Which is harder, CDT hfqCT Cirque of the Towers Route 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.

Home › Trails › CDT hfqCT Cirque of the Towers Route vs Mid-State Trail

CDT hfqCT Cirque of the Towers Route 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

	CDT hfqCT Cirque of the Towers Route	Mid-State Trail
Distance	25 mi41 km	319 mi513 km
Elevation gain	4,849 ft1,478 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 from June to August	Best from October to October
	map Route & GPX	map Route & GPX

CDT hfqCT Cirque of the Towers Route vs Mid-State Trail: which should you hike?

At 319 mi513 km, Mid-State Trail is the longer route — roughly 293 mi472 km more than CDT hfqCT Cirque of the Towers Route (25 mi41 km). If you want the bigger challenge or a longer trip, that's the one; for a shorter or first multi-day hike, CDT hfqCT Cirque of the Towers Route 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