The Ultimate Resupply Guide for the Pacific Crest Trail
Prior to hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, I was sitting with a friend talking about my upcoming journey. The first question she asked me was, “How will you carry five months of food on your back?”. I laughed, then assured her that the trail isn’t in the middle of nowhere and I’d pass through towns where I could resupply my food.
The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) is an adventure of a lifetime, but it requires a lot of planning and preparation. The trail covers 2,650 miles of rugged terrain, spanning from Mexico to Canada, and therefore presents unique challenges when resupplying food and other essentials. There are tons of questions to consider while planning your hike in order to determine the most efficient resupply strategy for you.
In this blog post, I provide all my tips and tricks to resupply to ensure that you have a successful and enjoyable thru-hike. Whether you’re a seasoned hiker or embarking on your first long distance trek, this guide will provide valuable insights on food and resupply on the PCT.
What are my options for resupply?
1. Buy everything in towns as you go
2. Send yourself pre-made packages
3. A combination of buy & send (most popular method on the PCT)
*Alternative option for international travelers: when you arrive in a big town with a good grocery store, take a zero day to prepare resupply packages for future towns and ship them all out from there. I’d recommend doing this in San Diego (before trail), Tehachapi (before the Sierras), South Lake Tahoe (beginning of Northern California), Ashland (beginning of Oregon), & Bend (before Washington).
What are the advantages of shipping a resupply package?
Convenience – you can plan your meals in advance and don’t have to worry about trying to find what you need in town.
Customization – you have more control over the types of food you package (better if you have dietary preferences) and won’t get stuck eating gas station food for days.
Cost savings – you can by in bulk which is way more cost effective than expensive trail towns.
Efficiency – you can actually take time to rest in town or quickly get back onto trail since you won’t have to spend time shopping and organizing your next resupply.
What are the disadvantages of shipping a resupply package?
Lack of variety – food you thought you’d still like after months on trail, you might not even be able to look at. You may end up putting half of it in a hiker box and still spending money on new food.
Postage fees – postage fees add up! A medium flat rate box costs $16.10 and a large flat rate box costs $21.50. On top of that, a lot of trail towns charge a holding fee.
Limited flexibility – shipping packages may limit your ability to make spontaneous changes to your itinerary and many post offices have very limited hours or are closed on weekends.
Overestimating or underestimating needs – you have no idea how much food you’ll really need months in to the trail. My appetite was all over the place over the 5 months out there.
How do you send a resupply box?
Let’s start with the basics. If you’re send a package to a post office, it’s sent as General Delivery. All General Delivery packages must be labeled with the following:
Your Name
c/o General Delivery
Town Name, State Zip Code
If you are sending through USPS, you can use the medium and large flat rate priority boxes. The boxes are free but the shipping cost $16.10 and $21.50, respectively. If you are sending through UPS, you can use any type of box. UPS tends to be the more expensive option but for some towns, it’s your only option.
You should tape the box with something that stands out (I used hot pink duct tape) so that you can find it in the giant stacks of hiker packages, and mark the box with “Please Hold for PCT Hiker NAME” and your ETA. It is also important that you allow enough time for shipping to ensure that your box arrives before you do. I made sure they were shipped at least 2 weeks prior to pick-up.
Most importantly, keep a list of all tracking numbers for every single package that is sent. I had many packages never arrive and you will need that tracking number to find it.
What’s in a resupply box?
Food (of course!)
Electrolytes
Condiments (hot sauce, salt, mustard, spices, etc.)
Lighter (if you need a new one)
Ziplock bags (1 gallon, freezer bags to repackage backpacker meals, & sandwich size for snacks)
Doggie bags (poop trash)
Toiletries
Before the trail, I purchased empty mini bottles that I filled with shampoo and conditioner. I added them into a resupply for any town where I knew I’d get a shower. This was KEY to save money because they cost so much money in the small trail town stores.
Food
What do I eat on trail?
Food is one of the most important topics when talking about the Pacific Crest Trail. What should you fuel your body with? You burn SO many calories on trail that you’ll never be able to actually make up for the caloric deficit. However, your body does need the right nutrients to keep you going so it’s important that you’re fueling your body with what it needs. If you’re feeding yourself with primarily junk food instead of nutritious foods, you’ll see a huge difference in energy levels and recovery.
