Transport to and from the trail – Multi-Year Through-Hike the Pacific Crest Trail

Transport to and from the trail

MYTH hikers must travel to and from the trail each year for each section they do. This is no small undertaking for many sections of the trail! It can get expensive also!

Over the years I developed better and better logistical experience with this. But it also evolved due to a decline in public transit options for a number of years, the rise of cell phones and satellite communicators for contacting trail angels, and the rise and increasing availability of Uber.

When I started hiking the trail in 1997, there were no cell phones, no satellite communicators, and no Uber. So it was harder to arrange a ride off the trail at the end. Sometimes at trailheads there are already cars coming and going bringing other hikers if you wait long enough. Most hikers it seems are also ok with hitch-hiking onto and off of the trail from nearby trail towns. But I have steadfastly avoided open-road thumb-out hitching. It’s just not something I’m comfortable with, although if I can approach and talk with someone in a parking lot or rest area, I will ask them for a ride.

I started hiking the trail entirely using public transit. I liked the idea of coming off the trail and being able to get to a transit stop on my own steam. My very first section in 1997, the 65 miles of California Section K from Donner Pass Road south to Echo Lake Resort, was selected to allow public transit. I took an Amtrak California bus to the then-available Soda Springs stop right off of Interstate 80 and walked 3 miles along Donner Pass Road to the trailhead. Then from Echo Lake Resort I walked several miles on local roads and a closed road down into South Lake Tahoe where I could catch an Amtrak California bus. Another time to start at Sonora Pass on Highway 108, I took the Greyhound bus that used to run along the eastern Sierra on Highway 395, dropping me off at Sonora Junction at the intersection of Highways 395 and 108, and walked 9 miles up Highway 108 to Sonora Pass. And for the southern half of Washington State I took a Greyhound bus right to the trail at Cascade Locks and then 250 miles of hiking later walked right onto another Greyhound bus at Snoqualmie Pass on Interstate 90.

Greyhound used to serve a lot of PCT trailheads but no longer. In the past 15 years, many Greyhound routes and stops have been cancelled. In California, Amtrak California’s combination of trains and connecting “thru-way” buses remain an important and far-ranging service. And over the past 5-10 years, many new local and regional public transit services have emerged that can serve the trail directly or take one to trail towns from major cities and airports.

In recent years I’ve relied more on trail angels, although I feel “less than” deserving of trail angel help than single-year through-hikers, because the through-hikers need it more and after all, I’m “only” a section hiker that year. But I will leave the trail angel with a generous contribution for gas, to pay it forward for other hikers. And I’ve also started to rely on Uber, both for delivery to the trail and pick-ups from the trail. It’s expensive, there have been a number of $100 Uber fares to do this from the closest airport or major town served by an intercity bus or train. But if my vacation time is limited its worth it to start the trail in good time or at the right time of day.

And sometimes ending in the middle of nowhere without a ride arranged is still possible — I remember the time I had cell reception in the tiny secluded settlement of Snow Creek just after descending from Fuller Ridge in the San Jacinto mountain range, and was able to call for a $25 taxi ride into Palm Springs where I could catch an Amtrak California bus.

Finally, for those local enough, I suppose driving to a trailhead and getting a ride back to where the car is afterwards is a common approach, or even leaving your car parked with a trail angel. But the information I’m presenting here does not address that approach.

There are many web sources for transit info but I have not seen a truly definitive source. The Pacific Crest Trail Associations’s Transportation Page is probably the most comprehensive but lists transit by service rather than trail location. There are many other websites that have all sorts of transit links and partial or region-specific transit info.

Here is a location-based list based on my own experience and checking with a few sources. I mention some Uber rides I’ve taken too. Again, trail angels willing to provide transport are prevalent in most places but until recently I’ve always been reluctant to use them. Please don’t rely on this list, do your own research and due-diligence, as public transit options can change at any time.

