Completed Projects Trinity Divide
Public and private partners found common ground for the successful acquisition of 10,300 acres on the trail.
This major land protection accomplishment is the result of an extraordinary five-year combined effort that included the Pacific Crest Trail Association, The Trust for Public Land, the Michigan- California Timber Company, the U.S. Forest Service and the surrounding local communities. Thanks to this partnership,a total of 17 once-private miles of the PCT are now in public ownership.
The Trinity Divide Project is accessible by three popular trailheads for the PCT and is a 30-minute drive from Interstate 5 on the Trinity Heritage Scenic Byway. Located near the communities of Dunsmuir and Mount Shasta City, much of this portion of the PCT is accessible for day hikes and weekend backpacking trips and rewards trail users with stunning views of the Trinity Alps and Mount Shasta.
Public and Conservation Benefits from the Trinity Divide Acquisition:
- Acquired 10,300 acres—more than 16 square miles—for hiking, fishing, horseback riding, hunting, camping and exploration. The land will be added to the Klamath and Shasta-Trinity national forests.
- Secured a protected corridor for the PCT along 30 miles of the trail, 17 of which previously crossed private property on a narrow right-of-way easement.
- Protects wildlife habitat of renowned biological diversity, including: meadows, lush valleys, fens, and cold water springs.
- Protects waters for four river systems, including salmon and steelhead habitats in the Trinity and Klamath river basins.
- Opens new public access to 10 alpine lakes that were previously on private property.
- Enhances access to existing public lands through the potential to develop new loop hikes using the Sisson-Callahan Trail, which crosses these private lands.
For more details on the project, see our blog post.
