If you've already worked your way through the Pennsylvania day-hike checklist, this is the list for what comes next. We ranked the state's hardest trails using a composite of difficulty tag (hard or expert), distance, and elevation gain, drawing from the 19,247 mapped Pennsylvania trails in our database. These ten routes are reserved for hikers with the gear, the navigation skills, and the honesty about their own limits to tackle them safely.
Pennsylvania's ridge-and-valley Appalachians dominate the state — the "Rocksylvania" reputation along the AT comes from genuine geology. A Pennsylvania AT thru-hike, the Mid State Trail end-to-end, and serious Allegheny Front loops are the state's defining tests. Timber rattlesnakes in the rocky ridges, ticks (Lyme endemic), and ankle-rolling rock fields on the AT.
Our rankings here are data-driven — pulled from the 19,247 mapped entries OutsideAtlas tracks in Pennsylvania — but the data has limits worth being honest about. A composite score weights expert and hard difficulty tags alongside total mileage and elevation gain. The result favors long, vertically aggressive routes with documented technical sections — there are surely tougher off-trail objectives in the state, but those are outside the scope of a trail directory.
The Ranking
Ranked from #1 to #10. Click through any entry for the full trail page — map, elevation profile, weather forecast, and direct OpenStreetMap source link.
#1. Bear Gap Trail
Bear Gap Trail sits near Aaronsburg in Mifflin County and is rated expert — our pick for the toughest trail on the list. Expect ground surface on a expert-only grade. Local trail-association reports tend to agree this is one of the better-maintained options in the area, which matters more on a hike of this length than on a quick walk. The natural-surface tread can get slick after rain and muddy in spring — pick a dry weather window if you have the flexibility. Best attempted by hikers comfortable with long days, route-finding when the path gets faint, and weather that can turn fast. Not a casual outing. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Bear Gap Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#2. Bear Wallow Trail (Closed)
Bear Wallow Trail (Closed) sits near Polk in Venango County and is rated expert — the #2 entry in a roster of hikes you don't take lightly. Expect ground surface on a expert-only grade. The route is well documented in OpenStreetMap, which is what put it on our radar — community-mapped routes tend to be the ones that get hiked enough to stay open. The natural-surface tread can get slick after rain and muddy in spring — pick a dry weather window if you have the flexibility. Best attempted by hikers comfortable with long days, route-finding when the path gets faint, and weather that can turn fast. Not a casual outing. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Bear Wallow Trail (Closed) trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#3. Bear Wallow Trail
Bear Wallow Trail sits near Polk in Venango County and is rated expert — the #3 entry in a roster of hikes you don't take lightly. Expect dirt surface on a expert-only grade. It earns its ranking on the data, but trail conditions can change quickly after storms or fire seasons, so verify before you commit a full day. The natural-surface tread can get slick after rain and muddy in spring — pick a dry weather window if you have the flexibility. Best attempted by hikers comfortable with long days, route-finding when the path gets faint, and weather that can turn fast. Not a casual outing. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Bear Wallow Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#4. Dennison Run Trail
Dennison Run Trail sits near Clintonville in Venango County and is rated expert — the #4 entry in a roster of hikes you don't take lightly. Expect dirt surface on a expert-only grade. Compared to similar trails in Pennsylvania, this route trades difficulty for either solitude or scenery — sometimes both. The natural-surface tread can get slick after rain and muddy in spring — pick a dry weather window if you have the flexibility. Best attempted by hikers comfortable with long days, route-finding when the path gets faint, and weather that can turn fast. Not a casual outing. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Dennison Run Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#5. ECOZ Red Dot Trail
ECOZ Red Dot Trail sits near Harmony in Butler County and is rated expert — the #5 entry in a roster of hikes you don't take lightly. Tagged expert in OpenStreetMap. What makes this one earn its spot on the list is the combination of mapped detail and the kind of through-and-through experience that justifies a longer drive. Best attempted by hikers comfortable with long days, route-finding when the path gets faint, and weather that can turn fast. Not a casual outing. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the ECOZ Red Dot Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#6. ECOZ Red Dot Trail
