Planning
At a glance
We walked Northern California in 20 days from mid-June to early July 2023. We took one zero day in Chester and a nero in Burney. Most days ran 15 to 25 miles. The longest were 35.0 miles from Paynes Lake to Kelsey Creek, 30.8 miles from Seven Lakes to Cooper Meadow, and 25.5 miles to Girder Creek.
Getting to the start
We rejoined the trail at Chester. From Kennedy Meadows South we took buses and rides from trail angels to Mammoth then a four and a half hour bus to Reno. The next bus was sold out so we got a ride from there to Susanville. A trail angel in Chester picked us up and hosted us. The next morning we went to a trailhead about 10 miles from town. The overview covers flips, skips, and closures.
Fire, snow, and bugs
The Dixie fire burned through this area a year before we walked it and nearly took out Chester. The first days run through burned forest and Lassen National Park is slowly coming back. Near Mount Shasta we crossed a section of snow 10 to 15 miles long and bushwhacked around part of it. Snow also lingered on the ridges around Mount Shasta and the Trinity Alps. It was passable but needed care. Hikers who left the trail line to get around the snow got into trouble so stay on the trail through the patches.
Mosquitoes were not bad yet. We carried DEET and head nets and used them when needed. Water was plentiful and we swam in ice cold water more than once.
Water
The Halfmile water data is several years old and some sources dry up so check the current PCT Water Report before each stretch. By that data these are the longest gaps between sources:
| Miles | Gap | Between |
|---|---|---|
| 1358.0 to 1368.6 | 10.6 mi | Lower Twin Lake to Unpaved Road 32N92 |
| 1369.7 to 1378.4 | 8.7 mi | Hat Creek to Subway Cave |
| 1378.4 to 1407.3 | 28.9 mi | Subway Cave to Small Rock Spring Creek |
| 1485.2 to 1493.9 | 8.7 mi | Squaw Valley Creek to South Fork of Fall Creek |
| 1594.5 to 1607.0 | 12.5 mi | Tributary of Paynes Lake Creek to Cub Bear Spring |
Gear
Everything we carried in 2023 is in the PCT pack list. Here is what worked hard in Northern California and what we left behind.
- DEET and head nets. We picked up DEET and Sea to Summit head nets in town and the mosquitoes were still manageable.
- Bear hang. A Zpacks food bag and a rope with a rock sack. My first hang took several tries. I had also put the rock inside the sack and that added a pound.
- Sierra gear. We didn't carry our Sierra equipment through this section, only a pack with food.
Towns and resupply
| Day | Town | How we used it |
|---|---|---|
| 48 | Chester | Hosted by a trail angel, ride to the trail |
| 52 | Burney | Nero, a church hosted hikers |
| 57 | Mt Shasta | In and out, shower at Castle Crags State Park |
| 61 to 62 | Etna | In and out, rides from trail angels |
| 64 | Seiad Valley | In and out |
| 67 to 69 | Ashland | Three nights, hosted by a trail angel |
Trail magic and trail angels
We found trail magic four times in Northern California: at Cabin Creek before Mt Shasta, granola bars in the Shasta-Trinity Alps, soda at Mt Ashland, and a breakfast at Callahan's Lodge. Trail angels hosted us in Chester and Burney and others gave us rides in and out of Burney, Etna, and Mt Shasta.
Chester to Burney
Trail Info
Days: 49 to 52
High point: about 6,700 ft near mile 1357.2
Longest water gap: about 28.9 mi
Towns: Chester (start) · Burney (nero)
Trail angels: a host in Chester, a church in Burney, and rides to and from town
What it was like
We started from a trailhead near Chester at about mile 1,330. Chester had come close to burning in the Dixie fire a year before. The trail ran through burned forest with lots of scorched trees among the pines. It was a different environment from the desert. The fire also hit Lassen National Park hard but it was coming back.
Day 49 was 19 miles to Warner Valley camp. Day 50 reached Hat Creek and Day 51 was a 23.8-mile day over Hat Creek Rim to Cache 22. On Day 52 we walked 17.8 miles to Hwy 299 by noon and then went into Burney for a nero.
We had plenty of water early on and the mosquitoes weren't bad yet. We had picked up DEET and head nets in town. We swam in ice cold water along the way.
Good to know
The Dixie fire burned through this area a year before we walked it. Expect burned forest and little shade near Chester and Lassen.