This is a complete list of my food choices (obviously everyone has different preferences). On my first day out of town, I’d always try to pack out a fresh meal, fruits (cut them up beforehand so you don’t have to carry out pits), and vegetables.
Breakfast #1 – right before I start hiking
Breakfast #2 – 4 to 6 miles in
Coffee (Trader Joe’s instant coffee is the best)
Meal options:
Oatmeal (normally with chia seeds, dried fruit, or something that gives it more substance)
Granola + coconut milk powder + protein powder + freeze dried fruit + water
Lunch
Tortillas (easier to pack and don’t get squished) or bagels (way more substantial)
Meal options:
Additional items I’d try to add if I could: spinach, avocado, or other vegetables
Second electrolyte of the day
Snacks – this list could be infinite. Sometimes I’d crave the most random snacks and add them to my resupply
Protein bars
Trail mix
Olives (Trader Joe’s has little individual packets)
Dried fruit
Chips/Goldfish/Pb pretzels/other salty snacks (pro tip: crush your chips and eat them with your spork to save space)
Candy (gummies, peanut m&m’s)
Oreos
Dinner
Dehydrated backpacking meals (these get expensive but if you ship your resupplies, you can buy in bulk beforehand)
Peak Refuel, Good to Go, and Backpacker’s Pantry are my favorite!
Knorr rice/pasta sides (add tuna or other protein)
Ramen (add tuna or other protein)
Mac & cheese
How did I resupply?
I chose to do a mix of shipping and buying. I dehydrated some of my own food prior to trail and wanted to have as many healthy options as I could. If I did it over, I’d ship less boxes and buy more in towns.
There were some towns with fully stocked grocery stores or very well stocked general stores that you can do a full resupply at. On the contrary, there were also many towns with poorly stocked and expensive stores or gas stations. In these situations, you’re stuck with mostly snacks and no fresh food.
I have created a complete breakdown of every single trail town along the trail. If you’d like a general breakdown with my choice of ship/buy, mileage, mailing addresses, contact info, and holding fees, here is a link to my spreadsheet.
Before we begin, it’s important to note that a “zero” refers to a full day of no hiking (zero miles) and a “nero” refers to a partial day of hiking (nearly zero miles).
Jump Ahead:
Southern California:
Campo (Mile 0)
Prepare your first resupply before you get to the trail. I packed enough food to get me 2.5 days to Mount Laguna. Many hikers tend to overpack for their first stretch of trail - you definitely don’t need 5 days of food starting off!
Lake Morena (mile 20)
The Lake Morena Malt Shop is 0.4 miles from the trail. They serve breakfast burritos, burgers, milkshakes, and basic resupply foods. I chose to not resupply here but enjoyed an amazing breakfast on day two.
Mount Laguna (mile 43)
This was my first real resupply. I chose to mail a package to the General Store (0.4 miles off trail) which cost $10 at pick up. The store does carry a lot of resupply foods for purchase but is very expensive. The address to ship a package here by USPS is:
Your Name
c/o Laguna Mountain Lodge
PO Box 146
Mount Laguna, CA 91948
I’d highly recommend eating a meal at the café before getting back on trail. They are very supportive of PCT hikers and have outlets to charge up your electronics. You can also buy coins to use the campground showers to quick rinse off.
Julian (mile 77)
Julian is 13 miles from the trail so you will have to hitchhike to get there. It is filled with restaurants, cafes, and hotels - the perfect place to take your first zero day. I resupplied in town at their small grocery store. There were not a lot of options but enough to put together a small resupply. If you decide to mail a resupply here, the shipping address is:
Your Name
c/o General Delivery
Julian, CA 92036
If you stop by Mom’s Bakery and show them your PCT permit, you’ll get a free slice of delicious pie and coffee!