Campo and Lake Moreno. There is bus service from San Diego to both places, although the schedule is not very convenient for starting early in the morning. Lots of other trail angel rides and options are available from San Diego.
Warner Springs. There is a bus route from San Diego but it takes a long time and not too convenient. There also was an expensive on-call shuttle service based there to take you off the trail. Once I flew to San Diego, took the train north to Oceanside, and then took an expensive Uber ride from Oceanside to Warner Springs.
Highway 74 Pines-to-Palms Highway. I’ve always gone to the Paradise Valley Cafe from the trail and gotten a ride from locals or by calling a trail angel.
Interstate 10 at San Gorgonio Pass. I was able to call for a not-too-expensive taxi ride from Snow Creek into Palm Springs. (Cell signal but no data to call for an Uber.) Amtrak California goes to Palm Springs and also stops at Cabazon some miles west of where the trail crosses Interstate 10. Local transit services also serve Cabazon.
Big Bear. Never went to-from Big Bear, but apparently served by transit from San Bernardino, which is also served by Amtrak California.
Interstate 15 at Cajon Pass. Nothing here but it is possible to get an Uber pick-up here, from Uber drivers in Victorville. Maybe better to start or end in Wrightwood, where a local bus goes to Victorville and then onward to Metrolink rail.
Agua Dulce. Apparently there is a shuttle to Metrolink rail. One time I took Metrolink from Burbank airport to Santa Clarita and then an Uber from Santa Clarita to Agua Dulce.
Highway 138 at Hikertown hostel. Nothing, but the folks at Hikertown can give rides to-from Lancaster where there is Metrolink rail to LA and Burbank airport.
Highway 58 at Tehachapi Pass. There is a Kern Transit bus to-from Bakersfield that stops in Tehachapi and Mojave that will stop or pick-up at the trail’s crossing of Highway 58 with advance notice to the dispatcher. The bus continues on to Lancaster, where Metrolink trains go to LA and Burbank airport.
Walker Pass. There is a Kern Transit bus from Lake Isabella (with connecting bus to Bakersfield) to Ridgecrest that will stop where the trail crosses Highway 178. (And pick-up with advance notice to the dispatcher.)
Cottonwood Pass (hike down to parking lot in Horseshoe Meadow). Eastern Sierra Transit has buses from Reno to Lone Pine and a ride to-from Horseshoe Meadow with a Lone Pine based trail angel is pretty common. Apparently there is also a Sierra Shuttle Service that goes to Horseshoe Meadow. There is also a bus from Lancaster to Lone Pine, connecting to Metrolink trains in Lancaster.
Vermillion Valley Resort. The resort itself used to offer shuttle service to and from Fresno airport, not sure of the status of that. Its a long drive! Had a hiking companion take the shuttle one year and meet me at VVR as I was hiking the entire JMT, and continue with me to Tuolumne Meadows. Could do the same from Mammoth for a shorter hike.
Mammoth Lakes area and Devils Postpile. A bus right from the trail at Reds Meadow, just south of Devil’s Postpile, can take you to or from the town of Mammoth Lakes where there are bus connections on Eastern Sierra Transit north to Reno and south to Lone Pine and beyond to Lancaster.
Tuolumne Meadows. One of my favorite places to get on and off the trail. YARTS shuttle bus service runs to-from Yosemite Valley, which is served by Amtrak California.
Sonora Pass and Highway 108. Very difficult to start or end here! I got a ride out once from the picnic area parking lot but its a long way to anywhere from here. (Had been planning to continue on to Tuolumne Meadows but early-season snow slowed me down too much.)
Echo Lake Resort and Highway 50. Easy to walk down to South Lake Tahoe via a local-roads and closed-road shortcut described in the Wilderness Press PCT Guidebook that doesn’t require walking on Highway 50 (its several miles though). Or pretty easy to get a ride or taxi from Echo Lake Resort. South Lake Tahoe is served by Amtrak California and there is also an airporter shuttle service to the Reno airport.
Donner Pass Road. To me, this is a better place to start or end than the official section start/end at the Interstate 80 Donner Summit rest area, which is a few miles further north along the trail. From where the trail crosses Donner Pass Road it is a modest taxi or trail angel ride from Truckee, which is served by Amtrak California and also has airport shuttles to Reno. Also the Donner Pass Road trailhead serves many local day hikers and even PCT trail angel hang-outs, it can be buzzing with people during high season.
Sierra City. Difficult. Maybe trail angel ride from Truckee, but getting off the trail from here is tough.
Quincy and Bucks Lake/Big Creek Roads. Can get on-off the trail at either Bucks Lake Road or Big Creek Road. Rides into or from Quincy from these points are pretty easy. Plumas Transit and Lassen Rural Bus allow going from Quincy to Chester or Susanville, which has further connecting bus to Reno.
Chester and Highway 36. Chester trail angel ride to-from trail, then bus from Chester to Quincy or Susanville and onto Reno. Used to be there was a great Susanville Rancheria bus from Redding running along Highway 36 that would drop you right at the trail, did that a couple of times. But alas, that service was suspended with Covid.
Burney. Never got on-off here, but there is a bus from Redding to Burney and then trail angel or other ride to-from the trail at Burney Falls State Park or where the trail crosses Highway 299.
