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Hard Hiking Trails near New York City

There are 9 hikes near New York City in our database that fit. They average 33.4 km and 735 m (2,411 ft) of ascent, with the longest running to 81.4 km.

That is 5 percent of the 171 routes we map near New York City. They run noticeably longer than average for the area, 33.4 km against 4.5 km, so budget more daylight than a typical outing here. The climbing is steeper too: 735 m (2,411 ft) on average versus 99 m (325 ft) across the wider area.

Hard routes mean sustained ascent, long descents and a real need to watch the clock and the forecast. These lean toward the demanding end, so plan for a full day and check the forecast before you commit.

Trails

Expert

Patriots' Path

New Jersey · United States

Distance
81.4 km
/ 50.6 mi
Elevation gain
1,791 m
Typical duration
21 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Lenape Trail

New Jersey · United States

Distance
33.8 km
/ 21.0 mi
Elevation gain
743 m
Typical duration
8 hr 43 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Patriots' Path

New Jersey · United States

Distance
40.4 km
/ 25.1 mi
Elevation gain
889 m
Typical duration
10 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Suffern - Bear Mountain Trail

New York · United States

Distance
34.8 km
/ 21.6 mi
Elevation gain
765 m
Typical duration
8 hr 59 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Stonetown Circular Trail

New Jersey · United States

Distance
16.3 km
/ 10.1 mi
Elevation gain
358 m
Typical duration
3 hr 58 min
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Shore Trail

New Jersey · United States

Distance
16.2 km
/ 10.1 mi
Elevation gain
357 m
Typical duration
3 hr 57 min
  • Coastal
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Sierra Trail

New Jersey · United States

Distance
17.3 km
/ 10.7 mi
Elevation gain
380 m
Typical duration
4 hr 14 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Four Birds Trail

New Jersey · United States

Distance
29.1 km
/ 18.1 mi
Elevation gain
641 m
Typical duration
7 hr 27 min
  • Waymarked route

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
Patriots' PathNew Jersey81.4 km1,791 m21 hrExpertApril to October
Lenape TrailNew Jersey33.8 km743 m8 hr 43 minExpertApril to October
Patriots' PathNew Jersey40.4 km889 m10 hrExpertApril to October
Suffern - Bear Mountain TrailNew York34.8 km765 m8 hr 59 minExpertApril to October
Stonetown Circular TrailNew Jersey16.3 km358 m3 hr 58 minHardApril to October
Nassau Suffolk Greenbelt TrailNew York31.5 km693 m8 hr 6 minHardApril to October
Shore TrailNew Jersey16.2 km357 m3 hr 57 minHardApril to October
Sierra TrailNew Jersey17.3 km380 m4 hr 14 minHardApril to October
Four Birds TrailNew Jersey29.1 km641 m7 hr 27 minHardApril to October

If you only have time for one, start with Patriots' Path, Lenape Trail, Patriots' Path. Those are the routes people come back to. Every route on this page links through to a full guide with the map, elevation profile, seasonal advice and what to bring.

Frequently asked questions

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