The hardest hikes in Wyoming, by the numbers
Of the 510 trails in Wyoming in our dataset, 102 (20 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.
Owl Creek Trail leads with 9,673 ft of gain over 23.3 miles, 415 ft per mile, with a steepest pitch of 47 percent.
Across the 25, gain runs from 2,281 to 12,373 ft and distance from 9 miles to 26.4 miles; the median gain is 4,383 ft and the median distance 19.9 miles.
20 of the 25 are point-to-point routes; the rest are out-and-back (3) or loop (1).
| # | Trail | Miles | Gain (ft) | Ft per mile | Max grade | Elevation (ft) | Rating | Profile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Owl Creek TrailGrand Teton NP | 23.3 | 9,673 | 415 | 47% | 6,770 to 9,769 | 671.4 | |
| 2 | Pahaska / sunlight Trail | 18.1 | 12,373 | 684 | 6,668 to 10,922 | 669.3 | ||
| 3 | Eagle Creek | 20.1 | 9,444 | 470 | 77% | 6,550 to 9,857 | 616.2 | |
| 4 | Teton Crest South | 15.7 | 11,152 | 710 | 6,177 to 10,873 | 591.8 | ||
| 5 | Two Ocean Plateau TrailYellowstone NP | 26 | 5,945 | 229 | 49% | 7,736 to 9,385 | 556 | |
| 6 | Specimen Ridge TrailYellowstone NP | 17.4 | 7,069 | 406 | 53% | 6,229 to 9,241 | 496 | |
| 7 | Cloud PeakCentral Wyoming | 23.8 | 5,135 | 216 | 45% | 9,101 to 13,157 | 494.4 | |
| 8 | Jenny Lake Loop | 25.5 | 4,462 | 175 | 86% | 6,785 to 10,537 | 477 | |
| 9 | Valley TrailGrand Teton NP | 22.9 | 4,925 | 215 | 62% | 6,526 to 10,508 | 474.9 | |
| 10 | Heart Lake / Mount SheridanYellowstone NP | 23.7 | 3,933 | 166 | 45% | 7,459 to 10,262 | 431.8 | |
| 11 | Death Canyon to Teton CanyonGrand Teton NP | 19.6 | 4,383 | 224 | 35% | 6,768 to 10,788 | 414.5 | |
| 12 | Buffalo Fork TrailYellowstone NP | 22.8 | 3,566 | 156 | 30% | 6,461 to 9,639 | 403.2 | |
| 13 | Bliss PassYellowstone NP | 19.9 | 3,974 | 200 | 60% | 6,280 to 9,360 | 397.7 | |
| 14 | Paintbrush DivideGrand Teton NP | 19.6 | 3,932 | 201 | 33% | 6,802 to 10,665 | 392.6 | |
| 15 | Bechler River TrailYellowstone NP | 26.4 | 2,794 | 106 | 22% | 6,219 to 8,551 | 384.1 | |
| 16 | Electric PeakYellowstone NP | 19 | 3,808 | 200 | 61% | 7,279 to 10,868 | 380.4 | |
| 17 | Slough Creek TrailYellowstone NP | 25.3 | 2,676 | 106 | 21% | 6,281 to 8,514 | 368 | |
| 18 | Specimen RidgeYellowstone NP | 17.7 | 3,681 | 208 | 42% | 6,253 to 9,583 | 361 | |
| 19 | Open Canyon TrailGrand Teton NP | 9 | 7,121 | 791 | 88% | 6,630 to 9,743 | 358 | |
| 20 | Cache Creek TrailYellowstone NP | 16.7 | 3,713 | 222 | 37% | 6,859 to 9,982 | 352.2 | |
| 21 | Union Pass to Sheridan PassNorthwestern Wyoming | 20.7 | 2,648 | 128 | 17% | 9,012 to 9,865 | 331.1 | |
| 22 | Fishawk Cr Trail | 10.1 | 5,258 | 521 | 77% | 6,364 to 8,322 | 325.9 | |
| 23 | Jones Cr Trail | 10.8 | 4,608 | 427 | 55% | 6,944 to 9,968 | 315.5 | |
| 24 | Eagle Pass TrailNorthwestern Wyoming | 14.9 | 3,256 | 219 | 29% | 6,468 to 9,486 | 311.5 | |
| 25 | Mary Mountain-Nez Perce TrailYellowstone NP | 20.1 | 2,281 | 113 | 29% | 7,264 to 8,423 | 302.8 |
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 "Wyoming" here means the 510 trails in Wyoming in our dataset, not every trail in Wyoming.
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 Owl Creek Trail.
Hardest hikes elsewhere.
The same ranking for other states in our dataset.