Water is essential for survival in the backcountry, but it is also one of the heaviest things you will have to carry in your pack. One quart of water weighs in at a whopping 2 lbs! So, it doesn’t make much sense to spend so much time and money reducing your pack weight only to carry too much water and weigh it down again. On the other hand, it’s also not smart to skimp on water just for the sake of reducing pack weight because that’s dangerous.

In this post you will discover where to find accurate water source information for the Pacific Crest Trail, what the best water containers are, how much water to carry between sources and some strategies I use to reduce the amount of water weight in my pack (without sacrificing safety or risking dehydration).

Pacific Crest Trail water source info

It is vitally important when hiking the PCT to know where the on-trail and off-trail water sources are located. Unlike other trails where the water is apparent and plentiful (with springs and streams crossing the path) water on the Pacific Crest Trail is often inconspicuous, hidden or located well off the trail.

Here are some resources which you can use to find water on the Pacific Crest Trail:

AsaBat’s SoCal PCT Water Report: Asabat’s SoCal PCT Water Report is a must-have if you are hiking the Pacific Crest Trail in Southern California (where water is not as reliable or as plentiful as in other sections). The water report is updated frequently based on recent first-hand accounts of the status of water sources made by hikers as they pass through. Print out the most recent version before you start hiking.

Pacific Crest Trail Atlas: My Pacific Crest Trail Atlas includes a comprehensive list of on-trail, near-trail and off-trail water sources for the entire Pacific Crest Trail, along with the distance between sources and information on whether they are typically “reliable” or “seasonal”

Pacific Crest Trail Water Source Information (Pacific Crest Trail Atlas 2nd Edition)

Yogi’s PCT Handbook: Yogi’s PCT Handbook does not include information for every water source, but does include detailed notes based on her own and other hiker’s past experiences regarding specific water sources that are known to be difficult to find, have varying reliability from year to year or are important because they lie in the middle of a long waterless stretch.

Pacific Crest Trail Data Book: The Pacific Crest Trail Data Book contains a comprehensive list of water sources for the entire Pacific Crest Trail compiled from the information in the Wilderness Press guides.

Types of water sources on the Pacific Crest Trail

Natural sources: Most of the places where you will get water on the Pacific Crest Trail (especially outside of Southern California) are natural springs, streams, creeks and occasionally lakes.

Manmade sources: There are not many man-made water sources along the Pacific Crest Trail, but on occasion you will get water from spigots, fire or stock tanks, reservoirs, private residences or businesses (with the owners permission) and in trail towns.

Water caches: In Southern California (where water is sparse) and a couple other areas of the PCT (such as the Hat Creek Rim in Northern California) trail angels will put out water caches for the hikers to use in the middle of particularly long, dry, waterless sections of trail. Caches vary in size and reliability and should never be relied on but can be useful (more on water caches later).

Water containers

The most common types of water containers on the Pacific Crest Trail are lightweight plastic 1 liter bottles (such as Aquafina bottles or Gatorade bottles) and lightweight water bladders (like those made by Platypus and MSR). Heavy-duty bottles like Nalgenes are overkill and too heavy.

Aquafina

Water bottles: The good thing about bottles is that they are sturdy and not easily punctured like bladders. They are also good for catching water from springs and scooping from shallow water holes (if you don’t have a pump filter). Bottles are also nice because they stand up on their own unlike bladders. To carry enough water for some of the longer stretches on the PCT using just bottles would be heavy and bulky though.

Platypus

Water bladders: Water bladders are convenient because they are lightweight and allow you to fit a lot of water in convenient spaces inside your pack. You can also attach a drinking tube and drink as you hike instead of having to stop and get out your bottles all of the time. The downside to water bladders is they are fragile and can get punctured at inopportune times (so don’t put all your water in one bladder).

Hybrid method: I like to use both bottles and bladders for transporting water on the Pacific Crest Trail. I carry one 1 liter Aquafina bottle and two 2.4 liter Platypus bladders. This gives me a maximum water carrying capacity of nearly 6 liters and weighs only 6.4 ounces (including a drinking hose).

Water treatment

Katadyn

Pump-filters: Pump water filters are, in my opinion, not a very good solution for filtering water. They are cumbersome and heavy (upward of 10 ounces when dry), tend to clog often and require replacement cartridges every 700 miles or so. Plus every time you want water it requires a lot of arm-pumping labor to get it. They are convenient for getting water out of shallow pools though.

Sawyer

Inline filters: A new and more elegant solution for water filtration is inline water filters, such as the Sawyer filter which I use. They weigh just a couple of ounces, go in-line in your drinking tube so the water is filtered as you suck it through (no arm-pumping required) and can be back-flushed in towns using a water faucet adaptor to extend their life indefinitely.