Dunsmuir, Soda Creek Road, and Castle Craigs State Park. Dunsmuir is served by Amtrak trains. Once I called a Mt Shasta taxi that picked me up at the trailhead at Soda Creek Road and took me to Dunsmuir. The short distance from Soda Creek Road to Dunsmuir can’t be walked legally along the train tracks and otherwise there is only the freeway. That was before Siskiyou Stage buses started serving Soda Creek Road and Castle Craigs State Park, which they do now. Siskiyou Stage runs through Dunsmuir and Mt Shasta City and also connects with Greyhound in Weed.
Etna. A Siskiyou Stage bus runs between Etna and Yreka, connecting to Greyhound. Never got on/off the trail at Etna, but it seems straightforward.
Seiad Valley. There is actually a Siskiyou Stage bus that goes from Seiad Valley to Yreka, then to connect with Greyhound. Runs only some days of the week. Once had to get off the trail at Seiad Valley and took the bus out. Then took an expensive Uber from Medford Airport to come back a following year! Crazy, I know! Better to just have a nice trail stop in Seiad Valley at the cafe (and its famous pancake challenge) and then keep going.
Interstate 5 at Callahans Restaurant and Mt Ashland Road. Pretty easy to arrange a ride to-from Ashland or the Medford airport from here, either trail angel or Uber.
Highway 140 near Fish Lake. There is an Oregon Southwest POINT bus going between Medford, Ashland, and Klamath Falls that will drop you off but not pick up at the Summit Snow Park, which is the trailhead parking area for the PCT at Highway 140. Klamath Falls has an Amtrak station.
Crater Lake and Highways 62 and 138. Tough one it seems, always wanted to try getting on/off the trail at Crater Lake itself but never was able. Instead got trail angel rides from Klamath Falls to the trail at Highway 62, one time starting southbound and one time starting northbound so would never have to end there. Or otherwise just hiked past Crater Lake from points farther north or south. Crater Lake Trolley tourist buses used to run from Klamath Falls but seemed to have been discontinued, maybe they have started again. Finally, the alternate PCT route via Diamond Lake Resort that bypasses Mt Thielsen also offers opportunities for rides to-from Diamond Lake Resort.
Miller Lake, mid-section off-trail north of Mt. Thielsen. You can take Amtrak to-from Chemult and try to arrange a ride with locals (try the hotel) to or from Miller Lake. Its a 10-mile gravel road from the highway at Chemult to the lake but the road is well traveled as Miller Lake is a popular camping destination. Then it’s only a few miles of hiking up to the PCT from Miller Lake. I actually got off the trail here and then back on here in a following year. A nearby alternative would be to get off the trail further south and hike down to Diamond Lake Resort, where a ride out could be sought; but getting back to Diamond Lake Resort at a later time could be more difficult.
Santiam Pass at Highway 20. Trail angels in the Sisters/Bend/Redmond area can pick-up or drop-off here, along with Uber rides to the trail. (Can’t call an Uber from here.).
Mt Hood area. Buses run from Portland to Government Camp, which requires some road walking to get to the trail, and Timberline Lodge, which is right on the trail. Also a bus runs along Highway 26 between Portland and Redmond that potentially can drop hikers at the PCT Frog Lake trailhead on Highway 26.
Cascade Locks. Greyhound used to go to Cascade Locks on the Columbia River, but now a Skamania County local bus based in Vancouver, Washington will take you right to the trailhead just across the Bridge of the Gods from Cascade Locks on the Washington side, or further on to Stevenson. In Vancouver the bus connects with other buses to Portland and light-rail to the Portland airport.
Snoqualmie Pass at Interstate 90. Used to be a Greyhound stop, was really nice for hiking half of Washington State at a time — either the northern half or the southern half from here. But nothing has replaced Greyhound, very unfortunate! So now the closest public transit is in North Bend — a moderately expensive taxi ride from Snoqualmie Pass to the North Bend airporter bus stop.
Stevens Pass at Highway 2. Apparently Northwestern Trailways will pick-up and drop-off at the PCT Trailhead. My preference has always been to get on-off the trail at Snoqualmie Pass rather than Stevens Pass, hiking the entire northern half of Washington in one go, but shorter hikes to-from Stevens Pass and Canada border or Snoqualmie Pass should be straightforward if Northwestern Trailways does run. Rides from Stevens Pass only to-from the small trail town of Skykomish are straightforward.
Stehekin. Never started or ended a hike here, although its possible. A ferry from Stehekin goes to the town of Chelan, which has connecting buses to Leavenworth and Wenatchee, both of which are served by Greyhound. Stehekin itself is such a great place for a rest day or two that I would want to always reserve it as a mid-hike stop-over rather than an end-point or starting-point. Straightforward to either walk the road to Stehekin from the trail or use the shuttle buses.
Rainy Pass and Harts Pass. No public transit. This will require some creativity or use of private shuttle services, of which there are some prominent ones and much traffic, given all the hikers who must leave the trail at Harts Pass after backtracking from the Canada border.
Manning Park at Highway 3 in BC Canada. With a valid permit to enter Canada via the PCT, which was suspended during Covid but apparently just starting again in 2023, one can finish a section hike at Manning Park. There used to be Greyhound service from Manning Park to Vancouver BC, but it was discontinued from 2018. So unfortunately this makes Manning Park a much more difficult end-point now, as its a very long way to try to get to Vancouver BC by other means. So backtracking to Harts Pass and getting a ride there is the most straightforward now.

