The hardest hikes in Kings Canyon National Park, by the numbers
Of the 43 trails in Kings Canyon National Park in our dataset, 14 (33 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 14 are listed here, highest rating first.
Kennedy Canyon Trail leads with 8,606 ft of gain over 20.5 miles, 420 ft per mile, with a steepest pitch of 50 percent.
Across the 14, gain runs from 1,929 to 8,606 ft and distance from 4.6 miles to 24.2 miles; the median gain is 4,132 ft and the median distance 11.2 miles.
12 of the 14 are point-to-point routes; the rest are out-and-back (1) or loop (1).
| # | Trail | Miles | Gain (ft) | Ft per mile | Max grade | Elevation (ft) | Rating | Profile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kennedy Canyon TrailHigh Sierra | 20.5 | 8,606 | 420 | 50% | 4,561 to 10,747 | 594 | |
| 2 | Middle Fork TrailHigh Sierra | 24.2 | 4,288 | 177 | 70% | 4,126 to 8,057 | 455.6 | |
| 3 | Sawmill Pass TrailHigh Sierra | 11.6 | 6,819 | 588 | 36% | 4,656 to 11,320 | 397.7 | |
| 4 | Simpson Meadow TrailHigh Sierra | 13 | 5,940 | 457 | 64% | 5,994 to 10,663 | 393 | |
| 5 | Copper Creek TrailHigh Sierra | 13.4 | 5,263 | 393 | 42% | 5,106 to 10,369 | 375.6 | |
| 6 | Deer Cove TrailHigh Sierra | 9.3 | 5,543 | 596 | 38% | 4,432 to 9,825 | 321.1 | |
| 7 | Bubbs Creek TrailHigh Sierra | 11 | 4,513 | 410 | 29% | 5,119 to 9,569 | 315.1 | |
| 8 | Blue Canyon to Martha Lake RouteHigh Sierra | 11.9 | 3,816 | 321 | 33% | 9,291 to 11,803 | 301.4 | |
| 9 | Avalanche PassHigh Sierra | 10.8 | 3,975 | 368 | 69% | 6,266 to 10,063 | 293 | |
| 10 | Blue Canyon TrailHigh Sierra | 11.4 | 3,689 | 324 | 41% | 7,042 to 9,262 | 290 | |
| 11 | South Fork (Paradise)High Sierra | 10 | 2,128 | 213 | 25% | 5,042 to 6,933 | 206.3 | |
| 12 | Goddard Canyon TrailHigh Sierra | 8 | 2,563 | 320 | 17% | 8,492 to 11,009 | 202.5 | |
| 13 | Redwood Mountain GroveHigh Sierra | 9.9 | 1,929 | 195 | 32% | 5,504 to 6,940 | 195.4 | |
| 14 | Don Cecil TrailHigh Sierra | 4.6 | 3,334 | 725 | 33% | 4,657 to 7,991 | 175.1 |
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 "Kings Canyon National Park" here means the 43 trails in Kings Canyon National Park in our dataset, not every trail in Kings Canyon 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 Kennedy Canyon Trail.
Hardest hikes elsewhere.
The same ranking for other parks in our dataset.