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Trails· Long-distance trail

Pacific Crest Trail Association

“Protect, preserve, and promote the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail.”

Home groundSacramento, CA
Founded1977
KindTrails 501(c)(3)
Led byMegan Wargo
Find thempcta.org ↗

Give to them ↗Every way to help ↓

The work

What they do

Trail maintenance, advocacy, volunteer coordination, and education for the 2,650-mile PCT from Mexico to Canada. Works closely with USFS and NPS.

Every year they sign one sentence and file it with the federal government: “THE PACIFIC CREST TRAIL ASSOCIATION'S MISSION IS TO ADVOCATE FOR THE PACIFIC CREST TRAIL AS AN INSPIRATIONAL OUTDOOR EXPERIENCE, TO CONNECT PEOPLE TO THE PCT, AND TO CONSERVE THE TRAIL.”

Where the money went, FY2025

The work, and what it cost

Keeping wilderness wild

$2.4M

EACH YEAR THE PCTA BRINGS TOGETHER AGENCY PARTNERS AND VOLUNTEERS WITH SHARED VALUES AND SERVES AS A LIASON BETWEEN PEOPLE AND PUBLIC LANDS.

Including $422,706 granted onward, most of it $410,923 to American Conservation Experience.

Read it as they filed it
TRAIL MAINTENANCE:EACH YEAR THE PCTA BRINGS TOGETHER AGENCY PARTNERS AND VOLUNTEERS WITH SHARED VALUES AND SERVES AS A LIASON BETWEEN PEOPLE AND PUBLIC LANDS. VOLUNTEERS AND CORPS CREW MEMBERS PERFORM THE HARD, PHYSICAL LABOR OF PERFORMING ANNUAL AND DEFERRED MAINTENANCE AND RECONSTRUCTION ON THE PCT, GIVING HIKERS AND HORSEBACK RIDERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENJOY THE BEAUTY OF WILD AND SCENIC LANDS WHILE TRAVELING ON SAFE AND PASSABLE TRAIL. PCTA VOLUNTEERS CONTRIBUTED 56,844 SERVICE HOURS IN 2025, AN IN-KIND VALUE OF $2 MILLION. THESE HOURS INCLUDED:- 1,140 MILES OF TRAIL MAINTENANCE- 21 MILES OF TRAIL RECONSTRUCTION- 50 VOLUNTEER TRAINING EVENTSTRAIL SKILLS COLLEGE - RECRUITING AND EDUCATING VOLUNTEERSPCTA'S COMPREHENSIVE TRAINING PROGRAMS ARE DESIGNED TO ACTIVELY SUPPORT AND INVOLVE OUR VOLUNTEERS IN CARRYING OUT SAFE AND TOP-NOTCH WORK ON THE TRAIL. LED BY SEASONED STAFF, AGENCY PARTNERS, AND VOLUNTEER LEADERS WELL-VERSED IN TRAIL MAINTENANCE AND LEADERSHIP, THE PCTA'S TRAINING EVENTS PROVIDE AN ENGAGING PLATFORM FOR VOLUNTEERS TO LEARN THE ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF TRAIL DESIGN, RECONSTRUCTION, MAINTENANCE, AND UPKEEP. ADDITIONAL TRAINING EVENTS FOCUS ON EVALUATING AND CERTIFYING VOLUNTEER SAWYERS UNDER THE NATIONAL SAW PROGRAM AND PROVIDING WILDERNESS FIRST AID AND CPR CERTIFICATIONS. - 2 TRAIL SKILLS COLLEGE WEEKENDS- 8 SAW TRAINING WEEKENDS- 32 CLASSES- 173 VOLUNTEERS- 176 SAW CERTIFICATION REGISTRANTS- 26.5K HOURS CONTRIBUTED BY FIRST-TIME VOLUNTEERSGREAT AMERICAN OUTDOORS ACTTHE GREAT AMERICAN OUTDOORS ACT PRESENTED A DISTINCT OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE DEFERRED MAINTENANCE BACKLOG IN OUR NATIONAL PARKS, FORESTS, MONUMENTS, AND OTHER PUBLIC LANDS. IN 2025, THE PCTA SUCCESSFULLY ORGANIZED 105 GAOA-FUNDED TRAIL PROJECTS ACROSS NATIONAL FORESTS IN REGIONS 4, 5, AND 6.