Warner Springs (mile 110)
Unfortunately, the Warner Springs Resource Center no longer hosts hikers. I’d highly recommend shipping a box here. The only place to buy food is at the gas station down the street. The mailing address for the post office is:
Your Name
c/o General Delivery
Warner Springs, CA 92086
Please note that the post office is a mile down the road, and has limited hours on Saturday and is closed on Sunday.
Paradise Valley Café (mile 152)
I chose to not resupply here and wait until Idyllwild, but I did enjoy the most delicious burger at the café. It’s important to note that the cafe stops serving breakfast at 11am, closes at 3PM, and is an extra 0.5 miles from the trail. I ended up running the last mile and made it with a few minutes to spare haha. The café also allows hikers to camp in the field behind the café. Not the most scenic but you have a bathroom you can use!
The café does accept packages if you choose to send one. The mailing address is:
Your Name
Hold for PCT hiker – ETA
c/o Paradise Valley Cafe
61721 State Highway 74
Mountain Center, CA 92561
Idyllwild (mile 179)
In order to access Idyllwild you can either hitchhike from Paradise Valley Café (mile 152) or take the 5 mile Devil’s Slide Trail found at mile 179. I took the Devil’s Slide Trail and it wasn’t bad to go down, but definitely demonic to go back up with a full resupply :)
Idyllwild is an incredible trail town perfect for a zero day. There are restaurants, grocery stores, hotels/Airbnb’s, and an outdoor outfitter. There is also a campground in town that’s inexpensive and centrally located. If you choose to mail a package here, you can send it to the post office:
Your Name
c/o General Delivery
Idyllwild, CA 92549
*If it’s a high snow year, this is the best place to mail your microspikes and ice axe as it’s right before the climb of Mt. San Jacinto!
Cabazon (mile 210)
The town of Cabazon is 4.5 miles from trail with a dollar general (if you’re desperate for a resupply), post office, In-n-Out Burger, and Chipotle. I chose to not even go into town BUT I did order Chipotle through Uber Eats to the I-10 underpass. Highly recommend this move!
Big Bear Lake (mile 275)
Big Bear Lake is an awesome mountain town filled with restaurants, hotels, outfitters, and grocery stores. It’s another great place to take a zero day. I highly recommend going to Grizzly Manor Cafe for breakfast – biggest and best pancakes on the trail. The post office does accept resupply packages:
Your Name
c/o General Delivery
Big Bear Lake, CA 92315
It’s good to note that this town is really spread out so plan accordingly with the location of your hotel or Airbnb. We ended up having to take a lot of hitches around town.
Cajon Pass (mile 342)
This is where the famous PCT McDonald’s is located (there isn’t much else besides a gas station). It’s a great place to take an afternoon break for some food and electronics charging!
Wrightwood (mile 369)
The town of Wrightwood is located 5.5 miles from the trail and proved to be one of the hardest hitches on the entire trail. It’s best to coordinate a ride beforehand if you can!
The town has a grocery store (well stocked), restaurants, hotels, and a hardware store that carries outdoor gear. If you choose to mail a resupply box, I’d highly recommend sending it to the hardware store since the hours are better than the post office.
Your Name
Mountain Hardware
1390 Hwy 2 P O Box 398
Wrightwood, California 92397
Acton KOA (mile 443)
The Acton KOA campground is located a quarter of a mile from the trail. They charge you separately for everything – packages, camping, showers, laundry, towel, Wi-Fi (doesn’t really work), etc. In my opinion, it’s not the best place to hang out so don’t plan to spend a lot of time there. Also, the camping area is located directly next to both a road and train tracks so you will not get much sleep.
If you plan to send a package here for a $5 fee, the address is:
PCT Hiker: Your Name
7601 Soledad Canyon Rd.
Acton, CA 93510
Agua Dulce (mile 455)
There isn’t much in the town except for restaurants – I highly recommend Maria Bonita Mexican restaurant! Most hikers will get food then continue on the trail.
If you want to go into Los Angeles this is the best place to do so. We took a Nero (nearly zero mile day) and got a hotel in Santa Clarita.
