Running 2,650 miles from the US/Mexico border to the US/Canada border, the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) meanders up the western coast of the United States running through the Sierra Nevada and Cascade mountain ranges. The PCT is designated a National Scenic Trail, and along with the Appalachian Trail and Continental Divide Trail, forms part of the Triple Crown of long distances trails in the US.
Clinton C. Clarke first proposed the idea of a border-to-border trail in the early 1930s. He suggested linking together several existing trails: Cascade Crest Trail in Washington, Skyline Trail in Oregon, and the John Muir Trail and Tahoe-Yosemite Trails in California. In 1932, Clarke founded the Pacific Crest Trail Association in order to gain support and backing for the trail. Some of the initial founding members included the Boy Scouts, the YMCA and Ansel Adams. YMCA groups in the summers of 1935-1938 mapped out an initial route for the trail. In 1968, President Lyndon Johnson signed the National Trail Systems Act. This act established the PCT and the Appalachian Trail as national scenic trails. Finally, in 1993 the trail was considered finished and a golden spike ceremony was held in Soledad Canyon, California.
Over 300 people a year try to accomplish a thru-hike, or thru-ride on horses, of the trail. Roughly 60% of these hikers finish. Most thru-hikers start at the south terminus in April and try to reach the Canadian border by September. Hikers either resupply at towns located along the trail or have supplies mailed to them at predetermined locations.
Because of unpredictable winters in the California Sierra Nevadas and Washington Cascades, some hikers will flip-flop their hike. They will hike north for a few months, then fly to the northern terminus and start hiking south. There are two main benefits of this. If the Sierras have a heavy winter, hikers may arrive in the Sierras before the snow has melted. And if the hiker is worried about finished in October or November, flip-flopping allows them to miss the Washington and Oregon winter.
If you do not want to thru-hike, there are still many locations where you can take day hikes, or even multi-day hikes. Section hiking is a popular way for people to complete the trail. Section hikers try to hike the whole trail, just not at one time. Often, they will hike for a week or two each year. Over the course of several years they will have completed the whole trail.