Which is harder, Continental Divide National Scenic Trail or Palmetto Trail: Capital City Passage?

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 Palmetto Trail: Capital City Passage

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	Palmetto Trail: Capital City Passage
Distance	2,923 mi4,705 km	10.0 mi17 km
Elevation gain	44,032 ft13,421 m	545 ft166 m
Typical duration	178 days	1 day
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 months: February, October, November
	map Route & GPX	map Route & GPX

Continental Divide National Scenic Trail vs Palmetto Trail: Capital City Passage: which should you hike?

At 2,923 mi4,705 km, Continental Divide National Scenic Trail is the longer route — roughly 2,913 mi4,688 km more than Palmetto Trail: Capital City Passage (10.0 mi17 km). If you want the bigger challenge or a longer trip, that's the one; for a shorter or first multi-day hike, Palmetto Trail: Capital City Passage 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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