Hikertown (mile 518)
The strangest place on the entire trail. There’s not much there besides showers (for a fee) and tamales (SO good - pack them out!). There are limited resupply options besides mailing a package here. It costs $10 per package. The address is:
Your Name
Hikertown 26803 W. Ave. C-15
Lancaster, CA 93536
If you choose to resupply here, you have two options: Neenach Cafe and Wee Vill Market. You can definitely put together a resupply at Neenach Cafe but it is very expensive. You can also get a ride to Wee Vill Market where there’s a small café and limited food (also expensive). They will let you camp in the yard directly next to the market if you need a place to camp for the night.
Tehachapi (mile 566)
Tehachapi is located 9 miles off the trail but is an easy hitch. There are trail angels who provide rides if you need it - check FarOut comments and the trail logbook close to town for phone numbers. The town has hotels, grocery stores, restaurants, and pretty much everything else you would need. I highly recommend checking out Thai Hachapi (delicious Thai food) and Kohnen’s bakery (closed on Wednesday’s and Thursday’s).
This is also a great place to prepare for the Sierra’s if you haven’t already. There is a post office so you can send out boxes to upcoming towns that might have limited resupply options (i.e. Kennedy Meadows or VVR). The post office mailing address is:
Your Name
c/o General Delivery
Tehachapi, CA 93581
Lake Isabella/Kernville/Ridgecrest (mile 652)
The exit point for Lake Isabella is Walker Pass. I chose not to stop here since it’s 37 miles from the trail, but there are restaurants and a grocery store if you choose to go into town.
They also have a post office if you need to ship something:
Your Name
c/o General Delivery
Lake Isabella, CA 93240
Ridgecrest is 25 miles from the trail and isn’t the nicest town but has a Walmart, cheap hotels, and other amenities if you need to quickly grab things. Kernville is 46 miles from the trail but has a grocery store, cafes, restaurants, breweries, and even a river to go tubing in.
The Sierras:
Kennedy Meadows (mile 702)
The official end of the desert and the start of the Sierras! Yay!
Kennedy Meadows is known to be a vortex and hikers will typically stay longer than they originally planned. It’s the only place to prepare for the Sierras and wait out any bad mountain weather. However, I honestly found it to be overpriced and crowded.
Grumpy Bears Retreat is where I chose to stay. They have free camping behind the main building (about a 3 minute walk), free showers, free laundry (honestly made our clothes more dirty but sometimes that’s what you get haha), amazing food, and good WiFi for $10/day. They also accept packages for FREE:
Your Name
Grumpy Bear’s Retreat
98887 Kennedy Meadows Rd.
Inyokern, CA 93527
Kennedy Meadows General Store is also an option to stay. They have a free campground, free WiFi (doesn’t really work), showers and laundry ($4/each), food (takes hours to be served), and accept packages for $6 each. If you choose to stay here, the shipping address is:
Your Name – PCT Hiker
c/o Kennedy Meadows General Store
96740 Beach Meadow Rd.
Inyokern, CA 93527
Triple Crown Outfitters has a great selection of resupply options, as well as, bear canisters, ice axes, and microspikes for the Sierras. They even have the option of renting this gear if you don’t need it post-trail.
Bishop or Independence (mile 789)
Kearsarge Pass is an 8 mile beautiful detour off of the PCT. Once you arrive at the carpark, it’s easy to get a hitch down to the town of Independence. The town doesn’t have much besides a post office. If you want to quickly grab a resupply and get back on trail, you can send a box there:
Your Name
c/o General Delivery
Independence, CA 93526
If you’d prefer to take a zero day with access to grocery stores, restaurants, gear shops, bowling alley, movie theater, and hotels, you can hitch to Bishop. It is a 40 mile ride but it’s an incredible town and I’d highly recommend it! The shipping address is:
Your Name
c/o General Delivery
Bishop, CA 93514
Make sure you go to Schat’s Bakery if you make it to Bishop! So delicious!
Vermillion Valley Resort aka VVR (mile 879)
I can’t recommend this place enough! The staff are welcoming, hiker boxes are stocked, and meals are amazing. They provide a ferry service for $20 per person that leaves the lake at 9:45 AM and 4:45 PM. The returning times from VVR are 8:45 AM and 3:45 PM. If you choose to hike there instead, the resort is located 8 miles off of the trail. The resort does provide rides to and from the trailhead for a fee if you want to cut off some of that mileage.
