Pacific Northwest Trail

Route overview

A multi-stage route through Montana, Idaho and Washington, with highlights including Glacier region, Idaho mountains, North Cascades, Pacific coast.

Pacific Northwest Trail gives hikers a structured way to experience Montana, Idaho and Washington over several days. The route is best approached as a staged hike, with planning attention on permits, accommodation, weather, navigation and daily distance. For BuddieHikes, it is a strong candidate because the trail is long enough or remote enough to benefit from a hiking partner, while still being understandable as a clear route objective.

Pacific Northwest Trail is a 1930 km hiking route through Montana, Idaho and Washington, suited to hikers who want remote mountain and coastal hiking terrain and a clear multi-day objective.

Trail facts

Country

United States

Region

Montana, Idaho and Washington

Distance

1930 km

Typical duration

8–12 weeks

Difficulty

Hard

Elevation gain

Not specified

Best season

July to September

Trail type

National Scenic Trail

Access and logistics

Permits and access

Check current permit, quota, park-entry or guided-access rules with the official source before planning this route.

Bookings

Book accommodation, huts, campsites or required permits ahead in peak season.

Safety context

Long distances between services, navigation demands, wildlife considerations and weather exposure make conservative planning important.

Highlights

Glacier region Idaho mountains North Cascades Pacific coast

Why find a buddy

This route is well suited to finding a hiking buddy because the distance, logistics and multi-day structure are easier and safer to manage with someone who has a similar pace and planning style.

Primary source

Open the primary route source.

Explore and prepare

Discover hikes by intent, read the hiking guides, review hiking safety, prepare a BuddyPack, or browse hiking plans.