PCT - Pacific Crest Trail
PCT - Pacific Crest Trail is a 66.9 miles trail in Inyo National Forest, California. The Forest Service rates it trail class 3, developed. It is open to hiking, horse and pack stock and mountain biking. It enters Golden Trout Wilderness, Ansel Adams Wilderness and South Sierra Wilderness and 2 other wilderness areas.
Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The Inyo National Forest official page carries current alerts and closure orders.
Map
One end Other endLine simplified to about 100 metres. Basemap from the USGS National Map.
| One end | 36.0391, -118.1338 · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 37.7610, -119.2487 · Directions ↗ |
The ends are the two ends of the longest connected chain of segments. The record does not say which is the usual start. The trail is recorded as 70 segments.
The trail
| Length | 66.9 miles |
| Trail class | 3, developed |
| Type | land trail |
| Surface | native material |
| Typical grade | 8-10 percent |
| Typical tread width | 36-48 inches |
| Motor vehicles | Closed to all motorized use year-round |
| Accessibility | Evaluated and does not meet accessibility guidelines |
| National designation | National Scenic or Historic Trail |
| Special management area | WSR - WILD |
| Trail numbers | 2000.1, 2000.2, 2000.3 |
| Forest | Inyo National Forest (unit 0504) |
| States | California |
| Detail published | management level, with uses |
Values are the set across all segments. Class 1 is minimally developed and class 5 is fully developed. Grade and width are the forest's typical values, not measured extremes.
Allowed uses
| Hiking | Allowed year-round |
| Horse and pack stock | Allowed year-round |
| Mountain biking | Allowed year-round |
A use is listed when the Forest Service records it as managed, accepted or discouraged on any segment. Discouraged still means legal. Uses marked restricted are left out. Where the forest publishes a Motor Vehicle Use Map, that map governs motorized use.
Wilderness
- Golden Trout Wilderness WildernessFS · about 43% of the line is insideWilderness Connect ↗
- Ansel Adams Wilderness WildernessFS · about 35% of the line is insideWilderness Connect ↗
- South Sierra Wilderness WildernessFS · about 14% of the line is insideWilderness Connect ↗
- John Muir Wilderness WildernessFS · about 2% of the line is insideWilderness Connect ↗
- Yosemite Wilderness WildernessNPS · the line touches the boundaryWilderness Connect ↗
Inside a designated wilderness, bicycles and motor vehicles are prohibited by law regardless of the trail record, and permits or group limits may apply.
Trailheads
Open Road closed in winter. - No campfires above 10,000 ft and additional specific locations, see Maps of Campfire Restrictions. - Camping is not allowed at Rainbow Falls. - Camping within the boundaries of Devils Postpile National Monument is limited to designated campground sites. - Bear containers are re | 0.2 mi |
No season published · listed none | 0.2 mi |
Distance is from the point to the nearest part of the trail line. Season text is what the forest wrote and is often a season name rather than a date. The recreation page link goes to the Forest Service site, which may redirect to the forest's recreation index.
Camping nearby
Campsite Atlas cards carry site counts and booking links from Recreation.gov. Forest Service cards come from the recreation layer and link the agency page.
Explore
Park units nearby
Reference
Questions people ask
How long is the PCT - Pacific Crest Trail?
66.9 miles, the sum of the 70 segments the Forest Service records under this name in Inyo National Forest.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the PCT - Pacific Crest Trail?
hiking, horse and pack stock and mountain biking. The trail is closed to motor vehicles year-round.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Where does the PCT - Pacific Crest Trail start?
The line begins at 36.0391, -118.1338 and ends at 37.7610, -119.2487. The nearest recorded trailhead is Rainbow Falls Trailhead, 0.2 miles from the line. The record does not say which end is the usual start.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the PCT - Pacific Crest Trail in a wilderness area?
Yes. It enters Golden Trout Wilderness, Ansel Adams Wilderness and South Sierra Wilderness and 2 other wilderness areas. Wilderness rules ban bicycles and motor vehicles and often limit group size.
Where can I camp near the PCT - Pacific Crest Trail?
Kennedy Meadows Campground (0 mi), Minaret Falls Campground (0.1 mi) and Pumice Flat Group Camp (0.2 mi) are within five miles of the trail. Site counts and booking links are on Campsite Atlas.
Source: Campsite Atlas
How developed is the PCT - Pacific Crest Trail?
Trail class 3, which the Forest Service describes as developed. Class 1 is a minimal, unimproved route and class 5 is fully developed, often paved.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
How steep and how wide is the PCT - Pacific Crest Trail?
The typical grade is 8-10 percent. The typical tread is 36-48 inches wide.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the PCT - Pacific Crest Trail accessible?
No. The Forest Service evaluated it and found it does not meet its accessibility guidelines.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the PCT - Pacific Crest Trail a national trail?
Yes. The record marks it as a National Scenic or Historic Trail.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the PCT - Pacific Crest Trail?
Inyo National Forest, Forest Service unit 0504. The trail is in California.
Source
This page is built from 70 segments named PCT - PACIFIC CREST TRAIL in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0504. Wilderness overlap is tested against the National Wilderness Preservation System layer from Wilderness Connect. Trailheads and Forest Service campgrounds come from the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer. Data refreshed September 17, 2026. The methodology page explains how segments become trails.