They provide free camping, showers and laundry for a fee, WiFi for a fee, hiker boxes, and incredible food. They do accept packages but it costs $30 per item, so I’d recommend just resupplying from their small store and hiker boxes.
Red’s Meadow/ Mammoth (mile 906)
Red’s Meadow is directly off the trail and has a small store, restaurant, showers, camping for $20, and accepts resupply packages for $30. If you want to quickly resupply and get back on trail, you can definitely do it here.
However, most people decide to go into the town of Mammoth. It’s so worth it! There’s a shuttle from Red’s Meadow that costs $10 each way and takes you directly into Mammoth. Mammoth has grocery stores, restaurants, lodging, gear stores, post office, etc. Mammoth was one of my favorite trail towns and I’d highly recommend stopping there.
Mammoth Coffee Roasting Co. is a super hiker-friendly coffee shop and Mammoth Brewing Company is an awesome brewery. They are both worth a visit!
Tuolumne Meadows (mile 942)
Tuolumne Meadows Store is right off the trail. They have a post office and a small variety of resupply food. Their hours are super limited, 8-4:30PM daily, so keep that in mind if you plan to stop by. If you want to mail a resupply, the address is:
Your Name
c/o General Delivery
Tuolumne Meadows
Yosemite National Park, CA 95389
This is also the best place to head into Yosemite Valley. You can either hike 30 miles, hitchhike, or take a shuttle. The shuttle wasn’t running when I was there so we tried to hitchhike. It took over an hour and we had very limited time to enjoy the valley. It’s definitely worth trying to get a campsite in the valley to stay overnight if you can!
Kennedy Meadows North (mile 1017)
The official end of the High Sierras and your bear canister! However, as of 2023, you DO need a bear canister in Desolation Wilderness if you are camping there. I’d recommend trying to push through this area in a day so that you can get rid of your canister earlier.
Kennedy Meadows North is about 9 miles from the trail but the resort provides shuttles for hikers from the trail: 10:30 AM, 3 PM, and 4:30 PM. The resort has accommodation options for hikers: dorm room ($50/night), yurt ($45/night), or camping ($40/night). All of these options include showers, WiFi, laundry, and the shuttle. We ended up camping but there was barely any space to set up tents - if you can book a dorm or yurt beforehand, I’d highly recommend. There are also free campground options outside of the resort if you’d prefer to not spend money.
They have a restaurant with great food options and big portions – definitely worth it. There is also a small store (with the most amazing soft-serve dairy free ice cream), which you can definitely resupply from. I chose to send a UPS only box here which cost $5 to pick up:
Your Name and ETA
c/o Kennedy Meadows Resort & Pack Station
42421 State Hwy 108
Pinecrest, CA 95364
If you want to send home your bear canisters, they can ship them out from here!
Northern California:
South Lake Tahoe (mile 1091)
South Lake Tahoe is a perfect place to take a zero. You can get off trail at Echo Summit and hitch into town. There are tons of options for accommodation, restaurants, grocery stores, post office, outfitters, etc. Everything is a little spread out but there are Bird scooters everywhere that you can ride around town.
If you want a good rest, head to El Dorado Beach and take a nap on the sandy beach!
Soda Springs/Truckee/Donner Pass (mile 1153)
Donner Ski Ranch provides thru-hikers with a free 40 oz beer with proof of permit. Don’t miss out on this! There aren’t too many resupply options in Soda Springs proper but if you can go into Truckee, it’s a great place to take a zero. There are grocery stores, outfitters, food, etc.
Sierra City (mile 1194)
Sierra City is a small old mining town. It’s only 1.5 miles off trail with an easy hitch. There is a general store with expensive resupply options, outlets for charging, and an amazing deli. You can send packages to the store:
Your Name
c/o Sierra Country Store
213 Main St.
Sierra City, CA 96125
Belden (mile 1287)
Belden Town Resort is an area on the feather river but there isn’t much of a town. It’s more of a large building with a restaurant, store, and hotel. If you want to stop here for a resupply or camping, I’d recommend going to Caribou Crossroads RV park down the road. They have showers, laundry, a small store and restaurant, and accept resupply packages. It’s not the best stop but it works if you need food and a rest!
