RidgeSyncThe Hardest Hikes in Vermont
The steepest, longest and most sustained climbs in the state, ranked by elevation gain. 60 routes across 12 Vermont hiking areas, each with a real elevation profile computed from the route geometry.
Waterfall Hikes (13)Lake & Pond Hikes (26)Summit Hikes (331)Hikes to Shelters (35)Loop Hikes (88)Easy Hikes (186)Long Day Hikes (67)Short Hikes (213)Fire Tower Hikes (13)
| Trail | Area | Distance | Gain | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olga's Falls Loop via Long Trail | Camel's Hump | 14.3 mi | 3,920 ft | Strenuous |
| Camels Hump via Long Trail | Camel's Hump | 10.3 mi | 3,875 ft | Strenuous |
| Emily Proctor Trail and Long Trail Loop | Breadloaf | 13.4 mi | 3,596 ft | Strenuous |
| Glastenbury Mountain via West Ridge Trail | Bennington | 17.5 mi | 3,149 ft | Strenuous |
| Appalachian Trail and Shrewsbury Peak Trail Loop | Killington | 10.4 mi | 2,988 ft | Strenuous |
| The Forehead via Long Trail | Stowe | 10.5 mi | 2,947 ft | Strenuous |
| Bolton Mountain via Long Trail | Stowe | 9.9 mi | 2,934 ft | Strenuous |
| Mount Ethan Allen via Long Trail | Camel's Hump | 9.2 mi | 2,904 ft | Strenuous |
| Brownsville Trail and Norcross Trail Loop | Mount Ascutney | 7.5 mi | 2,893 ft | Strenuous |
| Mount Hunger via Skyline Trail | Worcester Range | 9.6 mi | 2,838 ft | Strenuous |
| Peru Peak via Lake Trail | Bromley & Stratton | 10.3 mi | 2,764 ft | Strenuous |
| Mount Putnam via Skyline Trail | Worcester Range | 7.4 mi | 2,762 ft | Strenuous |
| Mount Mansfield via Long Trail | Stowe | 4.3 mi | 2,694 ft | Strenuous |
| Lookout Rock via Summit Trail (Blue) | Manchester | 5.7 mi | 2,669 ft | Strenuous |
| Norcross Trail and Windsor Trail Loop | Mount Ascutney | 7.1 mi | 2,656 ft | Strenuous |
| Molly Stark Mountain via Long Trail | Camel's Hump | 13.3 mi | 2,623 ft | Strenuous |
| Lincoln Peak via Battell Trail | Breadloaf | 6.6 mi | 2,608 ft | Strenuous |
| Camels Hump via Monroe Trail | Worcester Range | 5.8 mi | 2,600 ft | Strenuous |
| Adams Apple via Laura Cowles Trail | Stowe | 4.5 mi | 2,534 ft | Strenuous |
| Mount Putnam via Stowe Pinnacle Trail | Worcester Range | 5.2 mi | 2,532 ft | Strenuous |
| Mount Wilson via Clark Brook Trail | Breadloaf | 7.6 mi | 2,524 ft | Strenuous |
| Whiteface Mountain via Long Trail | Stowe | 6.5 mi | 2,510 ft | Strenuous |
| Mt Ascutney via Windsor Trail | Mount Ascutney | 5 mi | 2,479 ft | Strenuous |
| Killington Peak via Bucklin Trail | Killington | 7.5 mi | 2,457 ft | Strenuous |
| Mount Mansfield via Hell Brook Trail | Stowe | 2.6 mi | 2,446 ft | Hard |
| Appalachian Trail and Sherburne Pass Trail Loop | Killington | 9.1 mi | 2,440 ft | Strenuous |
| Little Haystack Mountain Loop via Masters Mtn Trail | Manchester | 10 mi | 2,437 ft | Strenuous |
| Mount Putnam via Middlesex Trail | Worcester Range | 8.9 mi | 2,435 ft | Strenuous |
| Killington Peak via Appalachian Trail | Killington | 8.5 mi | 2,409 ft | Strenuous |
| Burrows Trail and Long Trail Loop | Camel's Hump | 5.1 mi | 2,382 ft | Strenuous |
| Burnt Rock Mountain via Catamount Trail | Camel's Hump | 12.1 mi | 2,376 ft | Strenuous |
