Last week’s storms slammed the length of California, dumping heavy rain, triggering floods and debris flows from the Coast Range to the Sierra and through the Transverse Range all the way to the tip of the Peninsular Mountain Range.
The Southern California stretch of the Pacific Crest Trail — a place near and dear to my heart; I live here and have section-hiked the PCT for years — took an especially hard hit, with trailheads, road approaches, water crossings, and low camps dragged or buried by mud and runoff. That stretch changes from low desert washes and sage-and-chaparral foothills up into oak and mixed-conifer slopes on the San Gabriel and San Bernardino ridgelines, then climbs into the higher San Gorgonio and San Jacinto country where pinyon, fir, and true montane/subalpine stands hold late snow. Expect everything from loose, rocky tread and brushy switchbacks to steep gullies that channel flash runoff — which is precisely the kind of terrain that turns a heavy storm into road-and-trail damage in a hurry. Post-storm, gateway towns are digging out, businesses and volunteers are scrambling, and land managers are triaging access and safety across the corridor.
The Pacific Crest Trail Association is tracking conditions and checking in with partners on the ground to figure out how trail access, trail infrastructure, and nearby facilities were affected. When storms push mud and boulders into drainages, impacts ripple: roads and trailheads can be blocked, bridges and culverts stressed, and routefinding becomes risky for anyone – regardless of whether they’re off-roading, hiking, or on horseback. The immediate priority is public safety — residents, volunteers, and anyone traveling near the trail should assume closures and hazard warnings are in place until land managers give the all-clear. Expect intermittent road closures and delayed services as crews clear debris and inspect bridges and water crossings. PCTA staff are coordinating with federal land-management partners to assess trail tread, access routes, and adjacent facilities; safety for local residents and volunteers remains the top concern as conditions stabilize.
PCTA has made clear they’re standing with the towns that keep the trail alive, keeping in close contact with local partners and federal agencies so recovery can proceed without shortcuts on safety. Regional staff stress that Southern California trail communities are resilient and deeply tied to this landscape — they host volunteers, agency crews, and hikers, they supply the logistics for stewardship, and their recovery is a recovery for the trail itself.
If you’re headed that way, don’t. Give crews room to work, obey posted closures, and check official channels before you drive: PCTA updates, Forest Service ranger-district alerts, and county emergency pages will have the latest on trailhead access and road conditions. Some sections may be rerouted or temporarily impassable; plan alternate routes and carry basic backcountry safety gear if travel is unavoidable. Recovery will take time, and the repair work — regrading the tread, fixing drainage, replacing signage, and repairing damaged structures — will be underway until the route is safe again. For now, let the agencies and volunteers do what they do best and stay out of their way.
The Pacific Crest Trail Association keeps the PCT open and safe; they organize volunteer crews, fund and lead trail maintenance, work with federal and local land managers on repairs and reroutes, and push for protection of the trail corridor for future generations. That work—protecting, preserving, and promoting the trail—safeguards the wild and scenic values that make the PCT a world-class hiking experience.
You can find out more about the PCTA post-storm activities HERE.