Chester (mile 1331)
I took a quick stop in Chester to grab my resupply box from the post office and a burger from the famous Pine Shack Frosty. There were outlets inside the restaurant that I was able to use as well!
Your Name
c/o General Delivery
Chester, CA 96020
Old Station (mile 1373)
Old Station is a short detour off trail but there’s honestly not much there besides a post office and café. JJ’s café serves an amazing breakfast if you have time for a morning rest. The mailing address for the post office is:
Your Name
c/o General Delivery
Old Station, CA 96071
Burney Falls (mile 1419)
Burney Falls State Park is right on the trail. They have a small store with very limited and expensive resupply options, but amazing soft-serve ice cream. The store hours are 9-6PM but they stop serving ice cream at 5PM (important info!!). They also accept USPS packages for a $5 fee. The mailing address is:
Your Name
c/o Burney Park Camp Store McArthur Burney Falls State Park
24900 State Highway 89
Burney, CA 96013
The state park campground has a free area for hikers to camp and tokens you can purchase to take a shower.
If you choose to go into the town of Burney instead, you can send packages to the church for free. They also provide free showers and a free place to sleep.
Shasta/Castella (mile 1501)
Most people, including me, chose to go into Shasta and take a zero day. It’s a little father from trail (15 miles), but an awesome town with good food, accommodation, gear store, grocery store, etc. We stayed in an affordable Air BnB in town and even went to the movie theater on our day off! If you’d like to save some money, there is an affordable KOA campground in town with showers, laundry, and other amenities you may need. You can send packages to the post office:
Your Name
c/o General Delivery
Mount Shasta, CA 96067
If you’d prefer a quick resupply close to town, you can hitch 2 miles into Castella. The Ammirati Market accepts USPS resupply packages:
Your Name
c/o Ammirati's Market
PO Box 90
Castella, CA 96017
Etna (mile 1600)
Etna is a very hiker-friendly town and a great place to take a zero! It can be difficult to get a hitch into town but trail angels are constantly coming to pick up hikers from the trailhead. Once you get into town, everything is pretty consolidated into one street so it’s easy to get all your errands done. There’s a small grocery store, amazing restaurants and cafes, a gear shop, spa, and post office. The town park allows camping for $5 that includes a restroom, showers, WiFi, and a charging station. The park does have sprinklers that randomly turn on so I’d highly recommend cowboy camping on the tennis courts if you can!
The mailing address for the post office is:
Your Name
c/o General Delivery
Etna, CA 96027
Seiad Valley (mile 1656)
The hike into Seiad Valley is a long unenjoyable road walk so you’ll be happy to finally relax. We tried to hitchhike but failed haha. This is also your last stop in California and the perfect place to buy a celebratory drink to pack out for the border. Make sure to bring the trash and leave no trace! Seiad Valley is also home to the famous pancake challenge. If you can eat 5 pounds of pancakes in less than 2 hours then you get them all for free. It’s harder than you think, but good luck!
There isn’t much in the town other than a general store with expensive resupply options and small RV campground. The campground charges a $20 flat rate for camping, shower, laundry, and use of their charging station. They provide soap, shampoo, towel, and laundry detergent.
Both the post office and general store accept packages but most people chose to mail to the store (UPS only) since they don’t charge:
Your Name
c/o Mid River RV Park
44701 Highway 96
Seiad Valley, CA 96086
Oregon:
Ashland (mile 1718)
Congrats on finishing California! Ashland is a large town and a great place to take a zero. Although it is pretty spread out, there are tons of restaurants, grocery stores, gear shops, hotels (if you can get a group together, there are many affordable Air Bnb’s), etc. There is no need to send a box here since there are many resupply options.
Fish Lake (mile 1773)
I chose to skip Fish Lake but it’s only a 2 mile detour if you want to stop by. There is a café and small store that accepts UPS resupply packages for a $5 fee.
