Southern California Trail Closure
Williamson Rock closure
The PCT is closed from Hwy 2 at Eagles Roost Picnic Area (mile 390.2) north until the PCT and Burkhart Trail intersect (mile 393.8) near Buckhorn Campground. This closure is for the protection of natural resources, specifically the endangered mountain yellow-legged frog and its critical habitat.
Notes About the Area
Burkhart Trail: This trail burned severely in some places. If you utilize the Burkhart Trail, be alert at all times. Don’t linger, and avoid the area on windy days or after precipitation. The trail has not received any maintenance in recent years. It is not to PCT standard. We recommend against it for stock use. When PCTA staff travels through the area, we wear hard hats.
Manzanita Trail: This trail starts on the north side of Vincent Gap (the same location where the PCT crosses Hwy 2 before climbing toward Mt. Baden-Powell) and descends toward the desert floor. We attempted to scout this trail in March 2022, but the top section was too icy to permit our staff descend.
Southfork Trail: This trail starts on the north side of Islip Saddle (the same location where the PCT crosses Hwy 2 before climbing toward Mt. Williamson) and descends toward the desert floor. It has not been maintained in years and reports indicate that it has some scary, exposed sections.
Highway 2: The PCT crosses Highway 2, also known as the Angeles Crest Highway or CA-2, many times as it traverses the San Gabriel Mountains. There is a seasonal road closure of this road from Vincent Gap west to Islip Saddle. To know the current status of this road we recommend you visit https://roads.dot.ca.gov/. Regardless of the seasonal road closure, Hwy 2 is very popular with motorcyclists and car enthusiasts and you can frequently find these vehicles traveling at excessive speed around blind corners. There is little to no shoulder on Hwy 2 and walking along the highway is dangerous.