Camping
We stayed at Warner Valley camp, Hat Creek, and Cache 22 before Burney. A church in Burney hosted hikers.
| Day | Camp | Mile | Elevation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 49 | Warner Valley camp | 1351.4 | 5,641 ft | |
| 50 | Hat Creek | 1370.8 | 4,917 ft | |
| 51 | Cache 22 | 1394.6 | 4,657 ft | |
| 52 | Burney | 1412.4 | 3,112 ft | town, shower, church hosted hikers |
Towns
Chester. A trail angel picked us up when we arrived and hosted us in their house. It had a back porch and a small back house where our group stayed. In the morning we got a ride to the trailhead about 10 miles from town.
Burney. We took a nero here. A church in town hosted hikers. A woman from Chico gave us a ride into town and a couple heading out camping gave us a ride back to the trail.
Water
The longest gap between water sources on this stretch is about 28.9 miles from Subway Cave (mile 1378.4) to Small Rock Spring Creek (mile 1407.3).
Water sources on this stretch (16)
- Mile 1335.8: Stover Spring, campsites
- Mile 1341.6: North Fork Feather River, footbridge, campsites
- Mile 1342.4: Domingo Spring trail junction, spring is 3/10 mile off-trail
- Mile 1347.2: Boundary Spring, 400 feet off-trail
- Mile 1350.7: Large Hot Springs Creek, wooden bridge
- Mile 1353.5: Summit Lake trail junction, trailside Summit Creek nearby, several campsites
- Mile 1354.8: Grassy Swale Creek
- Mile 1357.5: Campsite near Swan Lake
- Mile 1358.0: Lower Twin Lake, campsite nearby
- Mile 1368.6: Unpaved Road 32N92, water from Hat Creek is 1/10 mile W for the PCT on this road
- Mile 1369.7: Hat Creek, campsites
- Mile 1378.4: Subway Cave, water fountain, outhouse, paved parking area nearby
- Mile 1407.3: Small Rock Spring Creek
- Mile 1407.4: Hiker bridge over Hat Creek
- Mile 1407.5: Crystal Lake State Fish Hatchery, 300 feet E of trail, water
- Mile 1407.8: Pass near Baum Lake
Burney to Mt Shasta
Trail Info
Days: 53 to 57
High point: about 6,160 ft near mile 1451.5
Longest water gap: about 8.7 mi
Towns: Mt Shasta (in and out) · Castle Crags State Park (shower)
Trail magic: at Cabin Creek, before Mt Shasta
Trail angels: a ride into Mt Shasta
What it was like
Out of Burney the camps came in a row: Rock Creek, Moosehead Creek, Deer Creek, and Girard Ridge. Rock Creek and Moosehead Creek were nice camps and Girard Ridge was a nice camp with views. Day 56 was 24.2 miles.
The first glimpses of Mount Shasta came in this stretch and from then on it was usually on the horizon. We passed a man feeding fish from a bridge and the fish jumped out of the water. We also learned to hang our food in a bear bag. My first attempt looked rough. I'd also put the rock inside the rock sack and that added a pound.
Near Mount Shasta we crossed a section of snow about 10 to 15 miles long. We traversed it slowly and bushwhacked around parts of it. We woke to a sunrise with Mount Shasta behind us on the way into town.
Trail magic at Cabin Creek came before Mt Shasta. We went in and out of Mt Shasta and camped that night at Castle Crags State Park where we got a shower.
Tip
Snow near Mount Shasta. In mid-June 2023 about 10 to 15 miles had snow. Stay on the trail line through it and check current conditions before this stretch.
Camping
Rock Creek, Moosehead Creek, and Girard Ridge were all marked as nice camps and Girard Ridge had views. Castle Crags State Park has showers.
| Day | Camp | Mile | Elevation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 53 | Rock Creek | 1426.7 | 3,350 ft | nice camp |
| 54 | Moosehead Creek | 1448.4 | 5,293 ft | nice camp |
| 55 | Deer Creek | 1467.1 | 3,630 ft | |
| 56 | Girard Ridge | 1491.3 | 4,615 ft | nice camp, views |
| 57 | Castle Crags State Park | 1502.8 | 2,464 ft | shower |
Towns
Mt Shasta was an in and out. A trail angel gave us a ride to town and we treated ourselves to ice cream. Castle Crags State Park is right by the trail and we camped there for the shower.
Water
The longest gap between water sources on this stretch is about 8.7 miles from Squaw Valley Creek (mile 1485.2) to South Fork of Fall Creek (mile 1493.9).
