Understanding Trail Difficulty Ratings
Trail difficulty ratings help you choose hikes that match your ability, but different rating systems use different criteria. Understanding what goes into a difficulty rating helps you make informed trail choices.
Common Rating Systems
Easy/Moderate/Strenuous: The most common system used by national parks, state parks, and trail guides. Easy trails are generally flat, well-maintained, and under 3 miles. Moderate trails involve some elevation gain, rougher surfaces, and longer distances. Strenuous trails feature significant elevation gain, challenging terrain, and long distances.
Class 1-5 (Yosemite Decimal System): Originally a climbing classification, the lower classes apply to hiking. Class 1 is walking on a trail. Class 2 involves simple scrambling with hands occasionally used for balance. Class 3 is scrambling where hands are regularly needed and falls could be injurious. Classes 4 and 5 involve technical climbing.
AllTrails ratings: The popular app rates trails as easy, moderate, or hard based on distance, elevation gain, and user feedback. These ratings are generally reliable but can understate difficulty for unfit hikers or in adverse conditions.
Factors That Determine Difficulty
Distance is the most obvious factor. A 2-mile trail is generally easier than a 12-mile trail, all else being equal. But distance alone does not determine difficulty; a flat 10-mile trail can be easier than a steep 3-mile trail.
Elevation gain is often more important than distance. A 1,000-foot climb in one mile is strenuous regardless of total distance. Check the total elevation gain, not just the starting and ending elevations. A trail that goes up and down repeatedly can have much more total gain than the net elevation change suggests.
Terrain includes surface type and technical difficulty. A paved path is easy regardless of distance. Loose rock, stream crossings, exposed ledges, and scramble sections dramatically increase difficulty.
Exposure refers to steep drop-offs adjacent to the trail. Exposed trails are psychologically challenging even when physically easy. Angels Landing in Zion is a moderate hike physically but feels strenuous due to extreme exposure.
Personal Factors
Fitness level is the biggest personal variable. A fit hiker finds a moderate trail easy. A sedentary hiker finds the same trail exhausting. Be honest about your fitness when choosing trails.
Experience affects your ability to handle technical terrain, navigate, and manage conditions. A scramble that an experienced hiker handles confidently may terrify a beginner.
Conditions change difficulty dramatically. A moderate trail in dry summer conditions becomes strenuous with ice, snow, rain, or heat. Always factor current conditions into your assessment.
Pack weight increases difficulty significantly. A trail that feels moderate with a daypack becomes strenuous with a 40-pound backpack.
Choosing Your Trail
If a trail is rated moderate and you have moderate fitness and some hiking experience, you will likely find it appropriately challenging. If you are new to hiking or returning after a long break, start with easy trails and work up.
When in doubt, choose the easier option. You can always seek harder trails next time. A hike that exceeds your ability is not fun and can be dangerous.
Read recent trip reports for the specific trail. Other hikers' experiences provide more nuanced difficulty information than any rating system.
Recommended Gear
Based on this guide's topics, here are some top-rated products to consider:
- Mystery Ranch 3 Way 27 Backpack ($229, 2.0 lbs)
- DAKINE 365 21L Backpack ($58, 309 g)
- DAKINE 365 Pack 28L Backpack ($68, 454 g)
- Fjallraven Abisko Trek 65 Backpack ($309.95, 2.7 kg)
- Columbia Arcadia II Rain Jacket - Women's ($74.99, 320 g)
- Patagonia Baby Torrentshell 3L Rain Jacket ($99, 159 g)
- Patagonia Boulder Fork Rain Jacket - Men's ($239, 388 g)
- PEARL iZUMi Canyon 2.5L WXB Rain Jacket - Men's ($135, 255 g)
Conclusion
Trail difficulty ratings are useful starting points, not guarantees. Consider distance, elevation gain, terrain, exposure, and your own fitness when choosing trails. Start conservatively, build experience, and gradually take on more challenging routes. The goal is to finish every hike wanting to do another one.