From the Oregon state border, the PCT enters California in the Cascade-Siskiyou mountains traveling west towards the Coastal Klamath mountains and then south through the Marble Mountain wilderness and Russian Wilderness also int= the Coastal ranges.

Then, the PCT turns back east through the Scott mountains, crosses IH 15 and continues eastward back into the southern Cascade Mountains, enters Lassen NF, begins a southward march through Lassen NP, (nearby is Mount Lassen at elevation 10,457 feet) and crosses State Highway 89 near the bottom of the southern Cascade Range.

Then the PCT, comes to the North Fork of the Feather River at Beldon, California on SH 70 at the end of the southern Cascade Range. When the PCT continues beyond the North Fork of the Feather River, it climbs toward Bald Eagle Mountain as it enters the Sierra Nevada and continues in a southeast direction through Plumas NF as it traverses a ridge just east of and parallel to SH 89.

Finally, the PCT arrives at IH 80 near exit 3, crosses the interstate highway and enters the Tahoe NF.

Upon entering the Sierra Nevada, the PCT travels through the Tahoe National Forest for a short time before it arrives in the El Dorado National Forest as it skirts about five miles west of Lake Tahoe. Then the PCT crosses US 50 in Luther Pass at elevation 7735 feet, next SH 88 in Carson pass at elevation 8573 feet and then SH 4 in Ebbetts Pass at 8732 feet at which time enters the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, in which the trail continues southward for about twenty-five miles until arriving at SH 108 in Sonora Pass at 9643 feet at which time leaves the NF and enters the Emigrant Wilderness to continue south until reaching Yosemite National Park.

The PCT enters Yosemite NP at elevation 9596 feet in Dorothy Lake Pass and follows the Jack Main Canyon south along Falls River for some ten or more miles. Then, the trail climbs up to the ridge and follows a generally eastward route traversing ridge and river for some time. After crossing the Return River, the trail turns south and follows a ridge west of the prominent Mount Conness, which has an elevation of 12,590 feet, and continues until arriving a the Tuolumne River. Here, the trail follows this river upstream until arriving at SH 120 which enters the park at Lee Vining, California. At this state highway, the trail crosses the river on the highway bridge, continues past the visitor center and Tuolumne Meadows campground. To the right the John Muir Trail climbs up into the Ansel Addams wilderness.

The PCT, however, continues upstream along the Tuolunme River, then up along Lyell Fork in the Ansel Addams Wilderness to Donohue Pass and then down to the Middle Fork of the San Joaquin River, through Devils Postpile National Monument and continues south through the John Muir Wilderness with both Red Slate Mountain (13,161 feet) and Mount Morgan (13,005 feet) in the distance to the east. Then, after passing near to Mono Hot Springs, the PCT enters Kings Canyon National Park traveling east to near the western boundary of the park and then south inside of the park boundary. After entering Sequoia National Park, the trail passes within five miles of Mount Whitney, the highest point in California at 14,493 feet. Leaving the national park, the trail enters Inyo National Forest, the Golden Trout Wilderness, the South Sierra Wilderness and after crossing SH J41 enters the Domeland Wilderness as it continues southward.

The Central California PCT then leaves the Sierra Nevada ecoregion as it begins to enter into the Mojave Basin ecoregion arriving at SH 178 and Walker Pass. Soon after crossing SH 178, the PCT enters Kiavah Wilderness and arrives at Walker Pass campground.

In the southernmost area, the PCT has its southern terminus in Campo, California a small town on the US-Mexican border, from which it climbs through chaparral, scrub oak and pines to the Laguna mountains. Then the trail crosses the western edge of the Anza-Borregon desert after which it enters Cleveland NF and San Jacinto Mountains on its way northbound. After crossing IH 10, the trail traverses westward through the San Bernadino National Forest near Big Bear lake and Lake Arrowhead. Next, it continues westward, crosses to the west of IH 15 at Cajon Pass. Some time after this, it enters the San Gabriel Mountains, continues west to Solidad Pass, elevation 3225 feet and crosses SH 14 after which the PCT traverses northwest through the Angeles National Forest to Bear Campground. At this juncture, the PCT makes a right turn to the northeast crosses SH 138 and continues along the California Aquaduct into the Mojave Desert.

Now in this typically hot and dry area of the Andreas Fault Zone and Mojave Desert, the PCT continues northeast until it climbs into the Tehachapi Mountains, crosses SH 58 at the Tehachapi Pass and continues in the high desert until arriving at Kiavah Wilderness and Walker Pass at SH 178. North of this pass, the PCT begins to climb up into the Sierra Nevada mountains, which in most all sense of the meaning, leaves the desert lands behind.

The journey on begins shortly after noon. I drive east out of Hemet and the desert valley plain on SR 74 to Mountain Center, California, turn right and continue on SR 74. I cross briefly the San Jacinto Mountains range at the Pacific Crest Trail reaching an elevation of 5000 feet.