IRS Form 990 Part III, fiscal year 2025, signed under penalty of perjury.

Boots on the ground

$930K

THROUGH OUR PRINT AND ELECTRONIC PUBLICATIONS AND PERSONAL OUTREACH,- WE PROMOTE THE PACIFIC CREST TRAIL AS A RECREATION SPACE FOR EVERYONE- PROMOTE SAFE AND RESPONSIBLE USE OF THE TRAIL BY EDUCATING TRAIL USERS IN LEAVE...

Read it as they filed it
TRAIL PROMOTION AND EDUCATION:THROUGH OUR PRINT AND ELECTRONIC PUBLICATIONS AND PERSONAL OUTREACH,- WE PROMOTE THE PACIFIC CREST TRAIL AS A RECREATION SPACE FOR EVERYONE- PROMOTE SAFE AND RESPONSIBLE USE OF THE TRAIL BY EDUCATING TRAIL USERS IN LEAVE NO TRACE PRINCIPLES, AS WELL AS INFORMING TRAIL USERS ABOUT TRAIL CLOSURES AND THE IMPACTS FROM WILDFIRE- MOBILIZE VOLUNTEERS TO MAINTAIN THE TRAIL- KEEP OUR MEMBERS AND ELECTED LEADERS INFORMED OF PROGRAMS AND ISSUES FACING THE TRAIL - INTRODUCE NEW AUDIENCES TO THE RICHNESS OF THE PACIFIC CREST TRAIL EXPERIENCEIN 2025, PROMOTIONAL ACTIVITIES INCLUDED: - PUBLISHING THREE ISSUES (31,200 COPIES) OF THE PACIFIC CREST TRAIL COMMUNICATOR MAGAZINE, AND DISTRIBUTING IT TO MEMBERS, PARTNERS AND ELECTED OFFICIALS; - PUBLISHING AN ANNUAL CALENDAR; - PUBLISHING TWELVE REGULAR ISSUES OF TRAIL DIRT, THE PCTA'S ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTER;- PUBLISHING DOZENS OF BLOG AND HUNDREDS OF SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS & STORIESTHE PCTA ALSO ...- RESPONDED TO 5,297 INQUIRIES FROM TRAIL USERS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC;- ISSUED 4,998 LONG-DISTANCE PERMITS AND 2,656 SECTION HIKE PERMITS;- GARNERED ALMOST FIVE MILLION WEBSITE VISITS;- ENGAGED 326,000 SOCIAL MEDIA FOLLOWERS.

IRS Form 990 Part III, fiscal year 2025, signed under penalty of perjury.

Keeping wilderness wild

$408K

IN 2025, THE PACIFIC CREST TRAIL ASSOCIATION (PCTA) PARTNERED WITH LAND TRUSTS AND FEDERAL AGENCIES TO EVALUATE ACQUISITION OPPORTUNITIES FROM PRIVATE OWNERS THAT OWN LAND INCLUDING OR ADJACENT TO THE PCT.