Water sources on this stretch (36)
- Mile 1415.8: Rim of the Lake Spring trail junction (1/4 mile off-trail)
- Mile 1418.5: Hiker bridge over Burney Creek (usually dry)
- Mile 1418.7: Burney Falls State Park Headwaters Group Campground, reservation from State Park required, $35 fee, outhouse, picnic tables, trash cans
- Mile 1421.6: PCT crosses Lake Britton Dam on a paved Clark Creek Road
- Mile 1425.1: Cross Rock Creek on a wood bridge. Good water but only a few small campsites nearby
- Mile 1428.3: Upper Jake Spring
- Mile 1429.2: Screwdriver Creek, 1/10 mile NW of PCT
- Mile 1433.2: Seasonal Peavine Creek
- Mile 1437.5: Clark Spring, 1/10 mile off trail
- Mile 1439.2: Deadman Creek
- Mile 1440.7: Kosk Spring, 2/10 mile off-trail, campsite
- Mile 1447.7: Moosehead Creek, campsite
- Mile 1448.2: Headwaters of Moosehead Creek, better water 4/10 mile S
- Mile 1454.9: Headwaters of Star City Creek, 1/2 mile N of PCT
- Mile 1458.5: Gold Creek trail junction, creek is 2/10 mile off trail
- Mile 1462.0: Deer Creek Spring, campsite
- Mile 1463.0: Deer Creek
- Mile 1464.1: Another branch of Deer Creek
- Mile 1466.8: Small tributary of Butcherknife Creek
- Mile 1467.1: Butcherknife Creek
- Mile 1467.3: Small spring
- Mile 1467.6: Small creek
- Mile 1468.3: Creek
- Mile 1471.5: Ash Camp Campground, outhouse, water from nearby creek, unpaved Road 38N11 nearby
- Mile 1471.6: McCloud River, large wooden bridge. Watch for Poison Oak near the McCloud River
- Mile 1473.3: Small spring
- Mile 1473.7: Fitzhugh Gulch Creek, small campsites
- Mile 1481.8: Trough Creek
- Mile 1482.4: West Trough Creek
- Mile 1485.2: Squaw Valley Creek, Squaw Valley Trailhead trail junction nearby
- Mile 1493.9: South Fork of Fall Creek
- Mile 1494.7: North Fork of Fall Creek
- Mile 1500.3: Small spring
- Mile 1500.9: Cross a bridge over Soda Creek
- Mile 1501.0: Cross another bridge over the Sacramento River
- Mile 1502.8: Fern Springs
Castle Crags to Etna
Trail Info
Days: 58 to 62
High point: about 7,650 ft near mile 1533.3
Longest water gap: about 12.5 mi
Towns: Etna (in and out) · Paynes Lake (in and out stop then camp)
Trail magic: granola bars in the Shasta-Trinity Alps
Trail angels: rides in Etna
What it was like
This was the biggest stretch for miles. We climbed out of Castle Crags to Seven Lakes at 6,497 feet. On Day 59 we walked 30.8 miles to Cooper Meadow. It was one of our biggest days and Cooper Meadow had views and was one of the best camps of the section. Eagle Peak at 7,295 feet was the highest camp of the section.
The best view of Northern California came up and along Russian Peak. On Day 61 we camped at Paynes Lake with views and a shower. On Day 62 we took the Kelsey Creek alternate and walked 35.0 miles to Kelsey Creek. It was our longest day of the section and a nice camp. Etna was an in and out and trail angels gave us rides. Trail magic was granola bars in the Shasta-Trinity Alps.
Camping
Cooper Meadow and Paynes Lake had views and Kelsey Creek was a nice camp. Eagle Peak sits at 7,295 ft and was the highest camp of the section.
| Day | Camp | Mile | Elevation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 58 | Seven Lakes | 1522.2 | 6,497 ft | |
| 59 | Cooper Meadow | 1553.0 | 6,168 ft | views, big day |
| 60 | Eagle Peak | 1573.4 | 7,295 ft | |
| 61 | Paynes Lake | 1595.1 | 6,520 ft | views, shower, in and out of town |
| 62 | Kelsey Creek | 1630.1 | 6,124 ft | nice camp, reached by the Kelsey Creek alternate |
Towns
Etna. An in and out with rides from trail angels. One took us into town on the tailgate of a truck and another drove us to Kelsey Creek.
Paynes Lake. This night was an in and out for resupply and then a camp at the lake with views and a shower.
