Wild Mountain Farms
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          • Cream Gene Colors >
            • Palomino
            • Buckskin
            • Black Buckskin
            • Cremello
            • Perlino
            • Smokey Cream
          • Champagne
          • Paint
          • Roan
          • Appaloosa Horses
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      • backpacking gear List >
        • Shelter >
          • Tents
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        • Sleeping Pad
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    • Arnica
    • Arrowleaf Balsamroot
    • Bear Grass
    • Biscutroot
    • Bitterroot
    • Buttercup, Sagebrush
    • Buttercup, Common
    • Bluebell
    • Cinquefoil
    • Deptford Pink
    • Fleabane
    • Glacier Lily
    • Goldenrod
    • Harebell
    • Indian Paintbrush
    • Kinickinick
    • Larkspur
    • Lupine
    • Mouseeared Chickweed
    • Oregon Grape
    • Oxeye Daisy
    • Pasque Flower
    • Prarie Smoke
    • Salsify
    • Shooting Star
    • Thistle
    • Wild Hyacinth
    • Wild Onion
    • Wild Rose
    • Wild Strawberry
    • Wild Sunflower
    • White Campion
    • Woodland Star
    • Yarrow
    • Plant ID Books I Like
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    • Goat Enclosures
    • Feeding Goats >
      • Feeding Dwarf Goats >
        • Dwarf Goat Hay
  • Sheep
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    • How Many Horses
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PCT Section A Part 1

return to Section A Overview

PCT Section A, Part I

From the Mexican border to Boulder Oaks Campground
​

Elevation changes: 3038 feet
Distance: 26 miles 
Pets Allowed: Yes
Fees: None
Normal Ride Time: 10-20 hours
Difficulty: Strenuous to extreem
Best Seasons: cooler months, spring and fall
Ranger District: Descanso Ranger District 619-445-6235
Land Ownership: Mostly public National Forest land but some private and some state owned land.
Trail Description:
  • The fist 12 miles of the trail is rolling hills.
  • Then you drop down into Hauser Canyon. Many people camp in Hauser Canyon. The hike out of Hauser Canyon is considered one of the hardest parts of the trail. Don't hike out between 2-4pm, as this is usually too hot and there is no shade.
  • From the bottom of Hauser Canyon to Lake Morena is about 5 miles. Lake Morena is a state park and under different jurisdiction than federal land.
  • Boulder Oaks Campground is 6 miles further on
Picture
Directions to the Trailhead:
  • Head south off of California Highway 94 on Forest Gate Rd. at Campo (town).
  • Pass the Boarder Patrol Station, the Juvenile Ranch Facility and then turn south onto the dirt road that passes under the power lines. 
  • Continue up hill to another dirt road that parallels the steal boarder wall. There is parking northwest of the PCT Southern Boarder Monument.
  • Its a good idea to notify boarder patrol of your parking spot and intended route.
continue to details of Section A, Part 1

USEFUL RESOURCES:
  • Forest Service site for Cleveland National Forest PCT Information
    • ​ https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/cleveland/home/?cid=FSEPRD488307
  • The PCT Association Website section on the southern section of the PCT
    • https://www.pcta.org/discover-the-trail/geography/southern-california/
  • Mexico border North to Lake Morena
    • https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/cleveland/recreation/hiking/recarea/?recid=47566
  • Boulder Oaks Campground
    • https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/cleveland/recarea/?recid=47412
    • http://www.californiasbestcamping.com/anza_borrego/boulder_oaks.html
    • https://www.hipcamp.com/california/cleveland/boulder-oaks-campground
  • Boulder Oaks Campground reservations (necessary for horse sites)https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/231948
  • Houser Canyon resourses
    • https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/hauser-canyon-trail
    • https://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2007/jan/18/remote-hauser-canyon-between-lake-morena-and-campo/#
  • Cottonwood Creek Bridge Trail from Lake Morena
    • https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/cleveland/recreation/hiking/recarea/?recid=47568
  • Kitchen Creek Southbound to Kitchen Creek falls
    • https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/cleveland/recreation/hiking/recarea/?recid=47570
  • Fred Canyon to Kitchen Creek
    • https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/cleveland/recreation/hiking/recarea/?recid=47490
  • Storm Canyon to Kwaaymii 
    • https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/cleveland/recreation/hiking/recarea/?recid=47490

YouTube Chanel
Click here to see my YouTube page of videos on how this trip is going every step of the way, including my preparations at home and my days on the trail.
More About The Players
Want to know more about who is on this trip? Me, my dog, my horses and any friends who happen to join me along the way...

