Which is harder, Catoctin National Recreation Trail or Continental Divide National Scenic Trail?

Continental Divide National Scenic Trail is the tougher of the two on distance and elevation (2,923 mi (4,705 km), 44,032 ft (13,421 m) of climbing). See the full side-by-side breakdown.

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Catoctin National Recreation Trail vs Continental Divide National Scenic 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

	Catoctin National Recreation Trail	Continental Divide National Scenic Trail
Distance	27 mi43 km	2,923 mi4,705 km
Elevation gain	3,655 ft1,114 m	44,032 ft13,421 m
Typical duration	2 days	178 days
Difficulty	—	—
Route type	Point-to-point	Point-to-point
Network	Regional	National
Country	United States	United States
Best time to hike	Best from October to October	Best months: June, July, September
	map Route & GPX	map Route & GPX

Catoctin National Recreation Trail vs Continental Divide National Scenic Trail: which should you hike?

At 2,923 mi4,705 km, Continental Divide National Scenic Trail is the longer route — roughly 2,897 mi4,662 km more than Catoctin National Recreation Trail (27 mi43 km). If you want the bigger challenge or a longer trip, that's the one; for a shorter or first multi-day hike, Catoctin 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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