Aquamira

Chemicals: Another popular lightweight option for water filtration is chemical treatments, such as Aquamira, MSR Sweetwater drops, iodine, chlorine and bleach. One downside of chemical treatments is the taste and sometimes they take a while (between 5 and 30 minutes) to fully treat your water. I’ve used Aquamira and the MSR drops before and they worked well. I’ve never tried any of the other options.

Not filtering: I have to admit, 80% of the time I do NOT treat my water in the backcountry. The only time I treat water is when there is livestock (like cows) nearby, if the water is stagnant or at low elevations where it looks like there could be runoff from nearby towns or industry. I’ve never gotten really sick from drinking untreated water, but that doesn’t mean that you won’t (or that I won’t sometime in the future). Warning: Drink untreated water at your own risk.

How much water to carry between water sources?

I generally vary the amount of water I carry between water sources depending on the weather. If it is cool and cloudy I will carry less. If it’s hot and sunny I will carry more.

Cool weather: In cool weather I typically carry 1 liter of water for every 5-10 miles of hiking. So that would be 1-2 liters of water for a 10 mile stretch.

Hot weather: In hot weather I typically carry 1 liter of water for every 3-5 miles of hiking. So that would be 2-3 liters of water for a 10 mile stretch.

On average, there is water available about every 5-10 miles on the Pacific Crest Trail (either on-trail or less than half a mile off-trail). In Southern California the water sources tend to further apart (10-20 miles) and in the northern parts of the trail they are typically closer together (5-7 miles).

There are some stretches (not many) on the Pacific Crest Trail where the water sources are 20-30 miles apart. My maximum water carrying capacity is 6 liters (which is 12 pounds of water weight). Using some of the strategies below I can make this work for 30 or even 40 mile waterless stretches.

Strategies for carrying less water and staying hydrated

“Camel up” at water sources: This is my favorite technique. In hot weather, every time I hit a water source I’ll stop and rest for a while, and drink my fill (more than my fill) of water. I typically try to drink between 1-2 liters of water at the water sources (depending on how long I stay). Water in your stomach is easier to carry than water on your back (because it is closer to your center of gravity) and water in your stomach is also being used by your body (unlike water on your back, which is doing nothing but weighing you down).

Camp at water sources: Camping uses up a lot of water for cooking, cleaning and also keeping hydrated throughout the night (just because you stop hiking doesn’t mean you can stop drinking). If you “dry camp” that means you have to carry water not only for the miles you will hike, but extra water for the 10 hours you will spend in camp. In hot weather I make an effort to schedule my day so that rest stops and camp spots are at or near water sources. It doesn’t always work out that way, but if you can pull it off you will carry less water.

Carry an umbrella: Ray Jardine popularized this idea and it is a good one. An umbrella (especially a reflective umbrella like the Golite Chrome Dome) is superior to a sun hat for hot weather. It is like carrying a portable shade tree with you everywhere you go! An umbrella will help keep you cool, so you will sweat less, and lose less water.

Mid-day siestas: A popular trick among thru-hikers in the desert is to get up really early before the sun rises and hike until about 10am (when it starts to get hot). Then stop and rest in the shade (and hopefully near water) until 2pm or 4pm (when it starts to cool down). Then hike into the evening until your miles are done. By avoiding the hottest part of the day you can conserve water.

Night hiking: Taking the mid-day siesta technique to its extreme is simply to hike at night. Night hiking can be very pleasant in the desert (especially under a full moon) and because the temperature in the desert drops drastically at night you will use half as much water. One thing you have to be careful of not to pass up a water source or other important landmark (like a trail intersection) in the dark… pay close attention to where you are when night hiking.

Reduce your pack weight: The more weight you carry the more work your body has to do with every step you take. The more work you do the more you will sweat and the more water you will need just to keep putting one foot in front of the other. By reducing your base pack weight (all gear minus food and water) to 13 pounds or less you will have a more comfortable hike, and your pack weight will be reduced even further when you have to carry less water to support yourself.

How to use water caches

Water caches are a controversial subject on the PCT. Some people claim that they are a bad thing because they make the PCT less challenging and teach hikers not to be self-sufficient. I don’t disagree with this. But I can tell you from experience that when you are out there hiking in the hot sun nothing is more welcome and appreciated than a cache left by some kind trail angel.

Some people will recommend that you “NEVER rely on water caches”. I agree. You should never rely on water caches for survival or use a water cache as your primary water source. But I think it would be silly to pretend that the caches don’t exist, when they do. What I like to do is split the difference.

