Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail

Pacific Northwest Trail
The Pacific Northwest Trail
Length	1200 mi (1931 km)
Location	Montana / Idaho / Washington, United States
Designation	National Scenic Trail in 2009
Trailheads	Glacier National Park, MT Cape Alava, WA
Use	Hiking Mountain biking Equestrian
Elevation
Highest point	Cathedral Pass, Washington
Lowest point	Pacific Ocean
Hiking details
Trail difficulty	Moderate to Strenuous
Season	Year-round at lower elevations, summer and fall at higher elevations
Sights	Rocky Mountains Mount Baker Pacific Ocean
Hazards	Severe weather Grizzly bear Black bear Steep grades Limited water

The Pacific Northwest Trail (PNT), now designated as the Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail, is a 1200-mile hiking trail running from the Continental Divide in Montana (connecting it with the Continental Divide Trail), through the northern panhandle of Idaho, to the Pacific coast of Washington's Olympic Peninsula. It traverses the Rocky Mountains, Selkirk Mountains, Pasayten Wilderness, North Cascades, Olympic Mountains, and Wilderness Coast. The trail crosses three National Parks and seven National Forests. The trail was designated a national scenic trail in 2009. The U.S. Department of Agriculture administers the trail. It forms part of the 6,875-mile Great Western Loop. The Pacific Northwest Trail is considered to be one of the most challenging trails in the National Scenic Trail system. The trail is growing in popularity due to its outstanding scenic qualities and challenging terrain, with an increasing number of hikers every year.

The trail's route was first conceived and explored by Ron Strickland in 1970. In 1977, Strickland founded the Pacific Northwest Trail Association (PNTA), the organization that oversees education, maintenance, and fund-raising for the PNT. In 2002, the North Cascades National Park / Ross Lake National Recreation Area segment was designated a National Recreation Trail. The Olympic National Park segment received this designation in 2003, and the Glacier National Park segment received the same designation in 2005.