ECOZ Red Dot Trail sits near Harmony in Butler County and is rated expert — the #6 entry in a roster of hikes you don't take lightly. Tagged expert in OpenStreetMap. Local trail-association reports tend to agree this is one of the better-maintained options in the area, which matters more on a hike of this length than on a quick walk. Best attempted by hikers comfortable with long days, route-finding when the path gets faint, and weather that can turn fast. Not a casual outing. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the ECOZ Red Dot Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#7. ECOZ Whitetailed Deer Trail (White)
ECOZ Whitetailed Deer Trail (White) sits near Harmony in Butler County and is rated expert — the #7 entry in a roster of hikes you don't take lightly. Expect dirt surface on a expert-only grade. The route is well documented in OpenStreetMap, which is what put it on our radar — community-mapped routes tend to be the ones that get hiked enough to stay open. The natural-surface tread can get slick after rain and muddy in spring — pick a dry weather window if you have the flexibility. Best attempted by hikers comfortable with long days, route-finding when the path gets faint, and weather that can turn fast. Not a casual outing. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the ECOZ Whitetailed Deer Trail (White) trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#8. Goat Trail
Goat Trail sits near Clintonville in Venango County and is rated expert — the #8 entry in a roster of hikes you don't take lightly. Expect dirt surface on a expert-only grade. It earns its ranking on the data, but trail conditions can change quickly after storms or fire seasons, so verify before you commit a full day. The natural-surface tread can get slick after rain and muddy in spring — pick a dry weather window if you have the flexibility. Best attempted by hikers comfortable with long days, route-finding when the path gets faint, and weather that can turn fast. Not a casual outing. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Goat Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#9. Half Dome Trail
Half Dome Trail sits near Slate Run in Lycoming County and is rated expert — the #9 entry in a roster of hikes you don't take lightly. Expect dirt surface on a expert-only grade. Compared to similar trails in Pennsylvania, this route trades difficulty for either solitude or scenery — sometimes both. The natural-surface tread can get slick after rain and muddy in spring — pick a dry weather window if you have the flexibility. Best attempted by hikers comfortable with long days, route-finding when the path gets faint, and weather that can turn fast. Not a casual outing. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Half Dome Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#10. Hillside Scramble
Hillside Scramble sits near New Hope in Bucks County and is rated expert — the #10 entry in a roster of hikes you don't take lightly. Expect dirt surface on a expert-only grade. What makes this one earn its spot on the list is the combination of mapped detail and the kind of through-and-through experience that justifies a longer drive. The natural-surface tread can get slick after rain and muddy in spring — pick a dry weather window if you have the flexibility. Best attempted by hikers comfortable with long days, route-finding when the path gets faint, and weather that can turn fast. Not a casual outing. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Hillside Scramble trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.Planning your Pennsylvania trip
A few pieces of context are worth keeping in mind specifically for Pennsylvania. Spring and fall are best; summer is humid and rattlesnake-active in the mountains; winter ice is common on shaded ridges. Timber rattlesnakes in the rocky ridges, ticks (Lyme endemic), and ankle-rolling rock fields on the AT.
Always cross-reference the official land-manager page before driving out — closures, fire restrictions, and seasonal road access can change quickly. Our trail pages link directly back to the OpenStreetMap source so you can see the tags we're working from.
If you're new to hiking generally, our beginner's guide covers footwear, layering, and the day-pack basics. For safety planning on bigger objectives, the ten essentials guide is worth twenty minutes of reading.
More Pennsylvania hiking guides
If you found this useful, the rest of our Pennsylvania coverage continues below.
- Top 10 longest trails in Pennsylvania — Multi-day routes and through-hikes ranked by distance.
- Steepest trails in Pennsylvania — Hikes with the most elevation gain in the state.
- Best beginner hikes in Pennsylvania — Easy, well-marked trails for first-time hikers.
- Best national parks in Pennsylvania — Federal parks and recreation areas ranked.
- Best waterfall hikes in Pennsylvania — Trails leading to named falls, ranked by accessibility.
- Best dog-friendly hikes in Pennsylvania — Where leashed dogs are explicitly welcome.
- Best family hikes in Pennsylvania — Short, easy trails sized for kids and grandparents.
Rankings like this are starting points, not verdicts. Trail conditions change, new routes get tagged, and what was the toughest trail in Pennsylvania last year might not be next year. We refresh these articles when the underlying data shifts meaningfully.
Got a correction, a route we missed, or a question? Drop us a note via the contact page. We read every email and we'd rather hear it from you than miss it.
