Which is harder, 4C National Recreation Trail or Pinhoti Trail?

Pinhoti Trail is the tougher of the two on distance and elevation (313 mi (504 km), 13,510 ft (4,118 m) of climbing). See the full side-by-side breakdown.

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4C National Recreation Trail vs Pinhoti 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	Pinhoti Trail
Distance	20 mi32 km	313 mi504 km
Elevation gain	581 ft177 m	13,510 ft4,118 m
Typical duration	2 days	20 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 November
	map Route & GPX	map Route & GPX

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

At 313 mi504 km, Pinhoti Trail is the longer route — roughly 293 mi472 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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