PCT Mile 150 · High Desert, Southern California

Water, shade & a cold soda — 0.7 miles off trail.

DeBenedetti’s Place is a family-run trail angel stop just west of the PCT. Fill your bottles, pitch your tent, cannonball into the pool, and roll out rested.

Find the turnoff Latest trail news

~ hiker dogs on duty · signatures welcome on the trailer ~

Trail magic since day one

A front yard that turned into a hiker haven.

Somewhere around mile 150, the desert gives you a gift: a spur trail, a couple of happy dogs, and the DeBenedetti family waving you in. What started as a water cache grew into a full rest stop — the kind of place hikers write home about (and all over the trailer).

No reservations, no fuss. If the gate’s open, you’re welcome. Check the Facebook page for seasonal hours before you count on us.

“The pool at mile 150 is real. I checked.” — every NOBO, eventually

Hand-carved wooden DeBenedetti's Pacific Crest Trail signs — hand-carved & hiker-approved

The DeBenedetti family welcoming hikers with a puppy — the welcome committee

What’s waiting for you

Everything a tired hiker needs. Free.

Twenty-plus miles of desert behind you? Here’s what’s at the end of the spur trail.

Facilities

the essentials, handled

Free, clean running water
Shaded seating to hide from the sun
Flat spots to pitch a tent

Recreation

cool off or bounce it out

Swimming pool — yes, a real one
Trampoline for leftover energy
Dogs who insist on playing fetch

Connectivity & Comfort

tell mom you’re alive

Free WiFi that actually works
Hot dogs off the grill
Cold sodas from the cooler

Getting here

Look for the cistern at mile 150.

1
Hike to mile marker 150
Northbound through the high desert — you’re almost there when the canyon opens up.
2
Pass the small water cistern
Just past it, you’ll spot the turnoff and our sign on the west side of the trail.
3
Head west 0.7 miles
Follow the spur down the dirt road. The dogs will probably find you first.
4
Make yourself at home
Water, shade, pool, hot dogs. Check Facebook for seasonal hours before relying on a stop.

not to scale — but the hot dogs are real

The Trail Log

Follow on Facebook ↗

Hikers cooling off in the pool at DeBenedetti's Place with desert hills behind

Season UpdateApril 2026

The pool is officially open for the 2026 season

She’s filled, filtered, and already full of NOBOs. After a week of scrubbing and a new pump line, the famous mile-150 pool is back in business — first cannonball of the year goes to a hiker named “Splashdown.” Trampoline inspected and bounce-certified. Come on down.

Three PCT hikers with packs and trekking poles arriving at DeBenedetti's Place

Trail LifeMarch 2026

First wave of NOBOs has arrived

The kickoff crowd is rolling through — water topped off, hot dogs on the grill, and the dogs are getting more pets than they know what to do with.

New hand-carved DeBenedetti's wooden trail signs

Around the PlaceFebruary 2026

New hand-carved signs point the way

Fresh carved signs are up at the turnoff — mountain, arrow and all. Just past the cistern, look west and follow the arrowhead 0.7 miles to us.

A thru-hiker in front of the signature trailer covered in hiker signatures

Trail LifeFebruary 2026

The trailer wall is filling up again

Every season the trailer collects a new crop of trail names in Sharpie. There’s still room by the angel wing — bring a marker or borrow ours.

100% FREE The tip jar

Everything here is free. Always has been.

Water, shade, the pool, the hot dogs — none of it costs a dime, and it never will. That’s the whole point of trail magic.

If you’d like to pay it forward anyway, every donation goes straight back into the place — propane for the grill, sodas for the cooler, pool chemicals — to keep helping the hikers coming up behind you.

never expected, always appreciated ♥

Splashdown ♥ 3/25 The Jeffer →→ Juice Bomb 3/25 Fuji & Archive ’25 ChrisQ was here Navajo Thor

Before you go

Sign the trailer. Pet the dogs. Tell your tramily.

Seasonal hours change with the bubble — follow the Facebook page for the latest updates, water status, and when the grill is running.

DeBenedetti’s Place on Facebook ↗