Walker Pass PCT Hike

I think everyone knows of the2,650 mile Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) that runs from Canada to Mexico. We hiked just a small day hike from Walker Pass near Ridgecrest, CA as an out and back one day.

During the Gold Rush of 1848–1855, Walker’s Pass led hundreds of pioneers into California. Years prior to the Gold Rush, Captain Joseph R. Walker, an experienced mountain man and trailblazer, learned of this route from local Native Americans. You can see what’s going to happen here. It existed long before him but it’s named after him. Anyway, we started are hike off the highway there.

This is a moderate hike probably – it’s all uphill one way and all downhill on the way back. You gain elevation slowly at first and then switchback up as you can see in one of the pictures. Pine trees and Joshua Trees are the predominate vegetation with a sprinkling of wildflowers on the hillsides. The beauty of an out and back hike is you turn around whenever you want. We did so at a little saddle after taking in the view.

We didn’t see any other people the day we went but there were other cars at the trailhead. Great little hike.