1200Miles
60–80Days
200,000 ftGain
ThruType
Permits
System
Glacier NP + North Cascades NP + Olympic NP wilderness permitsGlacier's advance lottery and North Cascades' early access lottery run in winter; Olympic releases summer permits around April 15. The Pacific Northwest Trail Association publishes thru-hiker permit guidance each year.Apply or read more
Cost
Varies by park
Bear storage
Required in parts of Glacier, North Cascades and Olympic
Season
Best
Westbound starting late June – early July.
JFMAMJJASOND
PeakShoulderClosed
On trail
Water
Generally good; some dry stretches in the Okanogan highlands.
Resupply
Small towns every 4–7 days; some require long road walks.
Notes
Less traveled than the Triple Crown and harder to navigate, with long road walks and unmaintained sections. Ends at Cape Alava on the Pacific.
Elevation
0 ftHigh 7,000 ft
Resupply towns
Polebridge
Eureka
Bonners Ferry
Oroville
Ross Lake
Sedro-Woolley
Port Angeles
Forks
Recommended gear