Which is harder, 4C National Recreation Trail or Mid-State Trail?

Mid-State Trail is the tougher of the two on distance and elevation (319 mi (513 km), 16,122 ft (4,914 m) of climbing). See the full side-by-side breakdown.

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4C National Recreation Trail vs Mid-State Trail

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	Mid-State Trail
Distance	20 mi32 km	319 mi513 km
Elevation gain	581 ft177 m	16,122 ft4,914 m
Typical duration	2 days	21 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 October to October
	map Route & GPX	map Route & GPX

4C National Recreation Trail vs Mid-State Trail: which should you hike?

At 319 mi513 km, Mid-State Trail is the longer route — roughly 299 mi481 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.

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