SoCalHiker Tools
Hiking Difficulty
Calculator
Enter your trail's distance, elevation gain, and highpoint location to get a science-backed difficulty score, energy miles, and steepness rating.
📏 19.5 mi
⬆️ 5,000 ft gain
Calculating…
mi
ft
Difficulty Score
out of 500+
Shenandoah NPS formula. Combines distance + gain into one number.
Energy Miles
flat-trail equivalent
The flat hike that takes the same total effort. NOLS / Paul Petzoldt.
Gain per Mile
ft / mile
How relentless the climbing feels moment to moment on trail.
Steepness — —
Flat
Nearly flat
Gentle
Mod. steep
Steep
Terrifying
Elevation Profile (estimated)
How these numbers were calculated
Difficulty Score
Energy Miles
Grade
Angle
Formulas: Shenandoah NPS difficulty scale & NOLS Energy Miles (Paul Petzoldt, 1976). Extended scale via TrailsNH.