The recent creation of a national defense zone along the U.S.-Mexico border could affect a long-standing tradition for hikers on the Pacific Crest Trail, who begin their nearly 300-mile (4,800-kilometer) trek 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 measures.
The 60-foot (18-meter) wide zone stretches 105 miles (167 kilometers), from the Otay Mountain Desert in the east to just west of the Arizona border. In Campo, it lies directly adjacent to the southern terminus of the Pacific Crest Trail, where thousands of hikers begin their trek toward the Canadian border each spring.
For years, it has been a tradition for many hikers to touch the border fence at the beginning or end of their hike, an activity that is now prohibited.
Access to the national defense area must be requested through the U.S. Navy, which owns the land for the next three years, following a land transfer last year by the Department of the Interior.
“People are upset about this. They’re sad,” said Chris Rylee, a spokesperson for the Pacific Crest Trail Partnership, a nonprofit organization that advocates for access to and maintenance of the 2,500-mile trail.
“This is a pretty substantial change to the ownership and management of the land, and there’s enough written documentation to raise concerns that it could impact the trail experience because of the presence of military installations and personnel nearby,” he added. “Their mere presence would change the perception of the southern tip of the PCT.”
Joint Task Force South Border—the Department of Defense unit deployed to support Customs and Border Protection in border security within the national defense area—declined to comment on potential deployment plans. Neither the Air Force nor the Pentagon indicated whether hikers should expect an increased military presence.
PCT hikers aren’t the only ones facing the consequences of a national defense zone. Other sections of the militarized zone stretch along the border in Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas.
Access to the southern terminus of the Continental Divide Trail, which begins in New Mexico and runs 3,000 miles through the Rocky Mountains to the Canadian border, now requires a permit from the U.S. Army.
Last fall, the Arizona Trail Association reported that barbed wire had been installed around the southern terminus of the trail, blocking access.
And last January, the Canadian Border Services Agency announced that it would no longer issue permits to PCT hikers to cross from the United States into Canada without first visiting a port of entry.
Signs have been posted along the national defense area in San Diego and Imperial counties to alert the public to the new designation, according to Kristopher Haugh, a spokesman for Naval Air Station El Centro. The area is considered an extension of Naval Air Station El Centro, and those who trespass could face the same penalties as trespassing on a military base.
Hough did not specify how access to the national defense area will be guaranteed, but indicated that visitors can request it through the air installation’s website.
“It is best to respect the rules and request access,” he wrote in an email. He added that the “goal is to allow people to enjoy recreation to the fullest.”
Dee Milosch manages a PCT hiker campground at the Camp Lockett Events and Equestrian Center in Campo, less than 800 yards from the southern end of the trail. About 2,000 hikers stayed at the campground last season; a similar number is expected this year. The campsite opened its doors on Sunday.
Source: sandiegouniontribune
