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Hard Hiking Trails in Georgia

The directory currently contains 12 quality-checked routes matching this guide in Georgia. Their average mapped distance is 125 km and average recorded ascent is 1,998 m (6,555 ft); the longest route in the set is 537 km.

This subset represents 18% of the 66 quality-checked routes in Georgia. Its average distance is 125 km, compared with 25.4 km across the full local set. Average recorded ascent is 1,998 m (6,555 ft), versus 434 m (1,424 ft) for all quality-checked routes in the same area.

This set contains routes rated hard or expert from their available distance and elevation measurements. Within this set, 0 routes (0%) are rated easy, 12 (100%) are rated hard or expert, and 0 (0%) are recorded as loops. Ratings are computed from available distance and elevation data and do not establish current terrain or access.

Data refreshed September 2026

Choose by the details

How do these routes differ?

A closer look at the first 6 routes in this page’s default ordering. These comparisons describe this sample, not the entire destination or a field-tested recommendation.

Shortest mapped distance in this sample

35.3 km

Pine Moutain Trail

Compare the climbing too; shortest does not necessarily mean easiest.

Lowest recorded ascent in this sample

582 m

Great Eastern Trail - Lookout Mountain

6 of 6 have ascent data. Missing measurements are excluded.

Return logistics

0 recorded loops

Check start and finish for every option. An unknown shape does not mean a loop, and a loop does not establish access to its start.

Plan the return journey →

Distances follow stored route lines; ascent and time are estimates. Current access, surface and technical difficulty need separate checks. How to turn a comparison into a shortlist.

Trails

Expert

Appalachian Trail

Georgia · United States

Distance
121 km
/ 75.2 mi
Elevation gain
3,249 m
Typical duration
33 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Bartram Trail

Georgia · United States

Distance
164 km
/ 102 mi
Elevation gain
4,533 m
Typical duration
45 hr
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Benton MacKaye Trail

Georgia · United States

Distance
450 km
/ 280 mi
Elevation gain
7,431 m
Typical duration
117 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Pine Moutain Trail

Georgia · United States

Distance
35.3 km
/ 21.9 mi
Elevation gain
714 m
Typical duration
9 hr 2 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Pinhoti Trail

Georgia · United States

Distance
537 km
/ 334 mi
Elevation gain
4,187 m
Typical duration
133 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Cloudland Canyon in the winter
Hard

Cloudland Canyon Connector

Georgia · United States

Distance
22.1 km
/ 13.7 mi
Elevation gain
278 m
Typical duration
5 hr 14 min
  • Canyon and gorge
Hard

Chattooga River Trail

Georgia · United States

Distance
16.3 km
/ 10.2 mi
Elevation gain
560 m
Typical duration
4 hr 17 min
  • River
Hard

Arkaquah Trail

Georgia · United States

Distance
8.5 km
/ 5.3 mi
Elevation gain
1,012 m
Typical duration
3 hr 18 min
  • Mountain

The shortlist, side by side

The ten highest scoring routes on this page, so you can compare effort before opening any of them.

Distance, ascent, walking time and difficulty for the top routes
RouteDistanceAscentTimeDifficultyBest season
Appalachian TrailGeorgia121 km3,249 m33 hrExpertApril to October
Bartram TrailGeorgia164 km4,533 m45 hrExpertJune to October
Benton MacKaye TrailGeorgia450 km7,431 m117 hrExpertJune to October
Pine Moutain TrailGeorgia35.3 km714 m9 hr 2 minExpertApril to October
Pinhoti TrailGeorgia537 km4,187 m133 hrExpertApril to October
Great Eastern Trail - Lookout MountainGeorgia41.5 km582 m10 hrExpertApril to October
Great Eastern Trail - Old Georgia RoadwalkGeorgia67.5 km611 m16 hrExpertApril to October
Cloudland Canyon ConnectorGeorgia22.1 km278 m5 hr 14 minHardApril to October
Appalachian Approach TrailGeorgia13.3 km615 m3 hr 41 minHardApril to October
4-5 Academy at 5th Avenue RouteGeorgia21.4 km199 m4 hr 57 minHardApril to October

Appalachian Trail, Bartram Trail, Benton MacKaye Trail currently rank highest in this filtered set according to the directory score. Open an individual route to inspect its mapped line, elevation profile, data source and planning caveats. Check live access, conditions and local rules with an official source before travelling.

Frequently asked questions

Plan with more confidence

All planning articles →

Choosing a route

How to choose a hike beyond the difficulty label

Compare distance, climbing, route shape and missing information to build a shortlist that fits your day.

Read article →

Understanding the map

Read an elevation profile without misreading the climb

Understand total ascent, net height change, profile scale and the section breakdown on each mapped route.

Read article →

Planning your day

Build a hiking time plan with room for your own pace

Separate moving time, climbing allowance and stops, then explore how changing your assumptions changes the plan.

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