You now have a great new resource: we’re thrilled to announce the launch of a new interactive map of the Pacific Crest Trail. We think it’ll soon be your go-to tool for exploring the trail.
Turning on and off the various map layers paints a picture of some of the different places along the trail whether you’re up-close or looking at things from a distant perspective. We’ll keep improving the map, but already you can see where the federally designated wilderness areas are, the national monuments, which ranger district you might need to call for information, where the trail towns are situated, and more.
Click on the map, or here, to go to the map. It lives at pcta.org/maps.
PCTA GIS Specialist Galen Keily says, “As a map guy, I’m really excited about it, but I think more than just us map-nerds will be too. Our aim is to make the trail more accessible to folks who are planning, following along, or even currently on the PCT. It’s also an incredibly useful tool for our staff and volunteers.”
One of Galen’s favorite features is the ability to draw points, lines, and shapes, then print your map to a PDF or an image. “Just like that, you’ve made a custom map that you can email to a friend, post online or carry with you”, he says.
I love selecting the satellite image layer, where each afternoon a new picture appears. Will it be cloudy? Can I see if there’s still snow? Maybe I can see where a wildfire’s smoke is blowing?
We hope the map helps you discover the vast richness of the PCT and fall even more in love with it.
Galen joined the PCTA as the organization’s first dedicated GIS Specialist in January. Many thanks to our partners at the M. J. Murdock Charitable Trust for a three-year grant to support this new staff position.