Your Name
c/o Fish Lake Resort
State Hwy 140, Mile Marker 30
Eagle Point, OR 97524
They offer free camping for hikers and also have showers, laundry, charging stations, and a restaurant.
Crater Lake National Park – Mazama Village (mile 1820)
One of my favorite places on the trail. It’s truly magical. There is a general store and restaurant about a mile from the trail where most hikers hang out. The food is pretty overpriced since you’re in a national park but there aren’t other options. The general store accepts resupply packages and I’d highly recommend sending one here.
Your Name
c/o Mazama Village Camper Store
Mazama Village Crater Lake, OR 97604
There is a free camping area for hikers just down the road from the store. There’s plenty of space and showers and bathrooms you can use. I’d also highly recommend getting a hitch up to the rim restaurant for breakfast. They have a buffet that was SO good - one of my favorite meals on the trail.
Shelter Cove (mile 1907)
Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to go here due to a fire closure but it’s a good place to send a resupply box and take a quick break. It’s about two miles off of the trail with showers, a small store, and a free hiker camping area. Resupply boxes must be sent by UPS and cost $5 to pick up:
Your Name
c/o Shelter Cove Resort & Marina
27600 West Odell Lake Road, Highway 58
Crescent, OR 97733
Elk Lake Resort (mile 1954)
I also did not stop here due to fire closures but it’s only about a mile off of the trail and a good place to stop if you didn’t stop at Shelter Cove. They have showers, laundry, a restaurant, and a really small store that’s basically impossible to do a resupply from. If you choose to send a UPS or FedEx package here, the mailing address is:
Your Name
c/o Elk Lake Resort
60000 Century Dr.
Bend, OR 97701
Sisters or Bend (mile 1984)
Bend is about 37 miles from the trail but SO worth it. I’d highly recommend taking a zero here and if you haven’t already done so, package all of your Washington resupply boxes and ship them out. There is everything you need in town – grocery stores, REI, post offices, restaurants, breweries, motels, etc.
If you have time, you can even rent floats and float down the river. The perfect way to spend a rest day!
Big Lake Youth Camp (mile 1995)
This is a short detour off of the main trail. They provide free meals, free showers, and a little cabin for hikers to rest. I stopped by for a break but didn’t send a resupply here. They do accept packages if you need to send something:
Your Name
c/o Big Lake Youth Camp
26435 Big Lake Rd.
Sisters, OR 97759
Timberline Lodge (mile 2097)
Timberline Lodge is right off of the trail and a must place to stop! They have hiker deals for bunk rooms and an incredible breakfast and lunch buffet. You must make reservations for everything prior to your visit. They also accept packages for a $10 fee.
Your Name
Timberline Lodge
c/o Guest Services PCT
27500 E Timberline Road
Timberline Lodge, OR 97028
Cascade Locks (mile 2148)
The famous Cascade Locks at the border of Oregon and Washington. One more state to go! I was lucky to walk into town at the start of PCT trail days so the town was full of people. We camped on Thunder Island for the event, but in town there is an RV park with camping and motel options. There are restaurants, breweries, a grocery store and a post office. The mailing address is:
Your Name
c/o General Delivery
Cascade Locks, OR 97014
There are also a couple of buses per week to Portland if you need more resources!
Washington:
Trout Lake (mile 2230)
Trout Lake is about 13 miles from the trail and one of the harder towns to get a hitch to. Thankfully, the general store provides shuttles for hikers a few times a day. You can also sign up for a ride back to the trail once you are ready to leave. Once you get into town, everything is conveniently on the same street. Hikers hang out in the yard next to the general store where there are picnic tables, charging stations, laundry (not the best machines but it’s free so no complaints), and camping for $5. There are campground showers ($2/5 minutes) down the road that you can buy coins for from the general store. The general store has a lot of good resupply options, but if you want to mail a box you can send it directly to the general store:
Your Name
c/o Trout Lake Grocery
2383 Hwy 141
Trout Lake, WA 98650
I’d highly recommend checking out the taco stand and post office coffee. They are both SO good.
