PCT: Stanislaus
PCT: Stanislaus Trail is a 12.9-mile trail in Stanislaus National Forest, California. The Forest Service rates it trail class 3, developed. It is open to hiking and horse and pack stock. It enters Carson-Iceberg Wilderness, Emigrant Wilderness and Mokelumne Wilderness and 1 other wilderness areas.
Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The Stanislaus 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 | 38.2585° N, 119.6144° W · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 38.5583° N, 119.8341° 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 10 segments.
The trail
| Length | 12.9 miles |
| Trail class | 3, developed |
| Type | land trail |
| Surface | native material |
| Typical grade | 12-20 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 | Stanislaus National Forest (unit 0516) |
| 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 |
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
- Carson-Iceberg WildernessFS · about 39% of the line is insideWilderness Connect ↗
- Emigrant WildernessFS · about 27% of the line is insideWilderness Connect ↗
- Mokelumne WildernessFS · about 2% of the line is insideWilderness Connect ↗
- Hoover WildernessFS · 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
Sonora Pass TH Open May to December · listed unreachable Read your Wilderness Permit for regulations. | under 0.1 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.
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
- PrescribedFy27 Hemlock Rx
27 mi from the trail midpoint
- PrescribedBig Trees State Park Broadcast Burn Rx
35 mi from the trail midpoint · 170 acres
- PrescribedD54 Rx Pile Burning
47 mi from the trail midpoint
- PrescribedD51 Rx Pile Burning
49 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: Stanislaus Trail?
The Forest Service records 12.9 miles under this name in Stanislaus National Forest, the sum of 10 segments.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the PCT: Stanislaus 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: Stanislaus Trail start?
The line begins at 38.2585° N, 119.6144° W and ends at 38.5583° N, 119.8341° W. The nearest recorded trailhead is Sonora Pass TH, under 0.1 miles from the line. The record does not say which end is the usual start.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the PCT: Stanislaus Trail in a wilderness area?
Yes. It enters Carson-Iceberg Wilderness, Emigrant Wilderness and Mokelumne Wilderness and 1 other wilderness areas. Wilderness rules ban bicycles and motor vehicles and often limit group size.
Source: Carson-Iceberg Wilderness
Where can I camp near the PCT: Stanislaus Trail?
Bloomfield Campground (1.3 mi), Highland Lakes Campground (2 mi) and Silver Creek (3.3 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: Stanislaus 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: Stanislaus Trail?
The typical grade is 12-20 percent. The typical tread is 18-24 inches wide.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the PCT: Stanislaus 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: Stanislaus Trail?
Stanislaus National Forest, Forest Service unit 0516. The trail is in California.
Is there a fire near the PCT: Stanislaus Trail?
The interagency feed shows 4 active incidents within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Fy27 Hemlock Rx at 27 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.
Source: Fire nearby
Source
This page is built from 10 segments named PCT: Stanislaus in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0516. 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.