Pacific Crest Trail through Oregon was way more overgrown than anyone warned me about

I hiked a 60 mile stretch near Crater Lake last August and the brush was waist high in some spots. Everyone talks about the views in Oregon but nobody mentions how bad the trail maintenance is in sections. I got scratched up pretty bad and had to check for ticks every night. The forest service clearly prioritizes other areas over this part. Has anyone else run into this kind of overgrowth on the PCT?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_wade10d ago

Did you actually research the trail conditions before you went or did you just show up? August is peak growth season, the brush is always going to be bad that time of year. The PCT is a 2,650 mile trail maintained by volunteers, not a manicured park path. Most hikers I know carry gaiters and wear long pants for exactly this reason. Plus that section near Crater Lake gets way less foot traffic than the popular bits in Washington or the Sierra, so of course the weeds are going to take over. Blaming the forest service for not mowing a wilderness trail seems like you expected a sidewalk in the middle of nowhere.

davis.dakota10d ago

Yeah but have you ever tried hiking in Crocs? Game changer, no joke.