Location

raising rocky mountain horses
​for every rider

Because when the mountains are wild,
the horse shouldn't be!

Wild Mountain Farms
PO Box 209
25111 Mill Creek Rd.
Frenchtown, MT  59834
406-239-4748
info@WildMountainFarms.com
Christie and Dave Goodman

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  • WildMountainFarms
  • About Us
    • Ishmael by Daniel Quinn
    • Christie's Writing
    • Dave
  • Our Stallion
    • 2021 Breeding Season
    • 2020 Breeding Season
    • The Breeding Process
    • Schedule Your Breeding
    • Breeding Contracts and Fees
    • Color and Our Stallion
  • Education
    • About the Rocky Mountain Horse >
      • History of the Rocky Mountain Horse Breed
      • Other Mountain Horse Breeds
      • What They Look Like
      • Temperament of the Rocky Mountain Horse
      • What They Do
      • Where to Find a Rocky Mountain Horse
      • Cost of a Rocky Mountain Horse
      • Genetic Testing
    • Breeding Education >
      • Deciding to Breed
      • Choosing a stallion
      • Getting Started
      • Breeding Costs
      • Breeding Basics >
        • Timing Details
      • AI vs Live Cover
      • Pre-Breeding Preparation
      • Breeding Contract
      • Live Foal Guarantee
    • Basic Genetics >
      • Basic Genetics Expanded
    • Color Genetics >
      • Horse Color Genetics >
        • Basic Color Genes
        • Special Color Genes >
          • Special Color Details
        • The Colors >
          • Red
          • Bay
          • Black
          • White
          • Gray
          • Chocolate
          • Cream Gene Colors >
            • Palomino
            • Buckskin
            • Black Buckskin
            • Cremello
            • Perlino
            • Smokey Cream
          • Champagne
          • Paint
          • Roan
          • Appaloosa Horses
    • Raising a Foal Right
    • Transporting Horses Long Distance >
      • Transport Paperwork
      • Transport Equiptment (Big)
      • Transport Equiptment (Small)
      • Feed and Water For Transporting
      • Driving Practices for Transporting
      • Transport Tips
  • Horses For Sale
    • Stormy-SOLD!
    • Smudge-SOLD!
    • Copper-SOLD! >
      • Copper Stories
  • Our Horses
    • Lady
    • Cowgirl
    • Belle
    • Sugar
  • Our Animal Partners
  • Our Human Partners
  • Contact Us
  • Western Montana Riding Trails
  • The Pacific Crest Trail
    • Who We Are >
      • Why and What
      • Christie
      • Kaladin
      • The Horses
      • Riding Companions
      • Local Resources
      • Home Team
    • Strategy and Goals
    • PCT Basics
    • PCT Water
    • PCT Safety
    • PCT Timing
    • PCT Maps
    • PCT Permits
    • PCT Resources
    • PCT Contacts
    • PCT Gear >
      • backpacking gear List >
        • Shelter >
          • Tents
        • Sleeping Bag
        • Sleeping Pad
        • Camp Chair
        • Water Purifier
        • Water Reservoir
        • Kitchen Gear
      • horse packing gear
      • dog packing gear
      • safety gear
      • photography gear
      • packing organization
  • AirBnB Cabin
  • Wildflowers of Western Montana
    • Arnica
    • Arrowleaf Balsamroot
    • Bear Grass
    • Biscutroot
    • Bitterroot
    • Buttercup, Sagebrush
    • Buttercup, Common
    • Bluebell
    • Cinquefoil
    • Deptford Pink
    • Fleabane
    • Glacier Lily
    • Goldenrod
    • Harebell
    • Indian Paintbrush
    • Kinickinick
    • Larkspur
    • Lupine
    • Mouseeared Chickweed
    • Oregon Grape
    • Oxeye Daisy
    • Pasque Flower
    • Prarie Smoke
    • Salsify
    • Shooting Star
    • Thistle
    • Wild Hyacinth
    • Wild Onion
    • Wild Rose
    • Wild Strawberry
    • Wild Sunflower
    • White Campion
    • Woodland Star
    • Yarrow
    • Plant ID Books I Like
  • Goats
    • Goat Enclosures
    • Feeding Goats >
      • Feeding Dwarf Goats >
        • Dwarf Goat Hay
  • Sheep
  • Horsepacking
    • How Many Horses
  • Sheep