Water
The longest gap between water sources on this stretch is about 12.5 miles from Tributary of Paynes Lake Creek (mile 1594.5) to Cub Bear Spring (mile 1607.0).
Water sources on this stretch (50)
- Mile 1504.5: Indian Springs Creek, campsites
- Mile 1504.7: Winton Canyon Creek, wooden bridge
- Mile 1505.0: Indian Creek
- Mile 1507.2: East Fork of Sulphur Creek
- Mile 1507.6: West Fork of Sulphur Creek. The East Fork is often better
- Mile 1510.0: Seasonal Burstarse Creek
- Mile 1511.3: Small spring
- Mile 1515.5: North Fork Spring
- Mile 1516.1: Gully Spring
- Mile 1522.2: Spring 1/3 mile off-trail
- Mile 1526.3: Picayune Spring trail junction. Spring is 800 feet off-trail
- Mile 1528.9: White Ridge Spring
- Mile 1531.2: Porcupine Lake trail junction. Lake is 2/10 mile W of PCT
- Mile 1535.0: Red Rock Spring
- Mile 1536.7: Deadfall Lakes, campsite
- Mile 1537.4: Seasonal spring above Deadfall Creek
- Mile 1546.1: Seasonal headwaters of Chilcoot Creek, campsites
- Mile 1550.0: Seasonal headwaters of the Little Trinity River
- Mile 1554.5: Seasonal tributary of the Little Trinity River
- Mile 1556.3: Small seasonal spring above Masterson Meadow, campsite nearby
- Mile 1558.2: Small seasonal spring above Dan Rice Creek
- Mile 1565.0: Spring just below the PCT
- Mile 1565.3: Spring
- Mile 1566.2: Small creek
- Mile 1566.3: Creek below Mosquito Lake
- Mile 1571.3: Small seasonal tributary of Eagle Creek
- Mile 1571.4: Piped spring near Eagle Peak
- Mile 1573.2: Small seasonal tributary above Wolford Gulch
- Mile 1575.6: Small tributary of Granite Creek
- Mile 1578.1: Small tributary of the South Fork Scott River
- Mile 1579.0: South Fork Scott River
- Mile 1585.2: Spring, 100 yards E of the PCT on a jeep road
- Mile 1587.7: Spring, tributary of South Russian Creek below
- Mile 1588.7: Small stream, tributary of South Russian Creek below
- Mile 1589.1: Small stream, tributary of South Russian Creek below
- Mile 1590.7: Seasonal creek below Statue Creek, several campsites
- Mile 1593.8: Campsites at Paynes Lake, 100 yards W of PCT
- Mile 1594.5: Tributary of Paynes Lake Creek
- Mile 1594.5: Tributary of Paynes Lake Creek
- Mile 1607.0: Cub Bear Spring, small spring 2/10 mile E of PCT
- Mile 1610.1: Shelly Lake Outlet
- Mile 1613.5: Small tributary of Kidder Creek
- Mile 1614.1: Small lake, campsite
- Mile 1614.3: Marten Lake, campsite nearby
- Mile 1615.1: Seasonal stream
- Mile 1619.8: Cold Spring, 3/10 mile S of PCT, 270 ft elevation loss
- Mile 1623.4: Creek near Marble Valley Cabin, campsites, water, Canyon Creek Trail junction
- Mile 1624.6: Creek
- Mile 1628.9: Paradise Lake, campsites
- Mile 1629.5: Seasonal tributary of Kelsey Creek
Etna to Ashland
Trail Info
Days: 63 to 67
High point: about 7,090 ft near mile 1695.5
Longest water gap: about 7.1 mi
Towns: Seiad Valley (in and out) · Ashland (3 nights)
Trail magic: soda at Mt Ashland and a breakfast at Callahan's Lodge
Trail angels: a host in Ashland
What it was like
Girder Creek at 1,718 feet was the lowest camp of the section and a shower stop. The climb out of Seiad Valley was the hardest of Northern California: 4,371 feet of gain on the way to Devil's Peak and then a camp with views.
Day 65 was 23.5 miles to Bearground Springs. On Day 66 we camped at Mt Ashland. It was a nice camp and trail magic there had soda. The next morning we walked 8.7 miles down to Ashland. Callahan's Lodge had a breakfast for hikers on the way.
