Looking to tackle the US’s shortest thru hike? Hop on a ferry and head out to Catalina Island off the coast of LA for a 38.5 mile backpacking adventure. From how to plan to essential things to know, here’s a quick glance at how to backpack the Trans Catalina Trail (TCT):

Why this blog? Hi there! My name is Maddy and I’ve been working as an outdoor guide and travel writer since 2018. It’s my mission to help people get outside and have the best possible adventure for their skill and comfort level, and create outdoor resources that actually help people have a successful and safe trip. I write about places I’ve been and trails I’ve hiked with my own two feet!

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How to Backpack the Trans Catalina Trail:

From trip planning to the best resources for planning your adventure, this quick guide is designed to help you decide first if this is the right trail for you, then direct you to more in-depth planning resources. 

Basically, a lot of other writers and bloggers have really great detailed trail guides! This guide is here to help you get a sense of what you need to start thinking about, then send you out to some more complete resources in a way that makes all the trip planning a little less daunting. 

Reference a PDF map of the Trans Catalina Trail here. 

1) Book your campsites online at midnight on New Year

Campsites, particularly at the scenic Parson’s Landing go FAST and it’s in your best interest to be online and book ASAP. Shout out to my hiking buddy Sarah for doing that for us while I slept over on central time lol. 

Your campsite booking acts as a permit if you’re hiking the Trans Catalina Trail.

READ: Best Easy Camping Meal Ideas

2) Book a ferry out to Catalina Island

Catalina Island is one of California’s Channel Islands, and you’ll need to take a ferry to get out there. You can either ferry into Avalon and end in Two Harbors, or vice versa. Ferries to and from Long Beach can be purchased through the Catalina Express.

Keep in mind that winds over 25 knots may lead to cancellation of the ferry. Our ferry ride was pretty bumpy on the way out, but smooth on the way back and we saw dolphins both times! Personally, I liked taking the earliest ferry out to the island and beginning in Avalon. This let us grab breakfast and check in at the Catalina Island Conservancy to purchase fuel, maps, and field guides to the island. 

Note that you cannot take camp fuel on the ferry. I would go light on the camp fuel purchase as you WILL find some leftover in the bear lockers (no bears on the island so critter locker?) at Parson’s Landing. We made a lot of tea to try and burn through ours. 

3) Plan realistic milage: 4-5 days is probably best

Of the people we met on the trail intending to do the full Trans Catalina Trail, only half of them made it to Parson’s Landing. This might be a good beginner thru-hiking, but I think it’s really disingenuous to suggest that this is a beginner backpacking trip. 

Overall, you’ll be covering probably close to 40 miles and 8,000 feet of elevation, and the elevation is really step; both Sarah and I felt that the map does not do this justice. The inclines are full of false summits and in full sun, and the downhill sections are really hard on your joints and breed blisters, especially with a pack on. 

READ: Best Hiking Backpacks

The most popular route to tackle the Trans Catalina Trail is Avalon to Blackjack Campground (11 miles), Blackjack to Little Harbor (7 miles), Little Harbor to Parson’s Landing (13 miles) then 8 miles into Two Harbors and catch the ferry back. This is what Sarah and I did and we definietly struggled on Day Three. I think the most enjoyable way to tackle the trail and mitigate injury for most backpackers would be to camp in Little Harbor on Day Three, head to Parson’s Day Four, and back into Little Harbor Day Five. 

Seriously, the four-day route had people dropping for blisters left and right, and there was at least one group that got picked up by the sheriff after dark having not made it to camp. Several of the people who dropped self-identified as experienced backpackers. 

4) Pack light — no, like lighter than you think

The most beautiful part (to me) about the Trans Catalina Trail is that you can resupply on the island and keep your pack weight reallllllllll light. I used my 45L Glow Pack and had plenty of space left and actually could’ve packed less food. 

READ: Best Hiking and Adventure Sandals

The downhills are extremely hard with a heavy pack, and over a distance like this and in the heat of the island every single ounce is going to make a difference. I recommend slimming down the pack as close to ultralight as you can without breaking the bank — that means limiting outfit changes, and being thoughtful about what gear is a want versus a need.

You’re already likely to spend more time hiking than at camp on this trail, so really consider if the string lights, camp chair and camp towel are worth it. (For me they were not, and I think that made a big difference in us finishing).

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5) You don’t need to pack much food

On the Trans Catalina Trail you can pack less than half the food you normally would. 

You can eat breakfast in Avalon before you start hiking (uh, eat something you don’t mind hiking 11 miles in the sun after eating!), on Day Two you can grab breakfast/lunch at Airport In The Sky (might I recommend a 9am bison dog then realizing there’s no bathroom for the next five miles?), on Day Three you can stop in Two Harbors for lunch and a full resupply, and on Day Four/Five you can finish back in Two Harbors with a burger and a beer.

