The Pacific Crest Trail and the Continental Divide Trail

Two trails host some of the most popular recreational hiking in America. They’re about to become even more popular – amongst animals.

The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) and the Continental Divide Trail (CDT) are two of the most famous recreational trails in the US. These long trails run from Mexico to Canada: the PCT along the Cascade and Sierra Nevada Mountains and the CDT along the Rocky Mountains. Along with the Appalachian Trail, these trails make up America’s “Triple Crown of Hiking.”

A recent study by Mel Wilson and Travis Belote (2022) investigated the potential for using the western trails to connect wildlands and protect biodiversity.

As climate change continues to accelerate, animals are struggling to adapt. Wildlife already faces obstacles to migrating, which hinders their ability to breed and find food. Looking at the habitats they have left is like looking at a puzzle with most of its pieces missing. This isolation causes issues for environmental and species health. As climates change, animals must migrate to new places in order to survive. Humans need to build corridors to make this possible.

Creating wildlife corridors is not easy. It means coordinating with different agencies and across different interests. For just one project, the U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and many non-governmental organizations need to come together to agree on a plan.

This helps explain why Wilson and Belote’s proposal is so important. Luckily, 90% of the PCT and CDT land is already publicly protected.

The researchers found that the PCT and CDT run along some of the most biodiverse places in the country. That makes them a promising start to wildlife corridors. The study found that lands along the trails are excellent pathways and refuges for animals migrating away from their changing homes. With these attributes, the PCT and CDT are ideal places to focus conservation efforts.

The problem is that these trails were designed for hiking, not wildlife migration. This study shows how that can be remedied, but that is going to require making some significant changes.

Currently, the trails are not wide enough to be wildlife corridors. Animals would rather not risk running into humans, and on a narrow trail that is almost guaranteed. That is why the trails presently aren’t popular amongst large wildlife. The authors recommend that the protected land be expanded to at least two kilometers wide. This would make it wide enough for larger animals to avoid humans comfortably. Hikers might be thankful for it too, avoiding run-ins with bears, bobcats, and cougars.

The study highlights several avenues to advance these corridors. The U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management manage most of the lands around the width of the trail, but those lands are not sufficiently protected. To resolve this, these agencies need to increase the protection status of these lands. Another solution is for Congress to designate the necessary 2-kilometer land widths as a federally protected wildlife corridor. The small percentage of privately owned land around the corridors could then be purchased by conservation NGOs.

Most studies have focused on finding the best corridors based on conservation science. That is an important factor. Corridors should be effective. But these areas will only be effective if they are actually protected. Buying land, getting it protected, and coordinating with government agencies is a complicated process. This study argues that there’s a simpler solution, if we build on the nation’s existing network of western hiking trails. Let’s start there.