Pacific Crest Trail 2026

From April 18 to July 23, 2026, I hiked the Pacific Crest Trail from Campo, on the Mexican border, to the Northern Terminus, on the Canadian border.

The PCT in a few words

The Pacific Crest Trail crosses the western United States from Mexico to Canada. Most hikers head north, or NOBO, so they can cross the desert in spring, enter the Sierra after the heaviest snow then reach Oregon and Washington before fall.

A thru-hike is not just about walking. Water, food, weather, wildfires, gear and town stops all need constant attention.

Why the PCT?

After several intense years and a lot of energy devoted to work, I needed a real break. I wanted to clear my head so I could fill it again.

As an ultra-trail and outdoor sports enthusiast, I also wanted to return to a simpler life outside and reconnect with nature. The PCT brought all of that together: a long and demanding adventure through wild spaces, with only one direction to follow.

What I loved

What I loved about the PCT cannot be reduced to a single moment. The rhythm, constraints, encounters and landscapes are what made the experience so absorbing.

• Solitude: Hours alone, with enough space to let thoughts settle. Time moves differently.
• Intensity: Full days where effort, weather and decisions matter immediately. Boredom is rare.
• Sport: The satisfaction of moving forward every day and feeling the body gradually adapt to the distance.
• Landscapes: The desert, the Sierra, forests, flowers, immense trees, mountain passes, volcanoes, ridges and constant changes of scale.
• Wildlife: Bears, wolves, squirrels, deer, butterflies and birds. For a few months, it feels as though you temporarily inhabit their environment.
• Social life: Brief or repeated encounters, trail names and groups that form and split apart. I was surprised by the kindness, generosity and relationships created with trail angels and other hikers.
• Planning: The constant balance between ambition, water, food, weather, schedules and physical condition.
• Always something to do: Walk, filter water, eat, repair gear, plan the next day and find a campsite.
• A different kind of stress: Very concrete problems, often tiring but rarely abstract. Solving each one feels like a challenge or a game.
• Food: Resupplies, cravings, rations, burgers, pizzas and learning about calories. On trail, eating regains its full importance.
• Gear: Optimizing, organizing and repairing equipment to stay light, comfortable and efficient.

2 principles

Leave No Trace: encourages every hiker to limit their impact and leave places as intact as possible.

Hike Your Own Hike: is a reminder that everyone moves according to their own pace, goals and choices. Listening to others is useful. Finding your own way to hike remains essential.

Discover the journey

Journal tells the story of the 96 days from Campo to the Canadian terminus.

Map follows the route, the daily stages and the main places along the way.

The official PCT map is available from the Pacific Crest Trail Association.

Gear presents the equipment carried and its weight.

Glossary explains the words and habits of thru-hiking.

Start with day 1