two|date=August 3, 2015|publisher=scpr.org|access-date=June 22, 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170718075049/http://www.scpr.org/programs/take-two/2015/08/03/43936/teddi-boston-recalls-historic-solo-walk-on-the-pac/|archive-date=July 18, 2017}}</ref>

An autobiographical account of a woman hiking a portion of the PCT alone in 1995 at age 26 was written by [[Cheryl Strayed]]. Her memoir ''[[Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail]]'' was published in 2012 and reached #1 on the New York Times Best Sellers list.<ref>{{cite news |last=Taylor |first=Ihsan |url=https://www.nytimes.com/best-sellers-books/2012-07-15/hardcover-nonfiction/list.html |title=Best Sellers - The New York Times |work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=March 6, 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120712023108/http://www.nytimes.com/best-sellers-books/2012-07-15/hardcover-nonfiction/list.html |archive-date=July 12, 2012 }}</ref> Her hike is the subject of the 2014 film [[Wild (2014 film)|''Wild'']], starring [[Reese Witherspoon]].

The first two reported deaths on the Pacific Crest Trail were in November 1995, when thru-hikers Jane and Flicka Rodman were killed during a detour down [[California State Route 138]] in [[Southern California]], when they were struck by a motorist who lost control of his vehicle. They were less than {{convert|400| miles}} from their goal of reaching the Mexico–US border.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pcta.org/about-us/history/in-memoriam/jane-and-flicka-rodman/|title=Jane and Flicka Rodman|publisher=Pacific Crest Trail Association|access-date=May 7, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150426141756/http://www.pcta.org/about-us/history/in-memoriam/jane-and-flicka-rodman/ |archive-date=April 26, 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Sierra hikers remembered in trek by family, friends|url=http://lasvegassun.com/news/1997/aug/18/sierra-hikers-remembered-in-trek-by-family-friends/|access-date=May 8, 2015|newspaper=The Las Vegas Sun|date=August 18, 1997|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150722105905/http://lasvegassun.com/news/1997/aug/18/sierra-hikers-remembered-in-trek-by-family-friends/|archive-date=July 22, 2015}}</ref>

The oldest person to thru-hike the trail is not fully established, with multiple competing claims.

===Fastest known times===

====Self-supported====
On August 7, 2013, Heather "Anish" Anderson of [[Bellingham, Washington]], set the [[fastest known time#FKT categories|self-supported]] speed record. She completed the PCT in 60 days, 17 hours, 12 minutes,<ref>{{Cite web
|date=September 3, 2013
|last = Williams | first = Doug
| title= Records set on Pacific Coast Trail
|url=https://www.espn.com/sports/endurance/story/_/id/9629683/endurance-sports-josh-garrett-heather-anderson-master-pacific-crest-trail|access-date=January 2, 2023
|language=en
| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20151001225751/http://espn.go.com/sports/endurance/story/_/id/9629683/endurance-sports-josh-garrett-heather-anderson-master-pacific-crest-trail
| url-status= live
| archive-date = October 1, 2015
| publisher= ESPN
}}</ref> beating the previous record by almost 4 days.<ref name=fkt>{{cite web|url=http://fastestknowntime.proboards.com/thread/29|title=Pacific Crest Trail (CA, OR, WA)|publisher=Fastest Known Time|access-date=January 13, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150113170508/http://fastestknowntime.proboards.com/thread/29|archive-date=January 13, 2015}}</ref> She documented this journey in her book ''Thirst''.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Thirst : 2600 miles to home|last=Anderson, Heather|isbn=9781680512366|location=Seattle, Washington|oclc=1055681514|year=2019}}</ref> In 2018 she became the first woman to complete the [[Triple Crown of Hiking]] in a single calendar year.

