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Tehachapi and Mojave

Tehachapi and Mojave reference article on thruhikingwiki.com.

Overview

Tehachapi and Mojave are desert corridor towns accessed from Pacific Crest Trail crossings of Highway 58 and nearby roads around miles 558–566. They provide the last major Southern California town services before the transition toward Kennedy Meadows South.

Key points

  • Trail crosses or approaches Highway 58 and related roads around miles ~558–566.
  • Hikers typically hitch into Tehachapi or Mojave for groceries, lodging, and other services.
  • These towns are considered the final large resupply hubs before the long stretch toward Kennedy Meadows South.
  • Multiple trailheads and road crossings give some flexibility for entry and exit points.
  • Wind farms and exposed ridgelines in this area are a recognizable feature of the approach.

Details

Tehachapi and Mojave sit along a transportation corridor with highways, rail lines, and wind energy infrastructure, forming a significant logistics node for PCT hikers. As the trail descends toward and crosses Highway 58, hikers can access both towns via hitches or arranged transportation.

Because this is one of the last places in Southern California with broad services, many hikers perform a substantial resupply here and take one or more rest days. The subsequent trail segments toward Walker Pass and ultimately Kennedy Meadows South include longer stretches between major towns, making Tehachapi and Mojave an important planning anchor in many itineraries.

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Illustrative hiking footage

The following external videos offer general visual context for typical hiking environments. They are not official route recommendations, safety instructions, or planning tools.