10 Most Challenging Hiking Trails in the United States

Timberline Trail

This Oregon trail hike is one of the toughest you will encounter in the U.S. It is nearly 41 miles in length, with an elevation change of 12,000 feet. It may be tough to tell whether you are going up or down at any given point in your hike through Mount Hood and is an extremely difficult trail to complete, even for avid and experienced hikers in search of a challenge. The mileage alone poses the greatest challenge to this trail, with many hikers taking four days to complete it. The trail’s many climbs and descents can cause the hike to last longer than you anticipate.

For those who are avid hikers, the next challenging hiking trail is something you may always look to conquer. Not only will any of these trails challenge you, the extreme conditions, high altitudes, and tough terrain along the way, will keep you guessing the entire trail and provide a number of obstacles that may deter completion. Even if you are a regular hiker, these are not easy trails to complete, so if you plan on taking on the challenge, it is important to ensure you have practiced and worked on building strength, and have prepared and planned with the proper equipment and supplies, in order to successfully complete these hikes.