Which is harder, Pacific Crest Trail or Pacific Northwest Trail 03 Washington?

Pacific Crest Trail is the tougher of the two on distance and elevation (2,464 mi (3,966 km), 58,104 ft (17,710 m) of climbing). See the full side-by-side breakdown.

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Pacific Crest Trail vs Pacific Northwest Trail 03 Washington

A side-by-side look at distance, elevation, difficulty and the best time to hike each — so you can pick the right route.

Units

	Pacific Crest Trail	Pacific Northwest Trail 03 Washington
Distance	2,464 mi3,966 km	855 mi1,376 km
Elevation gain	58,104 ft17,710 m	45,787 ft13,956 m
Typical duration	152 days	55 days
Difficulty	—	—
Route type	Point-to-point	Point-to-point
Network	National	National
Country	United States	United States
Best time to hike	Best from May to May	Best months: June, July, September
	map Route & GPX	map Route & GPX

Pacific Crest Trail vs Pacific Northwest Trail 03 Washington: which should you hike?

At 2,464 mi3,966 km, Pacific Crest Trail is the longer route — roughly 1,609 mi2,590 km more than Pacific Northwest Trail 03 Washington (855 mi1,376 km). If you want the bigger challenge or a longer trip, that's the one; for a shorter or first multi-day hike, Pacific Northwest Trail 03 Washington 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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