Camping
Devil's Peak had views and was a nice camp. Mt Ashland was another nice camp and the last before Ashland.
| Day | Camp | Mile | Elevation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 63 | Girder Creek | 1650.6 | 1,718 ft | shower |
| 64 | Devil's Peak | 1664.8 | 5,755 ft | nice camp, views |
| 65 | Bearground Springs | 1688.3 | 6,271 ft | |
| 66 | Mt Ashland | 1710.0 | 6,507 ft | nice camp |
| 67 | Ashland | 1718.7 | 4,202 ft | town, shower, 3 nights |
Towns
Seiad Valley. An in and out between Girder Creek and the climb to Devil's Peak.
Ashland. We stayed three nights and two of them were over July 4. A friend of my sister hosted us and became a great trail angel. We cooked, ate, and let our feet recover.
Water
The longest gap between water sources on this stretch is about 7.1 miles from Small stream (mile 1697.1) to Seasonal headwaters of West Branch Long John (mile 1704.2).
Water sources on this stretch (31)
- Mile 1635.0: Buckhorn Spring, small unmarked spring 150 feet W of the PCT in a meadow NW of the large three-forked tree, campsite nearby
- Mile 1641.1: Seasonal creek
- Mile 1642.0: Cold Spring Creek, a large creek
- Mile 1642.0: Creek, campsite nearby
- Mile 1642.9: Grider Creek, 1st crossing, wooden footbridge (bridge was completely burnt in Nov 2014)
- Mile 1644.1: Grider Creek, 2nd crossing, wooden footbridge (bridge was burnt & broken in half but passable on foot, Nov. 2014)
- Mile 1645.8: Grider Creek, 3rd crossing, wooden footbridge
- Mile 1646.1: Bark Shanty Creek
- Mile 1648.1: Creek
- Mile 1649.7: Grider Creek, 4th crossing near campground, steel footbridge, swimming just N of bridge. Walk through the campground to start of 6.4 mile roadwalk to Seiad Valley
- Mile 1655.5: Highway crosses the Klamath River on a large highway bridge
- Mile 1658.2: Fern Spring
- Mile 1662.4: Lookout Spring, flowing from iron pipe
- Mile 1666.4: Kangaroo Spring
- Mile 1668.0: Seasonal creek
- Mile 1670.7: Piped Cook and Green Pass spring
- Mile 1676.0: Bear Dog Spring
- Mile 1678.1: Spring, 1/10 mile SW of PCT
- Mile 1680.7: Reeves Ranch Spring, 9/10 mile S of PCT
- Mile 1683.0: Alex Hole Spring N of PCT
- Mile 1685.1: Mud Spring, 2/10 mile N of PCT
- Mile 1687.1: Spring above Bearground Gulch
- Mile 1687.9: Small spring
- Mile 1688.1: Another small spring
- Mile 1690.8: Donomore Creek, small wooden bridge
- Mile 1693.6: Small spring, tributary of Tamarack Creek
- Mile 1696.1: Sheep Camp Spring, campsites, and unpaved road nearby
- Mile 1697.1: Small stream
- Mile 1704.2: Seasonal headwaters of West Branch Long John
- Mile 1708.8: Seasonal headwaters of Grouse Creek
- Mile 1709.0: Seasonal creek
Reflections
We left Ashland in early July and started Oregon. Northern California covered 386 miles in 20 days. The trail went through burned forest near Chester, over Hat Creek Rim, around Mount Shasta, along Russian Peak, and past Etna and Seiad Valley. Along the way we had four trail magic stops and hosts in Chester, Burney, and Ashland. The story continues in Oregon.
Northern California by the numbers
- Wildlife: 16 chipmunks, 6 deer, 4 squirrels, and 1 fox
- Longest days: 35.0 miles from Paynes Lake to Kelsey Creek, 30.8 to Cooper Meadow, 25.5 to Girder Creek, and 24.2 miles from Deer Creek to Girard Ridge
- Hardest climb: 4,371 feet out of Seiad Valley to Devil's Peak
- Zero: Chester. Nero: Burney
What I'd tell someone starting at Chester
- Expect burned forest at the start. The Dixie fire burned the area around Chester and Lassen so plan for little shade and carry extra water.
- Check for snow near Mount Shasta. We had 10 to 15 miles of snow in mid-June after a high snow year. Stay on the trail line through it.
- Bring DEET and a head net. The mosquitoes weren't bad at first but they get worse into Oregon.
- Learn the bear hang before you need it. Our first one took several tries.
- Rest in the trail towns. Chester, Burney, and Ashland all hosted hikers.
Thanks for reading. If you have questions about the Northern California section, get in touch or find me on Instagram: @andrewtpham.
Happy trails!