Pacific Crest Trail

Southern California: Mountains and the Mojave Desert

The Pacific Crest Trail stretches about 2,650 miles from Mexico to Canada through California, Oregon, and Washington. Its Southern California section covers roughly 650 miles, from the border near Campo to Walker Pass in the southern Sierra Nevada. The trail passes through dry valleys, wood-covered mountains, chaparral-covered slopes, and the western part of the Mojave Desert; it includes long sections both up and down, carrying travelers between places that differ greatly in elevation, vegetation, and weather.

Building the Trail

During the 1930s, a growing effort to create a continuous trail emerged, thanks to the work of Clinton C. Clarke, Warren Rogers, and various outdoor organizations. From 1935 to 1938, the YMCA relay parties explored and assessed a proposed route running border to border.

The Pacific Crest Trail was one of the first two trails to be designated as a National Scenic Trail under the National Trails System Act of 1968. A Golden Spike ceremony in Soledad Canyon in 1993 marked the achievement of a continuous route. The trail remains under protection, maintenance, and improvement.

Mexican Border to San Gorgonio Pass

The trail starts near Campo, passes Lake Morena, crosses under Interstate 8, and then rises into the Laguna Mountains, where the vegetation shifts from chaparral and oak to pine woodland as the altitude increases.

It heads down to Scissors Crossing in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, then turns through the San Felipe Hills before heading north through the mountains. After passing Highway 74, it climbs into the San Jacinto Mountains before descending for a long stretch to Interstate 10 in the San Gorgonio Pass.

San Bernardino Mountains and Deep Creek

Beyond San Gorgonio Pass, the trail climbs into the San Bernardino Mountains and passes near Big Bear Lake; it then continues to Deep Creek and follows the difficult canyon toward the Mojave River Forks.

This section links the mountain watershed to the desert below. Deep Creek and the west fork of the Mojave River meet just above the Mojave River Forks Dam. After they converge, the Mojave River flows north into the desert.

Trail access near the forks is available via Highway 173. From there, the northbound PCT continues toward Silverwood Lake before turning toward Cajon Pass.

Cajon Pass and the San Gabriel Mountains

At Cajon Pass,, the Pacific Crest Trail goes under Interstate 15 and then moves from the San Bernardino Mountains into the San Gabriel Mountains; here, the footpath runs through a busy corridor of highways and railroads.

Past the crossing, the trail rises up the exposed slopes to the Blue Ridge pine forests, and Wrightwood lies nearby and is accessible via connecting trails and roads.

The PCT continues through the high country around Mount Baden-Powell and along the Angeles Crest corridor; these mountains offer wide views toward the Los Angeles Basin and the Mojave Desert.

Crossing the Western Mojave

West of that point, the trail descends through Soledad Canyon, passes under Highway 14, crosses the Vasquez Rocks Natural Area, and then proceeds through Agua Dulce; from there, it enters the Sierra Pelona country and heads toward the western Antelope Valley.

Near Highway 138, the route moves into an open desert area near the California and Los Angeles aqueducts, then follows the aqueduct and service-road corridors before climbing toward the Tehachapi Mountains.

This route includes Joshua trees, dry hills, and wind turbines. There is little shade, and the long distances between reliable water sources make it especially important to be well prepared.

Tehachapi Country to Walker Pass

After passing through Highway 58 near Tehachapi Pass, the trail reaches the southern Sierra Nevada. It continues north through the dry mountain region, crossing the exposed ridges and the wooded slopes until it reaches Walker Pass.

In the Pacific Crest Trail Association's regional divisions, the Southern California section ends at Walker Pass on Highway 178, about 5,246 feet above sea level; past the pass, the PCT continues to Kennedy Meadows and the higher part of the Sierra.

Seasons and Trail Conditions

The PCT section in Southern California includes both hot desert regions and snowy mountains; the lower areas are usually most pleasant in spring and fall, while higher elevations may have snow until May and can receive additional snowfall during late-season storms.

Water availability depends on the place and season, and factors such as heat, strong winds, wildfire closures, and storm damage can also affect travel. Check current conditions with the Pacific Crest Trail Association and the relevant land-management agency before you set out.

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Southern California Segment

Length - 648 Miles. The trail is generally snow-free by April-May

Border to San Gorgonio Pass

The PCT begins on a low hill near Campo (elev. 2,600’), a small town near the Mexican border. It passes through Lake Morena County Park and beneath Interstate 8, then climbs through chaparral, scrub oaks, and pines to the rim of the Laguna Mountains. The trail dips into Anza-Borrego Desert State Park at Scissors Crossing, then winds up, down, and around the San Felipe Hills and lesser mountains of the Cleveland National Forest before crossing Highway 74 at 4,900’ and climbing the backbone of the San Jacinto Mountains. It reaches its highest point in this section at 9,030’ shortly before it plunges to its lowest, crossing beneath Interstate 10 at elev. 1,190’ in broad San Gorgonio Pass.

San Gorgonio Pass to Western Mojave Desert

From here, the PCT climbs steeply to the crest of two east/west-oriented ranges, often under welcome forest shade. It passes near Big Bear Lake and Lake Arrowhead before crossing Interstate 15 between the San Bernardino and San Gabriel Mountains at Cajon Pass near Silverwood Lake State Recreation Area. The vistas from the trail in these mountains include the Los Angeles Basin and Mojave Desert. To the west of Mt. Baden-Powell and the Angeles Crest National Scenic Byway, it descends to Highway 14 at Agua Dulce, then traverses the often brushy landscape of the Sierra Pelona. It continues north for a generally hot and dry traverse across the San Andreas Fault Zone and the western arm of the Mojave Desert before climbing into the Tehachapi Mountains where it crosses Highway 58 and enters the Sierra Nevada.

Western Mojave Desert to Walker Pass

The Southern California section ends where the trail crosses Highway 178 at Walker Pass (elev. 5,246’). The mountains of this section are bounded by and internally laced with faults that have been active in recent geologic time. The animals in this section include lizards, rodents, snakes, coyotes, and cougars. Colorful and quick, hummingbirds can also be seen darting about, gathering nectar. The plants here are generally desert scrub, chaparral, or oak, with forests only at the higher elevations. Trail-side water is scarce in this section, particularly in the summertime, when temperatures range from the 80s to the low 100s.