One factor comes into play if you have to fly to a nearby city to start a section. You can bring everything with you on the plane (have to check luggage for the hiking poles) except the fuel canister for the cooking stove. So you have to work out the logistics of stopping at an outdoor store or Walmart prior to getting on the trail from the airport. A few times I’ve taken an Uber from the airport to the trail and stopped for 5 minutes along the way so I can run in and buy fuel. Or I’ll stay near the airport overnight and walk, bus, or Uber to a nearby store that evening and get to the trail early the next morning. But somehow you have to get that canister!

And a final factor concerns wilderness permits, if needed for the section of trail you will be doing. (Have relied primarily on the Wilderness Press PCT Guidebook series for info on needed permits for any given section.) All-at-once through hikers can get a single long-distance permit from the Pacific Crest Trail Association good for all jurisdictions along the entire trail, but MYTH hikers have to get permits for individual sections from either the Forest Service or National Park Service. (If you are hiking 500 miles or more in one go, without coming off the trail, the PCTA’s long-distance permit will work too, good for all jurisdictions as long as you stay on the PCT proper. I did this once and it was nice.)

Some permits are self-serve at trailheads and that’s easy. Or available by mail. But some permits you have to reserve in advance and get in person from a ranger station, particularly if the section passes through a National Park or a designated wilderness area. It may be difficult to stop at a ranger station while getting to the trail, particularly on public transit. I’ve had to deal with this issue most years, in different ways.

For example, one year I was taking the bus from Reno to Lone Pine to start hiking north on the PCT from Horseshoe Meadow (Cottonwood Pass) up to Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite. On the bus I was able to stop overnight in the town of Mammoth Lakes to go to the ranger station there, which had the ability to issue a permit I had reserved in advance for the whole hike through several different jurisdictions. This also had the added benefit of spending one night at 6,000 feet altitude in Mammoth Lakes to start acclimating, since my first campsite along the PCT from Cottonwood Pass — Rock Creek — was already at 10,000 feet and gradual altitude acclimation is important. (There is also a ranger station in Lone Pine that can issue permits, but at that time the bus arrived in Lone Pine too late in the day for getting to that ranger station before closing.)