During the PCT hiking season this is a good alternate trail to take: it is parallel to the PCT so it does not cost more distance. and it leads past the guest ranch which is probably the only water source for this 10-mile segment between Hat Creek / Crystal Creek Fish hatchery and the first Burney Falls group campground wate spigot. The ranch can also serve as a mail forwarding address, accommodation, swimming pool, etc, though in 2020 it was closed for three reasons (COVID, power cuts, and seasonal fickleness), so it does not seem too reliable.