Read it as they filed it
TRAIL AND LAND MANAGEMENT AND PROTECTION:IN 2025, THE PACIFIC CREST TRAIL ASSOCIATION (PCTA) PARTNERED WITH LAND TRUSTS AND FEDERAL AGENCIES TO EVALUATE ACQUISITION OPPORTUNITIES FROM PRIVATE OWNERS THAT OWN LAND INCLUDING OR ADJACENT TO THE PCT. THE PCTA WORKED WITH PARTNERS ON THE ACQUISITION OF 3,325 ACRES OF FORESTLAND IN THE CASTLE CRAGS AND TRINITY ALPS WILDERNESSES. PCTA ACQUIRED 1.3 ACRES ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF WHITEWATER, CALIFORNIA. IN ADDITION, PCTA ADVOCATED FOR LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND SUPPORT FOR THE U.S. FOREST SERVICE AND THE BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT.IN 2025, 532 MILES OF THE PCT WERE CLOSED BECAUSE OF FIRES. WITH 194 TRAIL MILES BURNED, PCTA ASSISTED THE FOREST SERVICE TO DEVELOP EXTENSIVE RESTORATION PLANS.PCTA ALSO MONITORED OR RESPONDED TO ONGOING THREATS OR LAND MANAGEMENT PROJECTS AND PLANNING EFFORTS ALONG THE TRAIL, INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING: - TRAILWIDE-TIMBER HARVESTING, FUELS REDUCTION, REFORESTATION, HAZARD TREE REMOVAL, INVASIVE PLANT ERADICATION, WATERSHED, MEADOW, AND FIRE RESTORATION, ILLEGAL AND INCOMPATIBLE USES, COMMERCIAL AND COMPETITIVE EVENTS, HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS, BRIDGE INSTALLATIONS, TRAIL NETWORK DEVELOPMENTS AND EXPANSIONS, ILLEGAL MOTORIZED AND MECHANIZED USE, PUBLIC LAND TRANSFERS, IMPACTS FROM INCREASED RECREATIONAL USE, BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT INVENTORY, ASSESSMENT, AND MONITORING, TRAVEL MANAGEMENT AND OVER-SNOW VEHICLE PLANNING; REPEAL OF PERTINENT AGENCY REGULATIONS, PROPOSED REPEAL OF THE "ROADLESS RULE; - CALIFORNIA-DAM REAUTHORIZATION, ENDANGERED SPECIES, OPTIMAL LOCATION REVIEW; LARGE-SCALE (FOREST WIDE) PRESCRIBED FIRE PROPOSALS; - OREGON-PEDESTRIAN WALKWAY ADVOCACY FOR THE BRIDGE OF THE GODS; POWER STATION CONDUCTOR REPLACEMENT;- WASHINGTON-GRIZZLY BEAR REINTRODUCTION IN THE NORTH CASCADES; VEGETATION MANAGEMENT PROJECTS; NORTH CASCADES BACKCOUNTRY CAMP MODIFICATIONS ALONG THE PCT; TELECOMMUNICATIONS DEVELOPMENT/ENHANCEMENT PROJECT. OUR 2025 PROTECTION ACTIVITIES ALSO INCLUDED "HIKE THE HILL" MEETINGS TO TALK WITH FEDERAL AGENCY LEADERS AND CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATIVES AND THEIR STAFF IN WASHINGTON, D.C. TO ADVOCATE FOR FEDERAL TRAIL MANAGEMENT, OPERATIONS, AND LAND ACQUISITION FUNDING FOR THE PCT.

IRS Form 990 Part III, fiscal year 2025, signed under penalty of perjury.

Follow the dollar

70 cents of every dollar goes to the work

70¢
70¢ the work10¢ keeping the lights on20¢ finding the next member

Read it as a snapshot, not a scorecard. Splits move year to year with grants and campaigns, and healthy shops live all across this range.

$3,737,931 programs, $521,838 management, $1,065,440 fundraising. Form 990, FY2025.

The people

Who does the work

42paid staff
1,013volunteers last year
15board members
49years on the ground
Megan WargoCeoComp $171,249, FY2025
Teresa RaichartChief Financial & AdminComp $161,690, FY2025
Chris RyleeDirector Of CommunicationsComp $133,986, FY2025
John RemmersBoard ChairVolunteer, 3 hrs a week, $0

Chairs the 15-member board.

Honesty note: leadership comes from each year’s federal filing, so it can run a year behind. Orgs that claim their page can update it same-day. Work at PCTA? Claim this page.

Those 1,013 volunteers are people who decided this ground was theirs to defend. If PCTA is fighting for your place too, the matchmaker will find your way in.

Make it 1,014

The filings

14 years of filings

14 years of filings

Total revenue by fiscal year, as filed. Point at the line for any year.

$2M$4M$5.6M FY2520112025
Total revenue by fiscal year
YearRevenue
2011$2,938,080
2012$1,913,248
2013$2,131,177
2014$2,726,697
2015$2,766,268
2016$3,625,136
2017$3,466,592
2018$3,891,289
2019$4,338,190
2020$3,688,377
2021$4,832,141
2022$5,151,060
2023$5,357,668
2025$5,632,708

From $2.9M in 2011 to $5.6M in FY25, across 14 public filings.

Stand with Pacific Crest Trail Association

49 years on the ground, 1,013 volunteers, 70 cents of every dollar on the line. That is who is holding it. There is room for one more.

Sources and methodFinancials, headcounts, and program text: IRS Form 990, FY2025 and 13 prior filings via ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, EIN 33-0051202. Leadership and compensation: Form 990 Part VII and the return’s signature block, FY2025 filing. Grantees: Schedule I, same filing. Org-reported figures are always labeled. Data verified as of 2026-09-23. Nothing on this page is pay-to-play.