Another Iconic PCT Trail Town Is for Sale: You Can Now Buy Belden, CA for $4.75 Million

A few weeks ago, we reported that the PCT Southern Terminus town of Campo, CA is on sale for a cool $6 million. Some 1,300 miles north, another beloved PCT outpost — Belden, CA — has also hit the market for $4.75 million. That means that for the low, low price of (just under) $11 million, you could soon be the proud owner of not one, but two iconic PCT trail towns!

While Campo has already been up for sale for several years, Belden only just hit the market. Neither one is actually a town in the strictest sense. Both are technically unincorporated communities: Campo, a a 16-acre, 28-building property complete with post office, church, and a 2,000-strong population; and Belden, a 4-acre riverfront property that includes a lodge, general store, restaurant, outdoor event spaces, and a dedicated population of 15 people.

Photo: James Townsend

Owner Ivan Coffman, 87, first came to Belden — which had its origins as a mining camp during the 19th-century Gold Rush — in 1970 search of gold. He found it, and later bought the entire town at a foreclosure sale in 1989. Most of the structures had been destroyed by a wildfire by that time.

He rebuilt and developed the 4-acre settlement and for decades ran it successfully as an off-grid resort, PCT hiker haven, and outdoor event venue. The town narrowly survived the 2021 Dixie Fire because Coffman’s son and several employees stayed behind to fight the fire. Coffman had hoped to leave Belden to his son, who passed away this year, which is one of the reasons he is now seeking to sell. 

The Belden property includes beachfront access to the Feather River. Photo: James Townsend

“Belden Town has hosted festivals, retreats, outdoor recreation events, and unforgettable gatherings for decades. From boutique hospitality and wellness retreats to premier music festivals or upscale glamping sites, this versatile riverfront property presents a truly once-in-a-lifetime acquisition,” reads the Belden Town sale website.

For PCT hikers, Belden has long been a popular stop — as the hundreds of FarOut comments the town has amassed over the years can attest. Hiker and author Cheryl Strayed referenced visiting the resort during her 1995 PCT section hike in her memoir Wild, and hikers throughout the decades have come to anticipate it as a destination for resupply, rest, showers, and a hot meal or ice-cold drink. 

Featured image: James Townsend