PCT: Shasta-Trinity
PCT: Shasta-Trinity Trail is a 143.7-mile trail in Shasta-Trinity National Forest, California. The Forest Service rates it trail class 3, developed. It is open to hiking and horse and pack stock. It enters Castle Crags Wilderness and Trinity Alps Wilderness.
Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The Shasta-Trinity 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 | 41.0601° N, 121.7851° W · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 41.2872° N, 122.6684° W · 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 237 segments.
The trail
| Length | 143.7 miles |
| Trail class | 3, developed |
| Type | land trail |
| Surface | imported compacted material, imported loose material, native material (firm) |
| Typical grade | 5-8 percent, 0-5 percent |
| Typical tread width | 18-24 inches |
| Motor vehicles | Closed to all motorized use year-round |
| Accessibility | Not evaluated |
| National designation | National Scenic or Historic Trail |
| Trail numbers | 2000 |
| Forest | Shasta-Trinity National Forest (unit 0514) |
| 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.
Weather by month
Allowed uses
| Hiking | Allowed year-round |
| Horse and pack stock | 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
- Castle Crags WildernessFS · about 10% of the line is insideWilderness Connect ↗
- Trinity Alps WildernessFS · about 10% of the line is insideWilderness 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
The Forest Service recreation layer records no trailhead within a third of a mile of this trail's line. Many trails start from a road pullout or another trail with no trailhead record. The forest's recreation pages list the trailheads it does publish.
Trails nearby
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.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedFive-6 Understory Rx
44 mi from the trail midpoint
- PrescribedEw 10 Rx
44 mi from the trail midpoint
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Closure orders are on the forest's official page.
Explore
Historic places nearby
Guidebooks for California
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How long is the PCT: Shasta-Trinity Trail?
The Forest Service records 143.7 miles under this name in Shasta-Trinity National Forest, the sum of 237 segments.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the PCT: Shasta-Trinity Trail?
Hiking and horse and pack stock are allowed. The trail is closed to motor vehicles year-round.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Where does the PCT: Shasta-Trinity Trail start?
The line begins at 41.0601° N, 121.7851° W and ends at 41.2872° N, 122.6684° W. No Forest Service trailhead is recorded within a third of a mile of it. The record does not say which end is the usual start.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the PCT: Shasta-Trinity Trail in a wilderness area?
Yes. It enters Castle Crags Wilderness and Trinity Alps Wilderness. Wilderness rules ban bicycles and motor vehicles and often limit group size.
Source: Castle Crags Wilderness
Where can I camp near the PCT: Shasta-Trinity Trail?
Ahdina Campground (0.3 mi), Kangaroo Lake Campground (0.4 mi) and Scott Mountain Campground (0.4 mi) are within five miles of the trail. The camping section lists all 8 with site counts and booking links.
Source: Campsite Atlas
How developed is the PCT: Shasta-Trinity 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: Shasta-Trinity Trail?
The typical grade is 5-8 percent on most segments and 0-5 percent on others. The typical tread is 18-24 inches wide.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the PCT: Shasta-Trinity 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: Shasta-Trinity Trail?
Shasta-Trinity National Forest, Forest Service unit 0514. The trail is in California.
Is there a fire near the PCT: Shasta-Trinity Trail?
The interagency feed shows 2 active incidents within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Five-6 Understory Rx at 44 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.
Source: Fire nearby
Source
This page is built from 237 segments named PCT: Shasta-Trinity in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0514. 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 November 1, 2026. The methodology page explains how segments become trails.