If I know that there is a large, reliable cache (which you can usually figure out from the water report) up ahead I will carry the bare minimum of water needed to safely get past the cache to the next reliable water source (in case the cache is empty). But I’ll plan to take a liter or two at the cache (if it does happen to be full). In my experience the big caches are usually well-stocked during thru-hiking season, so you have at least a 50% chance of finding water at one. Just be prepared to go the distance without it.

Thru hiking permit

Thru hikers can get a permit that covers camping in all of the different jurisdictions the Pacific Crest Trail passes through from the Pacific Crest Trail Association. A thru-hiking permit is free to PCTA members. They suggest a $5 donation for non-members. Thru Hiking Permit application (PCTA).

Canada entry permit

The northern terminus of the PCT is 8 miles into Canada. If you are thru-hiking you are supposed to get a permit to enter Canada via the PCT. They will do a background check, so if you have skeletons in your closet you may want to skip this step. Canada Entry Permit application (PCTA).

Passport & ID

In order to enter Canada from the United States or the United States from Canada you will need a passport and ID. You probably don’t want to carry your passport for the whole trip (and risk losing or damaging it). I recommend you have your passport mailed to one of  your resupply stops near the Canada border (like Stehekin) or keep it in your bounce box.

Mount Whitney permit

Mount Whitney (the highest peak in the continental United States at 14,496 ft) is a popular side-trip from the Pacific Crest Trail. I highly recommend doing Mount Whitney when you are in the Sierra. According this map of the Whitney Zone the western route which you will take to summit Mount Whitney from the PCT/JMT does not actually enter the “Whitney Zone” and should not require a permit.

However, if you plan to enter the Whitney Zone or go out through Whitney Portal to resupply you will need a permit, which you can get through the PCTA by checking a box on your thru hiking permit application and paying a $15 fee.

USFS Campfire permit

You can obtain a California Campfire Permit by taking a short quiz about responsible fire use and printing out your own permit. This covers federally controlled lands falling under USFS, BLM and NPS jurisdiction along the California Pacific Crest Trail.

Permits for Section hikers

If you plan to hike 500 miles or more you can get a thru hiking permit. If you plan to hike less than 500 miles you may need to get a permit for overnight camping in some areas on the PCT.  Sometimes there are self-serve permit slips available at the trailheads. In other areas camping permits are not required. Check with the agency that manages the area you plan to hike through (USFS, BLM, State Parks, etc.).

There are two methods of getting supplies on the trail.

You can buy everything in advance, package it up before you leave home, and recruit someone to mail the packages out to towns along the way so you can pick them up. Maildrops are typically sent “General Delivery” to Post Offices in trail towns where hikers can claim them with a valid ID. Some trail angels and businesses near the PCT also accept maildrops and occasionally they may need to be sent by UPS or Fedex.

The second method, known as “buy as you go” involves purchasing food and supplies from stores in trail-towns or purchasing items online (when an internet connection is available) and having them sent to upcoming resupply stops.

The benefit of using maildrops is good selection. If you buy everything you need beforehand you can be assured of getting it. The downside to maildrops is that the cost of shipping can become expensive, you need to find someone to ship them all out to you (which is a lot of work) and if you are shipping food there is a very good chance you will get sick of the foods you picked out before you started the trip (this happens a lot).

The benefits of buying as you go are you can be self-sufficient and flexible and you will save a lot of time and money preparing for your hike and shipping packages. The downside is that there is not a great selection of food or supplies in many of the smaller trail towns – so you have to make do with whatever you can find. If you are a picky eater or have special dietary restrictions (like vegan or vegetarian) you might have a hard time resupplying out of the small markets and convenience stores.

Resupply & Maildrop Info: You will find a complete list of resupply stops and maildrop addresses for the Pacific Crest Trail in the Pacific Crest Trail Atlas.

Hybrid method

My preferred method for resupplying is a hybrid of the two methods that is 80% “buy as you go” and 20% maildrops. If a town has a supermarket or decent sized grocery store I will buy food in town for the next leg of my hike as well as any small towns I will be passing through in the next few weeks and I will mail food and supplies forward to those small towns, so I can pick it up when I arrive.

I put together a few mail drop boxes before I leave home too, containing gear and supplies that are not easily found along the trail like: replacement shoes and socks. My resupply person sends these when I need them.

