Which is harder, 4C National Recreation Trail or Long Path?

Long Path is the tougher of the two on distance and elevation (347 mi (559 km), 19,760 ft (6,023 m) of climbing). See the full side-by-side breakdown.

Home › Trails › 4C National Recreation Trail vs Long Path

4C National Recreation Trail vs Long Path

A side-by-side look at distance, elevation, difficulty and the best time to hike each — so you can pick the right route.

Units

	4C National Recreation Trail	Long Path
Distance	20 mi32 km	347 mi559 km
Elevation gain	581 ft177 m	19,760 ft6,023 m
Typical duration	2 days	23 days
Difficulty	—	—
Route type	Point-to-point	Point-to-point
Network	Regional	Regional
Country	United States	United States
Best time to hike	Best months: February, October, November, December	Best from September to September
	map Route & GPX	map Route & GPX

4C National Recreation Trail vs Long Path: which should you hike?

At 347 mi559 km, Long Path is the longer route — roughly 327 mi527 km more than 4C National Recreation Trail (20 mi32 km). If you want the bigger challenge or a longer trip, that's the one; for a shorter or first multi-day hike, 4C National Recreation Trail is the gentler pick. Check the elevation and best-season rows above, then open each route for the full guide and a free GPX download.

More comparisons