Exactly nine years later, on August 7, 2022, Josh Perry improved upon the self-supported speed record, completing the PCT in 55 days, 16 hours and 54 minutes.<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 22, 2021 |title=Pacific Crest Trail (CA, OR, WA) {{!}} Fastest Known Time |url=https://fastestknowntime.com/route/pacific-crest-trail-ca-or-wa |access-date=July 11, 2023 |website=fastestknowntime.com |language=en}}</ref>

In 2023, Nick Folwer set a new self-supported record of 52 days, 9 hours and 18 minutes. While he was in the [[Sierra Nevada]], [[Hurricane Hilary]] hit California, and he needed to spend 41 hours sheltering in a cave from the weather.<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 16, 2023 |title=Nick Fowler - Pacific Crest Trail (CA, OR, WA) - 2023-09-06 {{!}} Fastest Known Time |url=https://fastestknowntime.com/fkt/nick-fowler-pacific-crest-trail-ca-or-wa-2023-09-06 |access-date=October 8, 2024 |website=fastestknowntime.com |language=en}}</ref>

====Supported====
On August 10, 2014, Joseph McConaughy of [[Shoreline, Washington]], set a new supported speed record and the overall fastest known time for the PCT. The distance was covered in 53 days, 6 hours, and 37 minutes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nwpr.org/post/seattle-runner-smashes-speed-record-full-length-pacific-crest-trail|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140812212654/http://nwpr.org/post/seattle-runner-smashes-speed-record-full-length-pacific-crest-trail|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 12, 2014|title=Seattle Runner Smashes Speed Record For Full Length of Pacific Crest Trail|publisher=Northwest Public Radio}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2024221697_pacificcrestrunner02xml.html|title=55 miles a day: Blistering pace for hiker seeking Pacific Crest record|newspaper=The Seattle Times|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140812141659/http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2024221697_pacificcrestrunner02xml.html|archive-date=August 12, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.runforcolin.com/#!blog/c16p9|title=Run For Colin|publisher=Runforcolin.com|access-date=January 13, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150113000909/http://www.runforcolin.com/#!blog/c16p9|archive-date=January 13, 2015}}</ref> This surpassed the previous record of 59 days, 8 hours, 14 minutes,<ref name=fkt/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pcta.org/2013/pct-speed-record-is-shattered-twice-13750/|title=PCT speed record is shattered twice|date=August 9, 2013|publisher=Pacific Crest Trail Association|access-date=January 13, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150113165321/http://www.pcta.org/2013/pct-speed-record-is-shattered-twice-13750/|archive-date=January 13, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.opb.org/news/article/npr-vegan-hiker-sets-new-record-on-pacific-crest-trail/|title=Vegan Hiker Sets New Record On Pacific Crest Trail|publisher=Oregon Public Broadcasting|access-date=January 13, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150113170613/http://www.opb.org/news/article/npr-vegan-hiker-sets-new-record-on-pacific-crest-trail/|archive-date=January 13, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://blogs.seattletimes.com/today/2013/08/man-woman-set-records-on-pacific-crest-trail/|title=Man, woman set records on Pacific Crest Trail|newspaper=Seattle Times|access-date=January 13, 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150113170231/http://blogs.seattletimes.com/today/2013/08/man-woman-set-records-on-pacific-crest-trail/|archive-date=January 13, 2015}}</ref> set by Josh Garret on August 8, 2013, by more than 6 days. Joe was supported by a team of three hikers.

McConaughy's record was broken on August 14, 2016, by [[Karel Sabbe]], a 27-year-old dentist from [[Ghent, Belgium]]. He covered the distance in 52 days, 8 hours, and 25 minutes, averaging over {{convert|50| miles}} a day and shaving almost a day (22 hours) off the previous record set by McConaughy.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://appalachiantrials.com/karel-sabbe-claims-new-supported-pct-speed-record/|title=Karel Sabbe Claims New Supported PCT Speed Record - The Trek|date=August 17, 2016|website=appalachiantrials.com|access-date=May 3, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161027102434/http://appalachiantrials.com/karel-sabbe-claims-new-supported-pct-speed-record/|archive-date=October 27, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.rei.com/blog/run/dentist-belgium-clipped-day-off-pct-thru-hike-record|title=How a Dentist from Belgium Clipped a Day off the PCT Thru-Hike Record - REI Co-op Journal|date=October 6, 2016|work=REI Co-op Journal|access-date=October 27, 2017|language=en-US|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171027182927/https://www.rei.com/blog/run/dentist-belgium-clipped-day-off-pct-thru-hike-record|archive-date=October 27, 2017}}</ref> Sabbe was supported by his friend Joren Biebuyck.

