After five years of negotiation and some $15 million dollars later, one of the largest privately owned stretches of the Pacific Crest Trail is now open to the public.
A couple consults a map on the Pacific Crest Trail overlooking Bull Lake. Image by Rachid Dahnoun, courtesy of the Trust of Public Land
Unfolding 2650 miles from the border of Mexico to the border of Canada, the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) is one of America’s greatest hikes. Crossing it can be a life-affirming experience, taking anywhere from four to six months of hiking through national parks and mountain ranges. But most people visit little pockets of it at a time. A National Scenic Trail, it attracts families, day hikers, weekend backpackers and long-distance trekkers.
A group of friends talking and reading near their tents at Bull Lake. Image by Rachid Dahnoun, courtesy of the Trust of Public Land
In Northern California, however, 17 miles were, up until last week, located on private land owned by the Michigan-California Timber Company (MCTC). It was one of the largest privately owned segments of the trail, blocking access to lakes and streams, as well as hindering management of the lands for numerous threatened and endangered species. Now, thanks to a partnership from Pacific Crest Trail Association (PCTA), the Trust for Public Land (TPL), the US Forest Service and MCTC (as well as contributions from private donors and the local community) that stretch of land is now in public ownership.
The once privately owned stretch of land is now open to the public thanks to the Trinity Divide acquisition. Image by Rachid Dahnoun, courtesy of the Trust of Public Land
The goal of the land acquisition (known as the Trinity Divide acquisition) was to protect this biologically rich and diverse area and after five years of negotiations and a $15 million land deal, the public has new legal access to 10 lakes, many streams and new hiking loops.
“This acquisition has immediate positive impacts for outdoor recreation and wildlife habitat: it permits public access to 10 previously off-limits alpine lakes and numerous streams, opens new hiking loops on and near the PCT, and protects healthy forests, meadows, and clean water for plants and wildlife, all within a half-day drive of San Francisco,” Diane Regas, president of TPL, told Lonely Planet.
A young man enjoying a hammock near Bull Lake, part of the future Trinity Divide acquisition. Image by Rachid Dahnoun, courtesy of the Trust of Public Land
To secure such a huge stretch of land for public ownership in one transaction is unprecedented. However, Regas warned that the job is not done yet, adding “we will continue to work with partners and communities to ensure every step of the 2650-mile trail, and the places where people can access it, is protected and open to the public forever.”
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