Basically, you’ll need snacks/lunches for days one and two and a night one and night two dinner, one breakfast, then you can fully resupply in Two Harbors for your last night and breakfast. 

6) Consider what time of year (would you like to bake in the sun?)

According to the woman we met on the trail who seemed to know what she was talking about, there’s about a 15 degree temperature difference between the coast and the interior of the island. Which I believe.

Even in February, days got hot. Arguably the best time of year to backpack the Trans Catalina Trail is the spring, probably mid-February through May. This time of year, everything will be green and you’ll catch some wildflowers. Winter/spring can bring some gnarly low-pressure systems, wind and rain so keep that in mind as well. 

We experienced really hot days and really cold nights — the humidity and dew point were also weird on the island. The first two nights felt really sticky and cold, like we were both cold then hot and couldn’t stop sweating. I thought it was just my weak Northern body reacting to the heat but Sarah experienced it too. 

Either way, I’d recommend a synthetic sleeping bag to wick away moisture for this trip rather than down. 

7) While the trail is challenging, the Trans Catalina Trail might be the best spring backpacking in the United States

This trail was tough, but I would do it again in a heartbeat. Every year I head to the southwest for a spring backpacking trip — I’ve done the Havasu Falls Trail, I’ve done Canyonlands — of these, the TCT is the only trail that if someone asked me to go again next year I’d sign up in a heartbeat. 

The Trans Catalina Trail is a whole experience, and it’s not wilderness, but it feels like a swashbuckling adventure. It’s the perfect mix of challenging and trail culture, of great views and good company. You start at the same time as other hikers and either get to know them or invent wild backstories. You might pass buffalo, or see dolphins in the distance. 

The ferry out is magic, the feeling of the little towns are magic, the campgrounds are gorgeous. The TCT is worth every single step and if you feel like you’re down for a bit of a challenge and don’t mind that it’s not true wilderness backpacking, then you should do it. I can’t recommend it enough. 

8) There are multiple bail-out points on the Trans Catalina Trail

Worried the trail is going to be too tough for you? The TCT is actually pretty unique in that you can cut milage by road walking between pretty much any of the campsites. I recommend sticking to the trail when possible because it’s beautiful, but if you find yourself in a position where you need to cut miles, road walking is an option.

If you’re hiking northbound, you might also have the option of catching the ferry out a day early if you really need to bail. Additionally, if you find yourself injured and needing help walk to a road and someone will find you. We learned all this at about mile two, when a woman who works with a shuttle company (that I imagine does GOOD business rescuing hikers and shuttling gear for them) explained what they do and how to contact them. 

Not that you’ll need it, but it’s always good to know there are ways to mitigate injury. 

9) Pace yourself, tape your hot spots & wake up early 

Other than pack weight, I think the three biggest factors in Sarah and I enjoying and completing the Trans Catalina Trail were that we woke up early, taped our hot spots (pre-blisters) before they got worse, and paced ourselves. 

I believe that success in any sort of trek like this comes in setting yourself up for success in the long game and treating the trip like a marathon, not a sprint.

On Day One people were blazing past us in the first few miles and we sort of looked at each other and were like… are we on pace? We’d timed out our hiking pace around 30 minute miles and 15 minute breaks every two or so miles. We checked, shrugged and let people keep passing us. On Day One at lunch (and actually before the trip) we used some blister prevention tape to cover anywhere our boots were rubbing to prevent blisters before they even started. As a result, we didn’t drop for blisters and felt pretty good at camp every night. 

The other big thing we did is wake up early and hit the trail before it got hot out. I’m talking we were walking at sunrise, eating a quick cold breakfast at a cliff over the ocean (which was great!). This gave us a lot of flexibility with breaks, and after Day One let us get into camp between two and three pm every day with plenty of time to recover. 

10) Best resources for planning your Trans Catalina Trail adventure 

This isn’t a full guide to planning your trip, rather a quick look at whether or not you think this is the right trail for you! For the best resources for planning your Trans Catalina Trail adventure, check out…

• The Catalina Conservancy is the official managing body of the Trans Catalina Trail
• The Hiking Guy’s Trans Catalina Trail Blog: this is probably the single best resource for planning your trip on the internet. He keeps his blog totally ad-free, which is extremely generous considering the work clearly put in, so I recommend Venmoing him a thank you for his detailed guides (I did! Peer pressure!!)

For a full trip report featuring ample vulgarity and me complaining for 25 minutes (and also a lot of “wow, pretty!”) check out the YouTube trip video below! That’s me there on the right, looking CONCERNED!

Love reading about backpacking ideas? Also check out…

• The best backpacking trails in the Midwest
• One of the least-visited National Parks
• Backpack the iconic Havasupai

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