Trail index

Challenging hikes

Detailed trail guides with elevation data, GPX downloads, and science-backed difficulty ratings.

Region All Central California International New England Northern California Pacific Northwest Southern California Southwest West
Difficulty Easy Moderate Hard Strenuous Challenging Moderately Strenuous Very Strenuous
Region
All regions 240 Central California 1
Eastern Sierra Inyo National Forest Mammoth Lakes 1 Sequoia & Kings Canyon Sierra Nevada Yosemite
International New England 1
White Mountains 1
Northern California 8
Bay Area 8 Lassen Volcanic North Coast Shasta-Trinity
Pacific Northwest 7
Oregon 6 Washington 1
Southern California 22
Angeles National Forest 3 Cleveland National Forest 4 Laguna Mountains Mojave Desert Orange County 3 San Bernardino Mountains 4 San Diego County 4 San Gabriel Mountains 3 San Gabriel Valley San Jacinto Mountains 1 Santa Ana Mountains Santa Monica Mountains
Southwest 5
Arizona 3 Nevada 2 New Mexico Utah
West 1
Colorado 1 Utah
Difficulty
Easy 1 Moderate 7 Hard Strenuous 13 Challenging 11 Moderately Strenuous 4 Very Strenuous 6
Features
GPX available41
Dog friendly35
11 trails
Hiking Black Butte from the Lower Trailhead Challenging
Oregon
Hiking Black Butte from the Lower Trailhead
10.5 mi
Dist.
3,400 ft
Gain
6,436 ft
Summit
5-6 hours
Time
Out-and-back Dogs OK
Hiking Telescope Peak in Death Valley National Park Challenging
Southern California
Hiking Telescope Peak in Death Valley National Park
13.5 mi
Dist.
2,883 ft
Gain
11,331 ft
Summit
7-8 hours
Time
Out-and-back
Hiking Black Mountain in Rancho San Antonio County Park Challenging
Bay Area
Hiking Black Mountain in Rancho San Antonio County Park
11.5 mi
Dist.
2,800 ft
Gain
2,785 ft
Summit
3-5 hours
Time
Out-and-back
Hiking to High Point on Palomar Mountain in the Cleveland National Forest Challenging
Cleveland National Forest
Hiking to High Point on Palomar Mountain in the Cleveland National Forest
13.8 mi
Dist.
3,509 ft
Gain
6,140 ft
Summit
7 hours
Time
Out-and-back Dogs OK
Hiking Mt San Jacinto via Humber Park in Idyllwild Challenging
San Bernardino Mountains
Hiking Mt San Jacinto via Humber Park in Idyllwild
15.5 mi
Dist.
4,125 ft
Gain
10,834 ft
Summit
7-9 hours
Time
Out-and-back Dogs OK Permit
Hiking to Rose Peak from Del Valle Regional Park Challenging
Bay Area
Hiking to Rose Peak from Del Valle Regional Park
19.5 mi
Dist.
5,000 ft
Gain
7-10 hours
Time
Out-and-back Permit
Hiking Mount Sizer Loop in Henry Coe State Park Challenging
Bay Area
Hiking Mount Sizer Loop in Henry Coe State Park
14.9 mi
Dist.
3,684 ft
Gain
3,215 ft
Summit
6-8 hours
Time
Out-and-back
Hiking Mitchell Canyon to Mount Diablo Challenging
Bay Area
Hiking Mitchell Canyon to Mount Diablo
13.2 mi
Dist.
3,529 ft
Gain
3,849 ft
Summit
5-7 hours
Time
Out-and-back
Hiking Stinson Beach to Mount Tamalpais Challenging
Bay Area
Hiking Stinson Beach to Mount Tamalpais
15 mi
Dist.
2,771 ft
Gain
2,571 ft
Summit
5-7 hours
Time
Out-and-back
Hiking to San Bernardino Peak via Angelus Oaks Challenging
San Bernardino Mountains
Hiking to San Bernardino Peak via Angelus Oaks
16.5 mi
Dist.
4,702 ft
Gain
10,649 ft
Summit
~9 hours
Time
Out-and-back Dogs OK Permit
Cucamonga Peak via Icehouse Canyon Challenging
San Bernardino Mountains
Cucamonga Peak via Icehouse Canyon
11.6 mi
Dist.
4,300 ft
Gain
8,859 ft
Summit
~7 hours
Time
Out-and-back Dogs OK Permit