Pacific Northwest Trail GPS Tracks

Use these tracks at your own risk!

The PNT is a difficult and challenging trail and I think these tracks can be helpful, but they will grow increasingly out-of-date and less useful as time marches on.

I’m making these GPS tracks available for free, but there are a few caveats that you should be aware of:

• I hiked the trail in 2019-2020, and—over time—reroutes will cause these tracks to become more and more out of date. I have no plans to maintain or update the tracks.
• The tracks follow the route that I (Green Tortuga) hiked. I sometimes used alternate routes when the primary route was not recommended. In a couple of locations, you’ll find that I just plain took a wrong turn. Other times, I followed official detours put in place during the years I hiked but are not necessarily an official alternate route. Other times, I cut switchbacks to avoid blowdowns. Stuff happens. I have made no effort to correct these discrepancies.
• My route through bushwhacks are not necessarily the best routes through. In these areas, use tracks for a general sense that you are going in the correct direction instead of sticking strictly to the path I used.
• As a general rule of thumb, my GPS typically reported an accuracy of 10 to 30 feet, so most of the time, the GPS tracks will be accurate to within that range.
• Do not rely strictly on these tracks to find your way! For all the reasons listed above and to give yourself more options around alternative routes, wildfires or whatever challenges are in your way, you will definitely want up-to-date information. Find current maps, guidebooks and trail conditions (for online and offline use) at https://www.pnt.org. They have a lot of really good information, but for some reason, don’t seem to provide GPS tracks which is why I’m making my tracks available. The paper maps and the Pacific Northwest Trail Digest I found particularly useful, and they are both updated annually.

Have your own GPS tracks to share?

If you do hike the trail—in whole or in part—and wish to make your own GPS tracks available to others, you can contact me about adding them here. My tracks will grow increasingly out-of-date over time, but it would be nice to replace them with fresher tracks for future hikers.

The Friends & Family Virtual Walk

If you have friends or family who would like to virtually walk the trail with you, send them to this website. It’s free to sign up, and they can see maps and photos along the route. (The virtual route, of course, follows my GPS track, so if you take different alternate routes, they’ll see some slightly different photos in those sections.)