White Pass (mile 2296)
You can do a quick resupply here! The White Pass Cracker Barrel is less than a mile from the trail and has some food options and accepts packages for $5. It’s extremely underwhelming but does the job. They have coin showers but everyone told us they were cold so we skipped out. If you need a place to camp, they allow hikers to camp behind the gas station!
Your Name
c/o Kracker Barrel Store
48851 US Highway 12
Naches, WA 98937
If you want an actual grocery store or accommodation, you can hitch into Packwood. We quickly went into town to grab food and hang out at the brewery (amazing tacos!!) but it wasn’t really necessary.
Snoqualmie Pass (mile 2394)
Snoqualmie is a small town with a comfortable motel, a few restaurants, and a small grocery store. The motel is pretty affordable if you share with other hikers and allows you to pick up a resupply box for free if you are a guest ($15 for non-guests). They also have a small restaurant inside the motel, The Pancake House, which has an amazing breakfast so you don’t have to walk too far to get food.
Your Name
c/o Summit Inn Hotel
603 State Route 906
Snoqualmie Pass, WA 98068
Stevens Pass or Leavenworth (mile 2465)
If you want to quickly pick up a resupply then get back onto trail, you can mail a box to Stevens Pass Ski Resort. They have a restaurant (with great burgers!) but no store to resupply. They accept UPS only:
Your Name and ETA
C/O Stevens Pass, Through Hiker
93001 NE Stevens Pass Hwy, US 2
Skykomish, WA 98288
I chose to hitch 30 miles east of Steven’s pass to Leavenworth. It was an easy hitch and very much worth it. Leavenworth is a super iconic Dutch town filled with restaurants, breweries, grocery stores, hotels, and gear shops. It’s the last “trail town” on the trail so it’s definitely worth taking a zero and soaking in the experience with your trail family.
Stehekin (mile 2573)
This remote town was my last resupply stop on the trail. There is a yellow bus that picks up hikers from the trail at 9am, 2pm, and 5pm. The bus stops at the famous bakery on the way into town. The sticky bun and cinnamon roll are a MUST. Yum.
The general store at the lodge is open from 10-6PM and has some snacks and drinks. They also sell WiFi for $5 (don’t lose your access code because they have limited codes per day and can’t replace it) and tokens to shower and do laundry.
Camping is free at the Lakeview Campground next to the lodge but beware that there are limited spots. We had to fit 3 tents in one spot because there were so many people.
I’d highly recommend shipping a box to the post office here as there aren’t many resupply options. The mailing address is:
Your Name
c/o General Delivery
Stehekin, WA 98852
Mazama (mile 2592)
I didn’t go to Mazama since there was a mudslide that closed the road to get there but I’ve heard from others that it’s a great place to stop if you need a final stop before Canada.
The Mazama Store is a great place to grab a beer and some snacks (I’ve heard the salty baguettes + local jam is a must), before heading over to the Lion’s Den for free camping. The Lion’s Den is the ultimate thru-hiker-friendly spot as it’s run and funded entirely by Trail Angels. Along with the free camping, there is a fully stoked kitchen to cook in and free showers with fresh towels. They even do your laundry for you and give you clothes to wear while they do it!
Canada! (mile 2654)
You made it to Canada!!!!! Now it’s time to either hike into 8.5 miles into Manning Park (if you’re able to) or 30 miles back to Hart’s Pass. Either way, it’s time to celebrate with real food.
Other tips and tricks to note:
Most towns have hiker boxes, check them out to snag some free food or items you didn’t know you needed.
Fuel can only be shipped with ground shipping – just forget about it and buy it in towns
If you need something on amazon, ship it to your Airbnb or a trail angel’s home in the next town.
Always check FarOut before shipping a package to make sure there are no closures
It’s important to remember that the resupply strategy that works for you might not be the same for someone else. However, it’s a crucial part of planning your journey. Stay open to adapting your plan and making adjustments along the way – hunger levels fluctuate, food preferences change, packages don’t arrive, trail towns vortex you in for longer than expected, and injuries happen.
Ultimately, the Pacific Crest Trail is an incredible experience, and your resupply strategy should enhance your journey rather than hinger it. Plan wisely, pack thoughtfully, and embark on your adventure of a lifetime. Happy trails!
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