What does California’s new militarized zone mean for the southern terminus of the PCT?

tThe Trump administration last week announced the establishment of a National Defense Area (NDA) along much of the California-Mexico border, creating uncertainty for the future of the southern end of the Pacific Crest Trail. The Department of the Interior (DOI) will transfer approximately 760 acres of public land to the U.S. Navy for a period of three years to assist in ongoing border security operations, according to a DOI news release.

The new militarized zone covers much of the border in San Diego and Imperial counties, extending from the western edge of the Otay Mountain Wilderness area to about a mile west of the California-Arizona border. But the DOI statement indicates that the NDA will be limited to a 60-foot corridor along the U.S. side of the border known as the Roosevelt Reservation.

«At this time, it is our understanding that the Roosevelt Reservation, where this designation applies, is located just outside the southern end of the Pacific Crest Trail near Campo, California,» the Pacific Crest Trail Association said in a statement. «Based on the information currently available, we do not expect this action to immediately impact access to the Southern Terminus Monument or surrounding trail areas.»

Will access be restricted like in the southern terminal of the CDT?

This development appears to mirror the situation unfolding on the Continental Divide Trail, where the establishment of an NDA on the New Mexico-Mexico border this spring ultimately led to new rules restricting access to the southern end of the Continental Divide Trail. Hikers must now prove their U.S. citizenship and submit a background check to obtain permission to access that terminal.

However, it is worth noting that New Mexico’s NDA is many times larger than the newly established one in California. The first includes more than 100,000 acres, the second only 760. Still, in both cases, the changes were implemented suddenly and without the participation of the respective trail management organizations, leaving room for uncertainty about how this situation will continue to play out. The PCTA confirmed that it had not received prior notification of the new NDA designation before it was publicly announced.

“There is still much to do and we are working to understand what this means on the ground,” PCTA Director of Trails Operations Justin Kooyman said in a statement. «Our role is to stay connected with our federal partners and ensure that access to the Pacific Crest Trail remains safe, available and clear for visitors. We will continue to monitor developments and keep the trail community informed.»

This year there has been a sharp increase in military activity and border fortification along much of the US-Mexico border, and this has implications for (among many, many others) hikers. In addition to the establishment of the California and New Mexico NDAs, razor wire was installed this fall along a stretch of the Arizona-Mexico border, blocking access to the southern end of the Arizona Trail.

Most northbound PCT hikers begin their 2,600-mile journey in the far south in April or May, giving the hiking community several months to allow the details of the new NDA to be worked out before the peak hiking season.

At this time, the new designation does not appear to affect the terminus, but I would recommend anyone planning to hike in that area in the coming months to use caution and contact the PCTA or the U.S. Navy for the most up-to-date information on the impacts of the new NDA on outdoor recreation.

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