The hardest hikes in Fiordland National Park, by the numbers
Of the 38 trails in Fiordland National Park in our dataset, 13 (34 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 13 are listed here, highest rating first.
Kepler Track leads with 4,096 ft of gain over 22.2 miles, 185 ft per mile, with a steepest pitch of 29 percent.
Across the 13, gain runs from 1,657 to 4,738 ft and distance from 5.4 miles to 22.2 miles; the median gain is 3,037 ft and the median distance 11.3 miles.
12 of the 13 are point-to-point routes; the rest are out-and-back (1).
| # | Trail | Miles | Gain (ft) | Ft per mile | Max grade | Elevation (ft) | Rating | Profile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kepler Track | 22.2 | 4,096 | 185 | 29% | 589 to 4,581 | 426.5 | |
| 2 | Routeburn TrackSouth Island | 19.2 | 3,841 | 200 | 41% | 1,567 to 4,206 | 384 | |
| 3 | Kepler Track | 11.6 | 4,738 | 408 | 45% | 883 to 4,626 | 331.5 | |
| 4 | Mount Luxmore | 10 | 4,155 | 416 | 30% | 674 to 4,829 | 288.3 | |
| 5 | Hump Ridge Trail | 11.7 | 3,105 | 265 | 48% | 11 to 3,031 | 269.5 | |
| 6 | Hump Ridge track | 11.3 | 3,017 | 267 | 45% | 52 to 2,865 | 261.1 | |
| 7 | Greenstone Track | 18.7 | 1,776 | 95 | 14% | 1,113 to 2,172 | 257.7 | |
| 8 | Milford TrackSouth Island | 9.8 | 3,037 | 310 | 64% | 826 to 3,743 | 244 | |
| 9 | Dore Pass Route (DoC) | 6.4 | 4,113 | 643 | 64% | 711 to 4,609 | 229.4 | |
| 10 | Milford TrackSouth Island | 14.6 | 1,657 | 113 | 43% | 0 to 825 | 220 | |
| 11 | Milford TrackSouth Island | 10.9 | 1,899 | 174 | 32% | 483 to 1,357 | 203.5 | |
| 12 | Hump RidgeSouth Island | 5.4 | 2,859 | 529 | 36% | 62 to 2,869 | 175.7 | |
| 13 | Gertrude SaddleSouth Island | 5.4 | 2,121 | 393 | 52% | 2,571 to 4,681 | 151.3 |
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 "Fiordland National Park" here means the 38 trails in Fiordland National Park in our dataset, not every trail in Fiordland National Park.
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 Kepler Track.
Hardest hikes elsewhere.
The same ranking for other parks in our dataset.