If you've already worked your way through the Wyoming 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 4,372 mapped Wyoming 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.
Wyoming holds the Grand Tetons, Yellowstone's thermal-and-bison plateau, the Wind River Range (arguably the country's most beautiful alpine wilderness), and the Bighorns. The Teton Crest, the Wind River High Route, and a Yellowstone-Tetons CDT linkup are Wyoming's defining tests. Grizzly bears (carry spray), lightning above treeline, and unbridged stream crossings on Wind River routes are the standard hazards.
Our rankings here are data-driven — pulled from the 4,372 mapped entries OutsideAtlas tracks in Wyoming — 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. End O' Line
End O' Line sits near Granite Canon in Laramie County and is rated expert — our pick for the toughest trail on the list. Expect dirt 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 End O' Line trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#2. Exfoliator
Exfoliator sits near Buford in Laramie 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 Exfoliator trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#3. Gannett Peak Trail
Gannett Peak Trail sits near Cora in Fremont County and is rated expert — the #3 entry in a roster of hikes you don't take lightly. Tagged expert in OpenStreetMap. 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. 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 Gannett Peak Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#4. 2%
2% sits near Buford in Laramie County and is rated hard — the #4 entry in a roster of hikes you don't take lightly. Expect dirt surface on a genuinely demanding grade. Compared to similar trails in Wyoming, 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 2% trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#5. Bone Collector
Bone Collector sits near Buford in Laramie County and is rated hard — the #5 entry in a roster of hikes you don't take lightly. Expect dirt surface on a genuinely demanding 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 Bone Collector trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#6. Canyons
Canyons sits near Granite Canon in Laramie County and is rated hard — the #6 entry in a roster of hikes you don't take lightly. Expect dirt surface on a genuinely demanding 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 Canyons trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#7. CDT -a-XX Continental Divide Trail Misc Alernate Old Routes
CDT -a-XX Continental Divide Trail Misc Alernate Old Routes sits near Daniel in Sublette County and is rated hard — the #7 entry in a roster of hikes you don't take lightly. Tagged hard in OpenStreetMap. 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. 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 CDT -a-XX Continental Divide Trail Misc Alernate Old Routes trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#8. CDT - Colorado Section
CDT - Colorado Section sits near Twin Lakes in Gunnison County and is rated hard — the #8 entry in a roster of hikes you don't take lightly. Tagged hard in OpenStreetMap. 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. 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 CDT - Colorado Section trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#9. CDT ha- Wyoming Alternates
CDT ha- Wyoming Alternates sits near Cora in Sublette County and is rated hard — the #9 entry in a roster of hikes you don't take lightly. Tagged hard in OpenStreetMap. Compared to similar trails in Wyoming, this route trades difficulty for either solitude or scenery — sometimes both. 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 CDT ha- Wyoming Alternates trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#10. CDT hfjLW Lake of the Woods Alternate
CDT hfjLW Lake of the Woods Alternate sits near Dubois in Fremont County and is rated hard — the #10 entry in a roster of hikes you don't take lightly. Tagged hard 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 CDT hfjLW Lake of the Woods Alternate trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.Planning your Wyoming trip
A few pieces of context are worth keeping in mind specifically for Wyoming. July through mid-September is the high-country window; afternoon thunderstorms and grizzly activity are baseline conditions. Grizzly bears (carry spray), lightning above treeline, and unbridged stream crossings on Wind River routes are the standard hazards.
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 Wyoming hiking guides
If you found this useful, the rest of our Wyoming coverage continues below.
- Top 10 longest trails in Wyoming — Multi-day routes and through-hikes ranked by distance.
- Steepest trails in Wyoming — Hikes with the most elevation gain in the state.
- Best beginner hikes in Wyoming — Easy, well-marked trails for first-time hikers.
- Best national parks in Wyoming — Federal parks and recreation areas ranked.
- Best waterfall hikes in Wyoming — Trails leading to named falls, ranked by accessibility.
- Best dog-friendly hikes in Wyoming — Where leashed dogs are explicitly welcome.
- Best family hikes in Wyoming — 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 Wyoming 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.