On July 22, 2021, 37-year-old ultra-runner [[Timothy Olson]] broke Sabbe's record with a time of 51 days, 16 hours and 55 minutes, fifteen and a half hours faster than Sabbe's time. Olson was crewed by a small group of family and friends.<ref name="Potter">{{Cite web|last=Potter|first=Alex|date=July 23, 2021|title=Timothy Olson Sets the Men's Supported Pacific Crest Trail FKT|url=https://www.irunfar.com/timothy-olson-sets-the-mens-supported-pacific-crest-trail-fkt|access-date=July 31, 2021|website=iRunFar|language=en}}</ref>

On August 26, 2023, [[Karel Sabbe]] took back his record with a time of 46 days, 12 hours and 56 minutes, more than five days faster than Olson's time.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/outdoors/article/ultrarunner-smashed-pacific-crest-trail-speed-18299645.php|title=An ultrarunner just smashed the Pacific Crest Trail speed record, hiking 57 miles per day|date=August 26, 2023|work=San Francisco Chronicle|access-date=August 27, 2023|language=en-US}}</ref>

==Equestrian use==
Don and June Mulford made the first verifiable equestrian Thru-Ride of the PCT in 1959.<ref>{{cite journal|journal=PCTA Communicator|date=December 2009|first=Barney|last=Mann|url=https://www.pcta.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Mulfords_Dec09_spreads.pdf|title=Giving Trail History Its Due: The 1959 Thru-Ride of Don and June Mulford}}</ref> In that year the Pacific Crest Trail stretched a poorly-marked {{convert|2,400| miles}} from Mexico to Canada. More concept than footpath, the trail was an oft-broken, high-ridge track disappearing regularly from map and terrain. On April 19, 1959, on an empty scrub sage plain seven miles east of Tijuana, with four horses, Don and June Mulford began their journey north to the Washington–Canada border. The Mulfords went to Hollywood for three months immediately after the ride and were featured on network television. June's old press book yields a half-dozen TV-Guide pages, and she recalls, "Art Linkletter was such a nice man. We appeared on his 'House Party' show and he had coffee with us afterward". ''High Road to Danger'', a syndicated TV show, made an episode on their ride. Even after they had returned home to the Northwest, there was continued TV coverage. A January 1961 TV Guide records their appearance on Portland's [[KOIN]] Red Dunning Show. The Mulfords even made a 90-minute movie and showed it around 12 western states for 10 years.

The Murray family (Barry, Bernice, Barry Jr. and Bernadette) completed the trek on horseback on October 7, 1970.<ref>{{cite journal|journal=Life Magazine|date=September 3, 1971|pages=60–69|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SkAEAAAAMBAJ&pg=60|title=Twenty-five hundred miles on horseback|first=Barry|last=Murray}}</ref>{{Third-party inline|date=June 2019}}

==Alterations and connections==
In 2008, an agreement for realignment through [[Tejon Ranch]] in Southern California was reached.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.pcta.org/2014/pct-tejon-ranch-step-closer-19979/|title=PCT alignment through Tejon Ranch a big step closer - Pacific Crest Trail Association|date=May 7, 2014|language=en-US|access-date=July 26, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160806031535/http://www.pcta.org/2014/pct-tejon-ranch-step-closer-19979/|archive-date=August 6, 2016}}</ref> This realignment would relocate 37 miles of the PCT from the Mojave Desert floor to the more scenic Tehachapi Mountains. While an agreement was reached, the realignment is a long-term project; many details remain to be determined, as well as an Optimal Location Review, a lengthy process through which the ideal path for the new section of the trail is specified.