| Mt Ascutney via Brownsville Trail | Mount Ascutney | 5.3 mi | 2,366 ft | Strenuous |
| Haystack Mountain via Long Trail | Northern Long Trail | 8.5 mi | 2,332 ft | Strenuous |
| Camels Hump via Burrows Trail | Camel's Hump | 4.4 mi | 2,257 ft | Hard |
| Appalachian Trail and Bucklin Trail Loop | Killington | 7.2 mi | 2,251 ft | Strenuous |
| Molly Stark Mountain via Catamount Trail | Camel's Hump | 12.8 mi | 2,245 ft | Strenuous |
| Shrewsbury Peak via Appalachian Trail | Killington | 8.6 mi | 2,229 ft | Strenuous |
| White Rock Mountain via Waterbury Trail | Worcester Range | 5 mi | 2,214 ft | Hard |
| Mount Ethan Allen via Monroe Trail | Worcester Range | 6.1 mi | 2,203 ft | Strenuous |
| Battell Mountain via Long Trail | Breadloaf | 8.4 mi | 2,189 ft | Strenuous |
| Pico Peak via Appalachian Trail | Killington | 8.5 mi | 2,180 ft | Strenuous |
| Whiteface Mountain via Beaver Meadow Trail | Stowe | 6.4 mi | 2,175 ft | Strenuous |
| Mount Wilson via Skylight Pond Trail West | Breadloaf | 8.7 mi | 2,148 ft | Strenuous |
| Forester's Trail and Frank Post Trail Loop | Northern Long Trail | 7.2 mi | 2,146 ft | Strenuous |
| Bald Mountain Loop via Long Pond Trail | Northeast Kingdom | 7.2 mi | 2,145 ft | Strenuous |
| Olga's Falls via Long Trail | Camel's Hump | 10 mi | 2,140 ft | Strenuous |
| Mount Wilson via Emily Proctor Trail | Breadloaf | 7.5 mi | 2,137 ft | Strenuous |
| Bald Mountain Trail | Bennington | 7.7 mi | 2,122 ft | Strenuous |
| Mount Ellen via Long Trail | Camel's Hump | 9.1 mi | 2,120 ft | Strenuous |
| Baker Peak via Lake Trail | Bromley & Stratton | 6.6 mi | 2,110 ft | Strenuous |
| Goddard Shelter via Appalachian Trail | Glastenbury | 19.4 mi | 2,088 ft | Strenuous |
| Irene Falls Loop via Bucklin Trail | Killington | 6.9 mi | 2,082 ft | Strenuous |
| Domeys Dome via Long Trail | Northern Long Trail | 9.1 mi | 2,076 ft | Strenuous |
| Little Killington via Shrewsbury Peak Trail | Killington | 8.3 mi | 2,075 ft | Strenuous |
| Belvidere Mountain via Long Trail | Northern Long Trail | 4.9 mi | 2,071 ft | Hard |
| Pico Peak via Bucklin Trail | Killington | 7.3 mi | 2,066 ft | Strenuous |
| Stark Mountain via Jerusalem Trail | Breadloaf | 5.1 mi | 2,059 ft | Hard |
| Mt Ascutney via Weathersfield Trail | Mount Ascutney | 4.8 mi | 2,054 ft | Hard |
| Ascutney South via Bicentennial Trail | Mount Ascutney | 6.7 mi | 2,020 ft | Strenuous |
| Doll Peak via Long Trail | Northern Long Trail | 8.7 mi | 2,018 ft | Strenuous |
Where to find them
Camel's Hump & the Winooski Valley10 of these trails
Killington & the Coolidge Range10 of these trails
Breadloaf Wilderness & Mount Ellen7 of these trails
Stowe & Mount Mansfield7 of these trails
Waterbury & the Worcester Range7 of these trails
Frequently asked questions
How many hardest hikes are there in Vermont?
RidgeSync maps 60 of them, spread across 12 hiking areas. The largest concentration is in Camel's Hump & the Winooski Valley.
What is the best of Vermont's hardest hikes?
Olga's Falls Loop via Long Trail in Camel's Hump is the most popular: 14.3 miles with 3,920 ft of gain, rated strenuous.