The trail's southern terminus is next to the Mexico–United States border, just south of Campo, California, and its northern terminus is on the Canada–US border, upon which it continues unofficially to the Windy Joe Trail within Manning Park in British Columbia; it passes through the states of California, Oregon, and Washington.

It also passes through seven national parks: Kings Canyon, Sequoia, Yosemite, Lassen Volcanic, Crater Lake, Mt.

The PCT was then constructed through cooperation between the federal government and volunteers organized by the Pacific Crest Trail Association.

[12] The Trust for Public Land has purchased and conserved more than 3,000 acres (12 km2) along the Pacific Crest Trail in Washington.

The Pacific Crest Trail Association estimates that it takes most hikers between six and eight months to plan, train, and get ready for their trips.

In a normal weather year, northbound hikes are most practical due to snow and temperature considerations.

[21] If snowpack in the Sierra Nevada is high in early June and low in the Northern Cascades, some hikers may choose to 'flip-flop.'

Resupply points are towns or post offices where hikers replenish food and other supplies such as cooking fuel.

When the guidebook publisher Wilderness Press stated that Ryback had used motor transport in places along the PCT, Ryback sued for $3 million but withdrew the suit after Wilderness Press revealed statements from the people who claim to have picked up the young hiker along highways parallel to the 2,600-mile trail.

[32] Richard Watson, who completed the trail on September 1, 1972,[26] was often credited as the first PCT thru-hiker because Papendick was generally unknown and Ryback may have accepted rides.

[26] The first person to thru-hike the entire PCT both ways in a single continuous round-trip was Scott Williamson, who completed the "yo-yo" circuit on his fourth attempt in November 2004.

[39][40][41] Gjonnes, who thru-hiked the trail in 2011 at age 11, went on to complete the Triple Crown of Hiking, becoming the youngest person ever to do so.

Her memoir Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail was published in 2012 and reached #1 on the New York Times Best Sellers list.

Exactly nine years later, on August 7, 2022, Josh Perry improved upon the self-supported speed record, completing the PCT in 55 days, 16 hours and 54 minutes.

While he was in the Sierra Nevada, Hurricane Hilary hit California, and he needed to spend 41 hours sheltering in a cave from the weather.

[51] On August 10, 2014, Joseph McConaughy of Shoreline, Washington, set a new supported speed record and the overall fastest known time for the PCT.

Joe was supported by a team of three hikers, Jordan Hamm, Michael Dillon, and Jack Murphy.

More concept than footpath, the trail was an oft-broken, high-ridge track disappearing regularly from map and terrain.

On April 19, 1959, on an empty scrub sage plain seven miles east of Tijuana, with four horses, Don and June Mulford began their journey north to the Washington–Canada border.

June's old press book yields a half-dozen TV-Guide pages, and she recalls, "Art Linkletter was such a nice man.

[63][independent source needed] In 2008, an agreement for realignment through Tejon Ranch in Southern California was reached.

[64] This realignment would relocate 37 miles of the PCT from the Mojave Desert floor to the more scenic Tehachapi Mountains.

While an agreement was reached, the realignment is a long-term project; many details remain to be determined, as well as an Optimal Location Review—a lengthy process through which the ideal path for the new section of the trail is specified.

[67] Currently, PCT hikers and equestrians must cross the bridge walking in vehicle traffic lanes—a potential danger which the new lane will eliminate.

They are listed from south to north to correspond with the itinerary typically followed by thru-hikers to take advantage of the best seasonal weather conditions.