Portland, Oregon's [[40-Mile Loop]] proposes to extend the [[Springwater Corridor]] hiking and bicycling spur trail to connect the Pacific Crest Trail<ref>{{cite web
 |url         = http://www.40mileloop.org/maps/40MileLoop_map.pdf
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20090326084459/http://www.40mileloop.org/maps/40MileLoop_map.pdf
 |archive-date = March 26, 2009
|title       = 40-Mile Loop map
 |work        = 40-Mile Loop Land Trust
 |access-date  = July 10, 2008
|url-status     = dead
}}</ref> with the proposed [[Cazadero Trail]].<ref>{{cite web
 |url         = http://www.oregonmetro.gov/news/cazadero-trail
 |title       = Cazadero Trail
 |publisher   = Metro (Oregon)
 |access-date  = August 16, 2013
|url-status     = dead
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20150807195157/http://www.oregonmetro.gov/news/cazadero-trail
 |archive-date = August 7, 2015
}}</ref> Plans are currently in progress to add a dedicated pedestrian/equestrian lane to the [[Bridge of the Gods (modern structure)|Bridge of the Gods]] across the Columbia River.<ref>{{Cite web|last=PortofCascadeLocks|title=Bridge of the Gods Pedestrian Lane|url=https://portofcascadelocks.org/bridge-of-the-gods-pedestrian-lane/|access-date=August 1, 2020|website=Port of Cascade Locks|language=en-US}}</ref> Currently, PCT hikers and equestrians must cross the bridge walking in vehicle traffic lanes, a potential danger which the new lane will eliminate. The completion date for this project is unknown.

== Permits ==
The Pacific Crest Trail can require several different permits.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Permits for the Pacific Crest Trail |url=https://www.pcta.org/discover-the-trail/permits/ |access-date=2025-05-09 |website=Pacific Crest Trail Association |language=en-US}}</ref> If thru-hiking, the only permits needed are the PCT Long-distance Permit and the California Fire Permit. The Long-distance Permit allows hikers the convenience of only having to get one permit to cover all the areas that they would otherwise need a local permit for.<ref>{{Cite web |title=PCT Long-distance Permits |url=https://permit.pcta.org/ |access-date=2025-05-09 |website=Pacific Crest Trail Association}}</ref> Local permits are required on many parts of the trail for people hiking less than 500 contiguous miles.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Local permit areas on the Pacific Crest Trail |url=https://www.pcta.org/discover-the-trail/permits/local-permits/ |access-date=2025-05-08 |website=Pacific Crest Trail Association |language=en-US}}</ref> The California Fire Permit allows the use of a [[Portable stove|camping stove]] or [[lantern]]. Campfires are allowed only on some parts of the PCT due to the high fire risk.<ref>{{Cite web |title=California Campfire Permit |url=https://www.pcta.org/discover-the-trail/permits/california-fire-permit/ |access-date=2025-05-08 |website=Pacific Crest Trail Association |language=en-US}}</ref>

The Canada PCT entry permit allowed hikers to end their hike about 8 miles into Canada but was discontinued by the [[Canada Border Services Agency|Canadian Border Services Agency]] as of January 31, 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Canada PCT Entry Permit |url=https://www.pcta.org/discover-the-trail/permits/canada-pct-entry-permit/ |access-date=2025-05-08 |website=Pacific Crest Trail Association |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Floro |first=Kelly |date=2025-01-27 |title=PCT Thru-Hikers Will No Longer Be Able To Hike Into Canada: Canada PCT Entry Program Terminated |url=https://thetrek.co/pacific-crest-trail/pct-thru-hikers-will-no-longer-be-able-to-hike-into-canada-canada-pct-entry-program-terminated/ |access-date=2025-05-08 |website=The Trek |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Notable locations==
{{Pacific Crest Trail|collapse=y}}
The following notable locations are found along or adjacent to the route of the Pacific Crest Trail. They are listed from south to north to correspond with the itinerary typically followed by thru-hikers to take advantage of the best seasonal weather conditions. The numbers in parentheses correspond to the numbers on the PCT overview map above.