Bounce Box

One method for keeping items handy that you will need in town (such as chargers for electronics, vitamins and medication, spare socks, etc.) but do not want to carry on the trail is to have a “bounce box”. This is a package that you would mail to a trail town, pick it up and use it’s contents while you are in town, and then when you are ready to hike out you pack it back up and mail it to the next town (or every other town… or whatever you prefer). If you send the box by Priority Mail and you do not need anything from it in a certain town, the USPS will forward it for free to your next town stop.

Note about bounce boxes: Like having too large a pack, having a big bounce box can tempt you to fill it up with junk that you really don’t need. Make sure that you are only putting stuff in your bounce box that is not available to buy in towns… or you will pay a fortune shipping it.

Stove Fuel

The two most popular types of cooking fuel used on the PCT are denatured alcohol and isobutene canisters. Here are some of your cooking fuel options:

Denatured Alcohol: Denatured alcohol is widely available in trail towns along the PCT. You can get denatured alcochol in most hardware stores. Another alternative fuel for your alcohol stove is Heet (gas line antifreeze) which is available in most auto parts stores and some convenience stores.

Isobutane Canisters: Isobutane canisters are not as widely available on the PCT as alcohol, but they are becoming more popular. Here is a list of places you can find canister fuel on the PCT.

White Gas: White gas is not a very popular fuel choice on the PCT because the stoves (such as the misnamed MSR Whisperlite) that burn it are too heavy. I really don’t know what the availability of white gas is on the PCT, but I recommend that you don’t bother with white gas stoves.

Esbits: Esbits and other solid fuel tablets are not widely available along the PCT, so if you burn fuel tablets you will need to include them in your maildrops.

Wood: The kind of wood (small sticks) needed to fuel the newer wood gas stoves (such as the titanium Sierra TT Zip Stove and the Bush Buddy) is available almost everywhere along the PCT (although you might have a difficult time finding dry wood in some areas of the High Sierra and Washington in the fall).

Note about burning wood and alcohol: The PCT is very dry in some places and wildfires are a constant threat. It is important to be careful when burning wood and alcohol in high winds so as not to start a fire.

Hitch hiking

Most of the towns near the PCT route are 5-20 miles away from the trailheads so (unless you want to walk a long way out of your way) you will need to hitch-hike to get to them. If you have never hitch-hiked before you may be a bit nervous about it, but once you have done it a few times you’ll get the hang of it.

Southern California

•    San Diego (Many sporting goods stores)
•    Mt. Laguna (Mt. Laguna Store)
•    Idyllwild (Nomad Ventures)
•    Palm Springs (Big 5, hitch here from I-10)
•    Big Bear Lake (Equada Outfitters)
•    Wrightwood (Trail Angel: Mollyann Tretter)
•    Agua Dulce (Trail Angel: The Saufley’s, big hiker box)
•    Tehachapi (hiker box / mail drop, or hitch to Bakersfield)

Central California

•    Ridgecrest (Big 5, hitch here from Walker Pass)
•    Kennedy Meadows (People always send way too much stuff to Kennedy Meadows, hiker box)
•    Lone Pine (Lone Pine Sporting Goods or High Sierra Outfitters)
•    Independence (hiker box or hitch/bus to Bishop)
•    Muir Trail Ranch
•    V.V.R. (Big hiker box, lots of ditched extra stuff from JMT’ers)
•    Mammoth Lakes (take bus from Red’s Meadow)
•    Tuolumne Meadows (Small outfitter)

Northern California

•    South Lake Tahoe (Tahoe Sports)
•    Tahoe City (you can get here by bus from S. Lake Tahoe, Squaw Valley, and Truckee)
•    Sierra City (Sierra Country Store)
•    Chester (sporting goods store)
•    Old Station (Trail Angel: The Heitman’s, hiker box)
•    Redding (hitch here from Burney Falls)
•    Mount Shasta City (Shasta Base Camp, Sportsmens Den, Fifth Season)

Oregon

•    Ashland (Outdoor Store, Mountain Supply)
•    Crater Lake Mazama Village (hiker box/mail drop, may have a couple at the store)
•    Sisters, OR (mail drop or hitch to Bend)
•    Cascade Locks (mail drop or hitch to Portland or Hood River)

Washington

•    Snoqualmie Pass (hiker box or hitch to Seattle)
•    Skykomish (Trail Angel: The Dinsmores, hiker box)
•    Stehekin (at the Landing store and the small gear store at the Ranch)

Tip: Full or nearly-full canisters can sometimes be found in hiker boxes even in towns where fuel is not available to purchase. You can also ship fuel canisters in the mail. Here is more information on shipping fuel, courtesy of Ken & Marcia (Gottawalk): Click Here

If you know of  a place that is not listed here please leave your comments below.