How I rate trail difficulty
A quick and painless guide
I rate each hike that I write about. I’ve looked high and low, and I haven’t found one standard way to rate the difficulty of hiking trails. Everyone seems to create their own system, including the Sierra Club, state parks, and the Swiss Alpine Club. Even National Park Service sites are not consistent with each other.
And then there’s the group called “Adventure Nerds,” who in their math-geeky way evaluate a trail’s elevation using degrees and slope. Gotta love that!
So I, too, have come up with a system. For Parkinson’s people.
| Level | Miles | Exposure* | Terrain** | PD stage | Notes |
| Easiest | < 2 | None | Paved or finely crushed rock | all | Usually these trails are ADA compliant |
| Easy | < 3 | None | Mostly smooth, some unevenness | 1, 2 with aid, possibly 3 with close aid | “Aid” can mean a walker or hiking poles, or a strong partner nearby |
| Moderate | < 4 | A few places, but they are minimal in depth | Mostly uneven, requires stepping around small rocks or roots in trail | 1, 2 with aid | Slippery, muddy sections in certain seasons |
| Difficult | < 7 | Potential for a fall of more than a few feet down | Uneven surface, trail single-file only at times, portions may require use of hands | 1 | Steep sections can be slippery and muddy in certain seasons |
| Very difficult | > 7 | Potential to fall off trail down 100 feet or more in places | Uneven trail, may include scrambling over large rocks or walking on loose rock | 1 | Steep climbs. Mud and slippery rocks in some weather conditions can be dangerous |
* Exposure refers to places on a trail where losing your balance could result in a dangerous fall.
** I do not include elevation in my rating because, well, it’s complicated (see Adventure Nerds above). There’s little consistency in the way others have used elevation to determine trail difficulty. But I do include pertinent elevation information in each trail review.
IMPORTANT REMINDERS
Hiking can be dangerous for anyone. Be aware of changing weather, potential wildlife threats, trail conditions, and time of day. Carry enough supplies and water in the event you get lost. Most of all, know your limitations, and do not hike alone.
If you are unsure whether to hike a specific trail, check with your doctor about your capabilities.