What’s the best time to start the Pacific Crest Trail?

Most northbound thru-hikers start the PCT in mid-April through early May. Southbound hikers generally start in late June through early July. Many people want to start early. Beware. Snow covers sections of the trail in the spring and early summer. In Southern California, dangerous stretches blanket the trail within the first 200 miles of the border. If you head into the Sierra too early, you’ll face significant snow and stream crossing obstacles. In Washington, steep, risky snow slopes turn PCT travel into mountaineering well into early July. Learn more about when to hike the PCT.

Late starts also present problems. Southern California can be dangerously hot and your safety may be at risk. If you’re starting late and plan to do the whole trail as a thru-hike, you’ll face other problems. Are you fit and lucky enough to be able to sustain endurance power-hiking? Will winter shut down travel before you are done?

We recommend studying the conditions and starting around the “usual window” of opportunity.

How long does a PCT thru-hike take?

The trail is 2,650 miles and it generally takes the entire snow-free season to walk. That’s about 5 months. Elite athletes who are experienced on the PCT have finished the trail in as little as two months. The few who achieve sub-100 day hikes average well over 30 miles per day. That’s an incredible achievement. More average hikers take the entire season. Whether they’re out for 4.5 months or 5.5 depends on small differences in daily mileage and time off in towns. Rarely, people successfully stay on the trail for six or more months. Beware that extended itineraries generally include snow travel or extensive time waiting for it to melt. Frequently, people that are on the trail during the wrong season have to quit due to dangerous snow conditions. Being on the trail during early winter snows can be deadly.