Hike Ratings

The Northern Virginia Hiking Club rates hikes by difficulty to help you choose the level that’s right for you.

Hikes are rated from very difficult to easy:

• A+ = Very difficult (19 miles or more)
• A = Difficult (13 miles or more, but less than 19 miles)
• B = Moderately difficult (10 miles or more, but less than 13 miles)
• C = Moderate (7 miles or more, but less than 10 miles)
• D = Easy (Less than 7 miles)

Hike rating is based on a combination of linear distance and elevation gain, with 400 feet of elevation gain considered to be equivalent to 1 mile of linear distance. For example, a 9-mile hike with 1,200 feet of climbing would be rated B (9 + 3 = 12). Elevation loss is not measured in this system.

Typically, the more difficult the hike, the faster the pace of the group. Information about the terrain, such as stream crossings or rock scrambles, are usually included in hike descriptions.