The hardest hikes in Nevada, by the numbers
Of the 50 trails in Nevada in our dataset, 11 (22 percent) rate strenuous or very strenuous on the gain-and-distance scale we use and run 3 to 30 miles with at least 1,500 ft of climb; all 11 are listed here, highest rating first.
Trail Canyon to Charleston Peak leads with 4,981 ft of gain over 16.4 miles, 304 ft per mile, with a steepest pitch of 64 percent.
Across the 11, gain runs from 1,961 to 4,981 ft and distance from 4.1 miles to 16.4 miles; the median gain is 3,041 ft and the median distance 8 miles.
7 of the 11 are point-to-point routes; the rest are out-and-back (4).
| # | Trail | Miles | Gain (ft) | Ft per mile | Max grade | Elevation (ft) | Rating | Profile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trail Canyon to Charleston PeakSoutheastern Nevada | 16.4 | 4,981 | 304 | 64% | 7,759 to 11,909 | 404.2 | |
| 2 | Charleston Peak Trail South LoopSoutheastern Nevada | 8.6 | 4,524 | 526 | 37% | 7,681 to 11,899 | 278.9 | |
| 3 | Griffith PeakSoutheastern Nevada | 9.8 | 3,390 | 346 | 53% | 7,679 to 10,992 | 257.8 | |
| 4 | Ophir Creek TrailLake Tahoe Area, Reno, Carson City | 7.5 | 3,638 | 485 | 34% | 5,126 to 8,613 | 233.6 | |
| 5 | Spooner LakeLake Tahoe Area, Reno, Carson City | 13.9 | 1,961 | 141 | 20% | 6,324 to 8,163 | 233.5 | |
| 6 | Wheeler Peak Summit HikeGreat Basin NP | 8 | 3,041 | 380 | 38% | 10,003 to 13,044 | 220.6 | |
| 7 | Mount Rose Summit TrailLake Tahoe Area, Reno, Carson City | 10.1 | 2,109 | 209 | 29% | 8,921 to 10,725 | 206.4 | |
| 8 | Boundary PeakSouthwestern Nevada Boundary Peak Wilderness | 4.1 | 3,380 | 824 | 78% | 9,796 to 13,104 | 166.5 | |
| 9 | Overland Lake | 5.3 | 2,521 | 476 | 35% | 6,692 to 9,213 | 163.5 | |
| 10 | Baker Lake TrailGreat Basin NP | 5.1 | 2,619 | 514 | 30% | 8,004 to 10,622 | 163.4 | |
| 11 | Wheeler Peak Summit TrailGreat Basin NP | 4.3 | 2,898 | 674 | 75% | 10,192 to 13,048 | 157.9 |
How this list is ranked
Rating = the square root of 2 x elevation gain (ft) x distance (miles), the gain-and-distance formula Shenandoah National Park publishes for its own trails. Bands: under 50 easiest, 50 to 100 moderate, 100 to 150 moderately strenuous, 150 to 200 strenuous, 200 and over very strenuous.
This list: band strenuous (150 to 200) or very strenuous (200 and over), 3 to 30 miles, at least 1,500 ft of gain, ordered by rating desc, gain per mile desc, capped at 25. The rating column is computed from the miles and gain printed in the same row, the numbers each trail page uses, so every row can be checked from the row itself. The rating says nothing about exposure, scrambling, altitude or conditions.
Only trails with a full page count, so "Nevada" here means the 50 trails in Nevada in our dataset, not every trail in Nevada.
Each trail page shows the full elevation profile behind these numbers and the same data drawn as a topographic print, made to order. Start with Trail Canyon to Charleston Peak.
Hardest hikes elsewhere.
The same ranking for other states in our dataset.