The hardest hikes in Pennsylvania, by the numbers
Of the 89 trails in Pennsylvania in our dataset, 11 (12 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.
Gerard Hiking Trail leads with 3,692 ft of gain over 27.6 miles, 134 ft per mile, with a steepest pitch of 32 percent.
Across the 11, gain runs from 1,609 to 3,692 ft and distance from 9.2 miles to 27.6 miles; the median gain is 2,095 ft and the median distance 14 miles.
6 of the 11 are point-to-point routes; the rest are loop (4) or out-and-back (1).
| # | Trail | Miles | Gain (ft) | Ft per mile | Max grade | Elevation (ft) | Rating | Profile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gerard Hiking TrailWestern PA | 27.6 | 3,692 | 134 | 32% | 1,073 to 1,564 | 451.4 | |
| 2 | Lost Turkey TrailWestern PA | 26.5 | 3,560 | 134 | 22% | 1,720 to 2,957 | 434.4 | |
| 3 | Horse-Shoe TrailPhiladelphia and Southeastern PA | 21.3 | 2,443 | 115 | 20% | 313 to 834 | 322.6 | |
| 4 | Conestoga TrailSouth Central PA | 13.6 | 2,552 | 188 | 46% | 179 to 705 | 263.5 | |
| 5 | Twin Lakes TrailNorthwestern PA | 17.4 | 1,735 | 100 | 44% | 1,458 to 2,078 | 245.7 | |
| 6 | North Country TrailWestern PA | 16.2 | 1,728 | 107 | 19% | 1,173 to 1,527 | 236.6 | |
| 7 | Little Bear Creek LoopNorth Central PA | 11.6 | 1,971 | 170 | 42% | 671 to 1,766 | 213.8 | |
| 8 | Morrison and Rimrock TrailsNorthwestern PA | 14 | 1,609 | 115 | 22% | 1,392 to 2,085 | 212.3 | |
| 9 | Laurel Highlands TrailWestern PA | 10.5 | 2,139 | 204 | 39% | 1,278 to 2,032 | 211.9 | |
| 10 | Glacier Ridge TrailWestern PA | 13 | 1,648 | 127 | 19% | 1,173 to 1,527 | 207 | |
| 11 | Golden Eagle TrailNorth Central PA | 9.2 | 2,095 | 228 | 25% | 730 to 2,152 | 196.3 |
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 "Pennsylvania" here means the 89 trails in Pennsylvania in our dataset, not every trail in Pennsylvania.
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 Gerard Hiking Trail.
Hardest hikes elsewhere.
The same ranking for other states in our dataset.