For PCT hikers, a new militarized zone on the U.S.-Mexico border challenges a longstanding tradition

The recent creation of a national defense area along the U.S.-Mexico border may affect a longstanding tradition for Pacific Crest Trail hikers starting their nearly 3,000-mile journey north in San Diego County.

Late last year, the Trump administration announced a militarized zone along the border in San Diego and Imperial counties — one of several sections of the border now controlled by the U.S. military as part of expanded immigration enforcement.

The 60-foot wide zone extends 104 miles, from the Otay Mountain Wilderness east to just west of the Arizona state line. In Campo, it’s located directly next to the southern terminus of the Pacific Crest Trail, where thousands of hikers begin their thru hike to the Canadian border each spring.

For years, it’s been a tradition for many hikers to touch the border fence when starting or ending their hike — an activity no longer permitted.

Access to the national defense area must be requested through the U.S. Navy, which owns the land for the next three years, after a land transfer last year from the Department of the Interior.

“People are upset about this. People are sad,” said Chris Rylee, spokesperson for the Pacific Crest Trail Association, a nonprofit that advocates for access to and maintenance of the 2,650-mile trail.

“This is a p...