Which is harder, Continental Divide National Scenic Trail or Cumberland 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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Continental Divide National Scenic Trail vs Cumberland 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

	Continental Divide National Scenic Trail	Cumberland Trail
Distance	2,923 mi4,705 km	221 mi356 km
Elevation gain	44,032 ft13,421 m	14,012 ft4,271 m
Typical duration	178 days	15 days
Difficulty	—	—
Route type	Point-to-point	Point-to-point
Network	National	Regional
Country	United States	United States
Best time to hike	Best months: June, July, September	Best from October to November
	map Route & GPX	map Route & GPX

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

At 2,923 mi4,705 km, Continental Divide National Scenic Trail is the longer route — roughly 2,702 mi4,348 km more than Cumberland Trail (221 mi356 km). If you want the bigger challenge or a longer trip, that's the one; for a shorter or first multi-day hike, Cumberland 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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