===California===
{{image frame|content={{image array
|perrow=2|width=160|height=120
|image1=SUNSET ROCKS San Andreas Fault.jpg
|caption1=[[Vasquez Rocks]]
|image2=Mulkey Meadows on the way back to Trail Pass (44536422422).jpg
|caption2=[[Golden Trout Wilderness]]
|image3=View from Forester Pass (cropped).jpg
|caption3=[[Forester Pass]]
|image4=Lake of the Lone Indian JMW.jpg
|caption4=[[John Muir Wilderness]]
|image5=Devils Postpile from base-1200px.jpg
|caption5=[[Devils Postpile National Monument]]
|image6=Mt Banner and Thousand Island Lake.jpg
|caption6=[[Ansel Adams Wilderness]]
|image7=Broken face of Brokeoff Mountain.jpg
|caption7=[[Lassen Volcanic National Park]]
|image8=Russian Lake in the Russian WIlderness.jpg
|caption8=[[Klamath Mountains]], [[Russian Wilderness]]
}}}}
* [[Campo, California]], near the trail's southern [[Terminal station|terminus]] at the [[Mexico–United States border]]
* [[Lake Morena]]
* [[Anza-Borrego Desert State Park]] (41)
* [[commons:Category:Eagle Rock (Warner Springs, California)|Eagle Rock (near Warner Springs)]]
* [[Cleveland National Forest]] (40)
* [[Crystal Lake Recreation Area]]
** [[Windy Gap Trail (Angeles National Forest)]]
* [[Mount San Jacinto State Park]] (39)
* [[San Gorgonio Pass]] and [[Interstate 10]] near [[Cabazon, California|Cabazon]]
* [[Big Bear Lake]] (37)
* [[Cajon Pass]] (36)
* [[Angeles National Forest]] (35)
* [[Vasquez Rocks]]
* [[Agua Dulce, California|Agua Dulce]]
* [[Tehachapi Pass]]
* [[Walker Pass]]
* [[Owens Peak Wilderness]] (34)
* [[South Sierra Wilderness]] (34)
* [[Golden Trout Wilderness]] (34)
* [[Kings Canyon National Park]] (33)
** [[Forester Pass]], highest point on the trail
* [[John Muir Wilderness]] (31)
* [[Ansel Adams Wilderness]] (30)
** [[Devils Postpile National Monument]]
* [[Yosemite National Park]] (29)
** [[Tuolumne Meadows]]
* [[Sonora Pass]], [[Ebbetts Pass]], [[Carson Pass]]
* [[Desolation Wilderness]]
* [[Lassen National Forest]] (22)
** [[Lassen Volcanic National Park]] (23)
* [[McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park]] (21)
* [[Shasta-Trinity National Forest]] (19)
** [[Castle Crags|Castle Crags Wilderness]] (20)
* [[Klamath Mountains]]
** [[Trinity Alps Wilderness]]
** [[Russian Wilderness]]
** [[Marble Mountain Wilderness]]
{{clear}}

===Oregon===
{{image frame|content={{image array
|perrow=2|width=160|height=120
|image1=Crater Lake and Wizard Island - panoramio.jpg
|caption1=[[Crater Lake National Park]]
|image2=Oregon jefferson park.jpeg
|caption2=[[Mount Jefferson (Oregon)|Mount Jefferson]] and [[Mount Jefferson Wilderness]]
|image3=View of North Sisters Western Face, Willamette National Forest (23638953580).jpg
|caption3=[[Three Sisters (Oregon)|North Sister]]
|image4=Three fingered jack from southwest on PCT P3025.jpeg
|caption4=[[Three Fingered Jack]]
|image5=Mt Hood Wilderness near Ramona Falls.jpg
|caption5=[[Mount Hood Wilderness]]
|image6=BridgeOfTheGods2.jpg
|caption6=[[Bridge of the Gods (modern structure)|Bridge of the Gods]]
}}}}
* [[Cascade–Siskiyou National Monument]] (17)
* [[Rogue River National Forest]] (16) and [[Winema National Forest]] (14)
** [[Sky Lakes Wilderness]]
* [[Crater Lake National Park]] (15)
** [[Crater Lake]]
* [[Umpqua National Forest]] (13)
** [[Mount Thielsen]]
* [[Willamette National Forest]] (11) and [[Deschutes National Forest]] (12)
** [[Diamond Peak Wilderness]]
** [[Waldo Lake]]
** [[Three Sisters Wilderness]]
** [[Dee Wright Observatory]] and [[McKenzie Pass]]
** [[Mount Washington Wilderness]]
** [[Mount Jefferson Wilderness]]
* [[Mount Hood National Forest]] (9)
** [[Olallie Scenic Area]]
** [[Warm Springs Indian Reservation]] (10)
** [[Timberline Lodge]]
** [[Mount Hood Wilderness]]
*** [[Lolo Pass (Oregon)|Lolo Pass]]
* [[Columbia River Gorge]] National Scenic Area (8)
** [[Mark O. Hatfield Wilderness]] (formerly the Columbia Wilderness)
** [[Cascade Locks, Oregon]], lowest point on the trail
** [[Bridge of the Gods (modern structure)|Bridge of the Gods]] (links Oregon and Washington, crossing the [[Columbia River]])
{{clear}}

