PCT Water Report

The PCT Water Report captures a kind of information that a static topographic map cannot: a hiker's dated observation that a seasonal source was flowing, dry or difficult to reach. Reports arrive by email, phone and trail journals, then a volunteer compiles them for the Pacific Crest Trail community. In long arid stretches, that evidence can help identify where a source deserves additional investigation and where a larger carry margin may be prudent.

This is deliberately not an official or verified PCTA product. The Pacific Crest Trail Association warns that the report does not cover the whole trail, does not vouch for accuracy and should not encourage reliance on caches. A recent wet-season observation may be useless weeks later, while no report may mean no contributor rather than no water. Always read the date and direction of travel, compare maps, seasonal conditions and local agency information, and carry a conservative reserve. Treat every natural source before drinking and never plan survival around an unattended cache.