Which is harder, East Coast Trail or Skyline Trail?

East Coast Trail is the tougher of the two on distance and elevation (185 mi (298 km), 6,486 ft (1,977 m) of climbing). See the full side-by-side breakdown.

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East Coast Trail vs Skyline 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

	East Coast Trail	Skyline Trail
Distance	185 mi298 km	27 mi44 km
Elevation gain	6,486 ft1,977 m	4,068 ft1,240 m
Typical duration	12 days	2 days
Difficulty	—	—
Route type	Point-to-point	Point-to-point
Network	—	Local
Country	Canada	Canada
Best time to hike	Best from September to September	Best months: July, September
	map Route & GPX	map Route & GPX

East Coast Trail vs Skyline Trail: which should you hike?

At 185 mi298 km, East Coast Trail is the longer route — roughly 158 mi254 km more than Skyline Trail (27 mi44 km). If you want the bigger challenge or a longer trip, that's the one; for a shorter or first multi-day hike, Skyline 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.