Trail Ratings

The Standards Committee of the East Coast Trail Association has developed ratings, expressed in four standard categories:

Easy - Good trail conditions. Typically minor elevation changes (less than 25 meters). Usually less than 7 kilometers in length.
Moderate - Average trail conditions. Moderate elevation changes (less than 75 meters). Usually less than 12 kilometers in length.
Difficult - Rugged trail conditions. Significant elevation changes (up to 150 meters). Usually less than 20 kilometers in length.
Strenuous - Poor trail conditions. Major elevation changes (over 150 meters). Trail usually covers a very long distance.

Important Notes:

Conditions along many paths vary with distance and terrain.
Use of an East Coast Trail Map is recommended when hiking a path for the first time.
Each map gives an overall rating of difficulty, by path, but also notes changes in hiking difficulty along our routes.