America鈥檚 other long-distance epic is having its moment in the sun these days: Cheryl Strayed鈥檚 bestselling memoir, Wild, is just the most prominent example of the PCT popping up on the cultural radar in recent years. The trail runs for 2,650 miles, from Mexico to Canada via California, Oregon and Washington, passing through everything from desert to glacier-clad volcanoes. It takes months to hike in its entirety; with just a week, you鈥檝e got plenty of choices
To help narrow it down, I called up Jack Haskel, the Trail Information Specialist at the Pacific Crest Trail Association.
“There are a lot of options,鈥 says Haskel. 鈥淚t鈥檒l come down to personal preference but it also comes down in my mind to scenery, logistics, and avoiding the crowds.鈥 He suggests that prospective hikers start by taking a good look at a map鈥搕he PCTA has one online鈥搕o see which sections appeal to them.
For those who don鈥檛 mind company and want plenty of public transportation options to help them access the trail, Haskel recommends a classic stretch through the Sierra Nevada. 鈥淭he John Muir Trail section of the Pacific Crest Trail is probably the most recommended section of the PCT,鈥 he says. Visitors aiming for the Sierra can fly into Reno or San Francisco, or even Los Angeles, and make their way to the trail from there.
Haskel also says that hikers will have a good time pretty much anywhere in Washington state. One tactic he suggests is to pick one of the volcanoes that dot the trail through the Cascades and hike the stretch surrounding it. Good options include Mt. Adams, Mt. Rainier, or Mt. Jefferson.For solitude, he recommends the Klamath Mountains in Northern California. 鈥淥ne place that I love to send people to because it鈥檚 beautiful mountain hiking and relatively little used is what we call the Big Bend section,鈥 he says. The trail through this area feels remote, but it鈥檚 still accessible via the I-5 corridor.
The PCTA maintains a detailed website with resources for hikers. Check the 鈥溾 page for tips on selecting your section.