Hike Rating

Hike Rating Guide

Click here to go to the Hike Difficulty Calculator

Difficulty Level Description

Below is an explanation of what you can expect the difficulty ratings to indicate. What one person thinks of as an "easy" hike, someone else might call "moderate"–so this legend explains what the difficulty ratings mean when used by the Trilogy Hiking Club.

These ratings pertain to hiking under normal conditions. Spring hikes may be complicated by water flow and moderate to difficult stream crossings. So the hike ratings reflect the difficulty level of the hike under normal conditions. You should adjust the rating up if you are hiking in a more challenging season or expect other types of adverse circumstances.

If you're unsure where your fitness and comfort level fits within these ratings, it's always best to start with an easier hike. Then depending on how that felt, you can better judge what you're capable of for your next outing.

A - Easy:

Someone in fair hiking condition
Trails are generally in good condition
Very little elevation gain

The hike is mostly level with easy hills mixed in and the walking is relatively smooth. You can certainly expect tree roots, small rocks, and things of that sort on any trail walk but for hikes rated as "easy" there won't be any big-step-up boulders to get past and no rock scrambling.

If a hike is long and flat, it will likely get a rating of "easy" in spite of its long distance. If a hike is short but has more than minimal elevation gain, it can also be rated as "easy" due to the overall level of the hike. i.e. If a big hill only accounts for a tenth of a mile of a hike, then it's probably something that people accustomed to walking on flat terrain can handle.

Easy hikes are generally suitable for anyone that enjoys walking. Just remember to choose an easy hike with a distance that you can comfortably handle.

A/B - Easy/Moderate:

Someone in good hiking condition
Trails are generally in good condition
Increased mileage
Moderate elevation gain

This rating typically describes hikes that are not flat but whose elevation gain is less than 500 feet per mile. For an easy/moderate hike, you should definitely be prepared for a lot of uphill walking.

Overall the uphills will be on the gentle side but there may be some short steeper sections.

B - Moderate:

Someone in good hiking condition
Trails are generally in good condition
Increased mileage
Moderate elevation gain

Hikes rated as "moderate" usually gain 500-800 feet per mile. Moderate hikes usually ascend steadily at an incline that would be difficult for an unconditioned person to comfortably handle.

B/C - Moderate/Difficult:

Someone in good hiking condition
Trails are generally in good condition
Increased mileage
Significant elevation gain

This level is used for challenging hikes that fall somewhere between the "moderate" and "difficult" ratings. Perhaps the average elevation gain falls within the criteria for "moderate" but there are enough steeper sections or rough segments to warrant a higher rating. This may also describe hikes that are quite steep but short enough in distance to give it an overall feel of something less than "difficult".

C - Difficult:

Someone in excellent hiking condition
Trails are generally in good condition
Significant increase in mileage
Significant increase in elevation gain

The hike is clearly difficult with steep inclines and often rough footing and/or rock scrambles. The elevation gain is usually greater than 800 feet per mile and is oftentimes 1,000 feet or more per mile (which is very steep).

A hike may also fall in the "difficult" level if the terrain is very challenging: such as for certain rock scrambles, boulder-strewn summits where there is no typical "trail" but rather a constant procession of boulders underfoot, talus slopes, etc. Even if a hike's average elevation gain is less than 800 feet per mile, a hike will be rated as "difficult" if there are significant sections of the route that gain more than 800 feet per mile.