The hardest hikes in Sequoia National Park, by the numbers
Of the 106 trails in Sequoia National Park in our dataset, 28 (26 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; these are the 25 with the highest rating.
Elizabeth Pass South leads with 13,051 ft of gain over 24.5 miles, 533 ft per mile, with a steepest pitch of 55 percent.
Across the 25, gain runs from 2,747 to 13,051 ft and distance from 5.4 miles to 25.6 miles; the median gain is 4,060 ft and the median distance 12 miles.
22 of the 25 are point-to-point routes; the rest are loop (1) or out-and-back (2).
| # | Trail | Miles | Gain (ft) | Ft per mile | Max grade | Elevation (ft) | Rating | Profile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elizabeth Pass South | 24.5 | 13,051 | 533 | 55% | 7,077 to 12,103 | 799.7 | |
| 2 | Mineral King LoopHigh Sierra | 25.6 | 9,101 | 356 | 56% | 7,069 to 11,679 | 682.6 | |
| 3 | Kern Canyon | 16.2 | 7,994 | 493 | 60% | 6,633 to 12,872 | 508.9 | |
| 4 | South Fork KaweahHigh Sierra | 16.4 | 6,341 | 387 | 47% | 3,677 to 9,504 | 456.1 | |
| 5 | Shepherd Pass TrailHigh Sierra | 13.8 | 6,910 | 501 | 50% | 5,697 to 12,021 | 436.7 | |
| 6 | RattlesnakeHigh Sierra | 17.2 | 5,333 | 310 | 46% | 6,588 to 11,823 | 428.3 | |
| 7 | Paradise Ridge-Redwood Mdw | 12.1 | 6,234 | 515 | 58% | 5,468 to 8,498 | 388.4 | |
| 8 | Elizabeth Pass TrailHigh Sierra | 14.2 | 4,060 | 286 | 55% | 7,417 to 11,346 | 339.6 | |
| 9 | North Fork TrailHigh Sierra | 13.7 | 4,184 | 305 | 22% | 1,790 to 5,626 | 338.6 | |
| 10 | Middle Fork Kaweah TrailHigh Sierra | 13.4 | 4,195 | 313 | 39% | 2,868 to 6,116 | 335.3 | |
| 11 | Alta PeakHigh Sierra | 13.3 | 3,802 | 286 | 30% | 7,306 to 11,107 | 318 | |
| 12 | Blackrock PassHigh Sierra | 10.1 | 4,890 | 484 | 44% | 7,138 to 11,695 | 314.3 | |
| 13 | Alta TrailHigh Sierra | 9.3 | 4,949 | 532 | 31% | 6,408 to 11,126 | 303.4 | |
| 14 | Lost Lake TrailHigh Sierra | 12 | 3,483 | 290 | 50% | 8,826 to 12,164 | 289.1 | |
| 15 | Farewell Gap TrailHigh Sierra | 10.8 | 3,402 | 315 | 46% | 8,838 to 10,650 | 271.1 | |
| 16 | Silliman Pass North | 8.2 | 4,443 | 542 | 65% | 7,097 to 10,471 | 269.9 | |
| 17 | Lakes TrailHigh Sierra | 12.2 | 2,792 | 229 | 32% | 7,294 to 9,555 | 261 | |
| 18 | Atwell-Hockett TrailHigh Sierra | 10.2 | 3,335 | 327 | 33% | 5,906 to 8,787 | 260.8 | |
| 19 | Paradise Ridge TrailHigh Sierra | 9.6 | 3,416 | 356 | 61% | 5,544 to 8,457 | 256.1 | |
| 20 | Timber Gap TrailHigh Sierra | 8.2 | 3,807 | 464 | 32% | 6,043 to 9,515 | 249.9 | |
| 21 | Twin Lakes TrailHigh Sierra | 7.7 | 3,647 | 474 | 37% | 6,758 to 10,160 | 237 | |
| 22 | Kaweah Basin Unmaintained RouteHigh Sierra | 8.2 | 3,198 | 390 | 44% | 9,626 to 12,620 | 229 | |
| 23 | Coyote PassHigh Sierra | 5.4 | 3,700 | 685 | 35% | 6,459 to 10,156 | 199.9 | |
| 24 | Soda Creek TrailHigh Sierra | 7.1 | 2,747 | 387 | 46% | 8,024 to 10,764 | 197.5 | |
| 25 | Lost Canyon TrailHigh Sierra | 5.9 | 3,233 | 548 | 49% | 8,595 to 11,722 | 195.3 |
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 "Sequoia National Park" here means the 106 trails in Sequoia National Park in our dataset, not every trail in Sequoia 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 Elizabeth Pass South.
Hardest hikes elsewhere.
The same ranking for other parks in our dataset.