Kennedy Meadows at last! You are looking at the entire town.

The highlight of this section is by far, Kennedy Meadows itself.  It is akin to Damascus, VA on the Appalachian Trail.  On the AT, Georgia is less than 70 miles, and the trail keeps winding back and forth between Tennessee and North Carolina.  But when you reach Damascus, only 4 miles into Virginia, it is a big deal.  Reaching Kennedy Meadows is a big deal.  A very big deal.

The stretch from Tehachapi to Kennedy Meadows is more desert – high desert.  The water sources are scarce, and the wind is hot.  Most of it is sparsely vegetated, but there are a few stretches of pinion and ponderosa pine that provide a little shade.

This was my first section without any detours or road walks, but a wildfire that started during one of my siestas threatened to run me off the trail.  Luckily, I was ahead of the fire, but if I had been only one day behind, the trail would have closed in front of me and I would have had to detour around nearly all of this entire section from Tehachapi to Walker Pass.

Blog:  PCT mm 575.1 – A day of driving

Blog:  PCT mm 597.6 – The desert is waning

Blog:  PCT mm 621.0 – Trees go bye bye

Blog:  PCT mm 643.7 – Wildfire!

Blog:  PCT mm 664.4 – Away from the fire

Blog:  PCT mm 687.2 – Green at last

Blog:  PCT mm 702.2 – Kennedy Meadows at last