===Washington===
{{image frame|content={{image array
|perrow=2|width=160|height=120
|image1=Mt Adams and the Ridge of Wonders-Gifford Pinchot (23834057801).jpg
|caption1=[[Mount Adams (Washington)|Mount Adams]]
|image2=OldSnowy 15A.JPG
|caption2=[[Goat Rocks Wilderness]]
|image3=Upper Tipsoo Lake reflection.jpg
|caption3=[[Mount Rainier]]
|image4=Kendall Katwalk Trail.jpg
|caption4=[[Kendall Katwalk]]
|image5=N2 Glacier Peak.jpg
|caption5=[[Glacier Peak Wilderness]]
|image6=Mount Ballard from PCT.jpg
|caption6=[[Okanogan–Wenatchee National Forest]]
}}}}
* [[Gifford Pinchot National Forest]] (7)
** [[Indian Heaven Wilderness]]
**[[Mount Adams Wilderness]]
*** [[Mount Adams (Washington)|Mount Adams]]
** [[Goat Rocks Wilderness]]
***[[Old Snowy Mountain]]
** [[White Pass (Washington)|White Pass]]
* [[Mount Rainier National Park]] (6)
** [[Chinook Pass]]
* [[Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest]] (5)
** [[Norse Peak Wilderness]]
** [[Alpine Lakes Wilderness]]
***[[Kendall Katwalk]]
** [[Henry M. Jackson Wilderness]]
** [[Glacier Peak Wilderness]]
***[[Glacier Peak]]
* [[Snoqualmie Pass (Washington)|Snoqualmie Pass]]
* [[Stevens Pass]]
* [[Lake Chelan National Recreation Area]]
** [[Stehekin, Washington]], last town along the trail, {{convert|10|mi|km}} from PCT by [[National Park Service|NPS]] bus
* [[North Cascades National Park]] (2)
* [[Okanogan–Wenatchee National Forest]] (3)
* [[Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail]]
* Boundary Monument 78, at the [[Canada–United States border]]
{{clear}}

===British Columbia, Canada===
* [[E. C. Manning Provincial Park]] (1), the northern terminus of the trail.<ref>{{cite web |title=Getting to and from the Northern Terminus |url=https://www.pcta.org/discover-the-trail/backcountry-basics/pct-transportation/directions-northern-terminus-pct/ |url-status=deviated |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241207221815/https://www.pcta.org/discover-the-trail/backcountry-basics/pct-transportation/directions-northern-terminus-pct/ |archive-date=December 7, 2024 |access-date= |publisher=Pacific Crest Trail Association}}</ref> Until 2025, northbound hikers with a Canada PCT Entry Permit  were allowed to cross the border to exit at nearby Manning Park Resort.<ref>{{cite web |title=Canada PCT Entry Permit |url=https://www.pcta.org/discover-the-trail/permits/canada-pct-entry-permit/ |url-status=deviated |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241121164449/https://www.pcta.org/discover-the-trail/permits/canada-pct-entry-permit/ |archive-date=November 21, 2024 |access-date= |publisher=Pacific Crest Trail Association}}</ref> The [[Canada Border Services Agency|Canadian Border Services Agency]] discontinued this program in late January 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Haskel |first=Jack "Found" |date=January 27, 2025 |title=Travel across the U.S./Canada border no longer allowed on the Pacific Crest Trail |url=https://www.pcta.org/2025/travel-across-the-u-s-canada-border-no-longer-allowed-on-the-pacific-crest-trail-95390/ |access-date=January 28, 2025 |website=Pacific Crest Trail Association |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Skylis |first=Mary Beth “Mouse” |date=January 27, 2025 |title=Canada Will No Longer Let Pacific Crest Trail Thru-Hikers Cross its Border |url=https://www.backpacker.com/news-and-events/news/pacific-crest-trail-canada-permits/ |access-date=January 28, 2025 |website=Backpacker}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last1=Kurjata |first1=Andrew |last2=Baker |first2=Rafferty |date=January 27, 2025 |title=Canada closes border between B.C.-U.S. crossing at Pacific Crest Trail |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/pacific-crest-trail-closed-1.7442853 |website=CBC News}}</ref>

== Location coordinates ==
PCT route maps are on [[Google Maps]],<ref name="google/maps/PCT">{{cite web |title=Pacific Crest Trail |url=https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1nt8_0_7dcpA2DVoX9rTX9Yr__n0 |website=Google My Maps |access-date=August 26, 2023 |date=June 2, 2015}}</ref> some with some points of interest.

{{GeoGroup}}
{{PoI start}}
{{PoI|United States – Mexico border|32.5898|-116.4685|US|}}
{{PoI|Forester Pass|36.6941|-118.3720|US|highest point}}
{{PoI|Midpoint|40.2132| -121.3546|US-CA|}}
{{PoI|Oregon – California border|42.0038|-122.9100|US|}}
{{PoI|Columbia River (Washington – Oregon border)|45.6543|-121.9179|US|lowest point}}
{{PoI|Canada – United States border|49.0000|-120.7987|US|}}
{{PoI end}}
{{coord | 40.2132| -121.3546 | type:landmark_region:US-CA_dim:1800000 | display=title}}
{{clear right}}

==See also==
{{div col|colwidth=33em}}
;Other [[Triple Crown of Hiking|Triple Crown]] trails
*[[Appalachian Trail]]
*[[Continental Divide Trail]]
;Connected [[National Scenic Trail]]
*[[Pacific Northwest Trail]]
;Connected [[National Historic Trail]]s
*[[California Trail]]
*[[Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail]]
*[[Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail]]
*[[Old Spanish Trail (trade route)|Old Spanish Trail]]
*[[Oregon Trail]]
*[[Pony Express National Historic Trail]]
;Connected [[Long-distance trails in the United States|U.S. long-distance trails]]
*[[High Sierra Trail]]
*[[John Muir Trail]]
*[[Mark O. Hatfield Memorial Trail]]
*[[Oregon Skyline Trail]]
*[[Tahoe–Yosemite Trail]]
*[[Tahoe Rim Trail]]
*[[Timberline Trail]]
;Long-distance routes
*[[Sierra High Route]]
{{div col end}}

==References==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links==
{{sister project links|auto=1}}
* [http://www.pcta.org/ Pacific Crest Trail Association] – Non-profit that maintains and promotes the trail, and provides advice to hikers
* [http://www.postholer.com/ Postholer.Com] – An extensive source of PCT information, journals, Google trail maps, printed maps, data book and more.
* [http://www.planyourhike.com/ PlanYourHike.Com] – A website dedicated to helping hikers plan their Pacific Crest Trail thru hikes.
* [http://www.trailjournals.com/journals/pacific_crest_trail/ Trailjournals.com] – PCT Photos & 1,000+ Pacific Crest Trail Journals
* [https://www.pbs.org/video/oregon-experience-pacific-crest-trail-a-ride-to-remember/ Pacific Crest Trail: A Ride to Remember] Documentary produced by ''[[Oregon Public Broadcasting]]''
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20130920195411/http://www.kcet.org/news/the_back_forty/commentary/concrete-and-chaparral/islands-in-the-sky-tales-from-the-pacific-crest-trail.html Islands In The Sky: Tales From The Pacific Crest Trail] – KCET Covers the PCT
* [https://www.blm.gov/program/national-conservation-lands/national-scenic-and-historic-trails/pacific-crest Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail] - BLM page

{{TrailSystem}}
{{California hiking trails}}
{{Sierra Nevada}}
{{John Muir Wilderness}}
{{authority control}}


[[Category:Hiking trails in California]]
[[Category:Hiking trails in Oregon]]
[[Category:Hiking trails in Washington (state)]]
[[Category:Long-distance trails in the United States]]
[[Category:National Scenic Trails of the United States]]
[[Category:Hiking trails in British Columbia]]
[[Category:Units of the National Landscape Conservation System]]