After hiking 38 of the 50 US state high points in the summer of 2016, I figured I ought to rank them by difficulty for the information of my fellow highpointers.
As I explained in my highpointing blog, I'd come across the Martin Classification of state high point difficulty while planning my trip, but it didn't quite satisfy me. For one, it only considers the easiest route to a high point's summit, which leads to sizeable mountains like North Carolina's Mt. Mitchell and New Hampshire's Mt. Washington being ranked in the easiest class. While technically correct, in that both those summits can be accessed by walking less than 0.2 miles, such a ranking is useless to one who'd rather hike those high points from their bases. What's more, both of those mountains have "standard approach" trails that could easily be incorporated into the ranking alongside the drive-up routes.
And second, Martin's classification takes little account of the technical difficulty of a route; it relies instead on elevation gain and trail length. This also leads to some odd rankings, in my opinion (such as the gentle stroll up Black Mesa, OK being ranked a class above the rough, rocky trails on Mt. Frissell, CT and Mt. Mansfield, VT). While an experienced mountaineer considering the glaciated Western high points might not care whether an approach is Class 1 or Class 2 terrain, the distinction matters to casual hikers, not to mention those with mobility issues, acrophobia, and/or small children in tow. And regardless of ability, many people would find a 14-mile hike easier than an 8-mile scramble of equal elevation gain (just ask anyone who's done both Mt. Marcy and Katahdin's Knife-Edge).
Thus, I've put together my own ranking, available here as a list and a sortable table. The standard route up each high point (as selected by me) is featured below, as are any alternate routes of sufficiently different character (again, my judgment call). All figures listed are accurate to the best of my knowledge, with any approximate values indicated by a '~'. The difficulty ratings are my own. I intend to complete this ranking as I continue highpointing, so check back for additions.
Please contact me if you spot any errors or omissions!
Handley Classification of State High Points (in ascending order of difficulty):
- Drive-ups (<10 ft. from the nearest parking; trivial elevation gain)
- Cheaha Mountain, AL (via park road)
- Black Mountain, KY (via Black Mountain Ridge Rd.)
- Brasstown Bald, GA (via shuttle from parking lot)
- Campbell Hill, OH (via career center road)
- Ebright Azimuth, DE (via Ebright Rd.)
- Hawkeye Point, IA (via IA-160 and 130th St.)
- High Point, NJ (via park road)
- Mt. Davis, PA (via park road)
- Mt. Greylock, MA (via park road)
- Mt. Sunflower, KS (via Rd. Wa-N3 and farm road)
- Panorama Point, NE (via County Road 5 and ranch road)
- Woodall Mountain, MS (via County Rd. 185)
- Walk-ups (<.25 mi. from the nearest parking; <100 ft. elevation gain; terrain no harder than Class 1)
- Britton Hill, FL (via N Co Hwy 285)
- Hoosier Hill, IN (via Elliott Rd.)
- Mt. Arvon, MI (via Ravine River Rd.)
- Sassafras Mountain, SC (via F. Van Clayton Memorial Hwy.)
- Mt. Washington, NH (via toll road and stairs)
- Taum Sauk Mountain, MO (alone)
- Jerimoth Hill, RI (via path from RI-101)
- Spruce Knob, WV (via County Rd. 104)
- Mt. Mitchell, NC (via the Blue Ridge Pkwy.)
- Charles Mound, IL (via gravel road from upper parking lot)
- Quick hikes (.25-1.5 mi. from the nearest parking; <750 ft. elevation gain; terrain no harder than Class 2)
- Timms Hill, WI (via park trail)
- Clingmans Dome, TN (via Clingmans Dome Access Rd.)
- Mt. Davis, PA (via trail from Mt. Davis Picnic Area)
- Brasstown Bald, GA (via path from parking lot)
- Driskill Mountain, LA (via trail from Mt. Zion Presbyterian Church)
- Magazine Mountain, AR (from the trailhead nearest to the lodge along the park road)
- Charles Mound, IL (walking from W Charles Mound Rd.)
- Woodall Mountain, MS (walking County Rd. 185)
- Black Mountain, KY (walking from VA-160)
- High Point, NJ (via the Appalachian Trail from NJ-23)
- Hoye-Crest, MD (via trail from US-219)
- White Butte, ND (via trail from local road)
- Mt. Mansfield, VT (via Stowe Toll Road and the Long Trail)
- Half-day hikes (1.5-3 mi. from the nearest parking; <1900 ft. elevation gain; terrain Class 1-2)
- Taum Sauk Mountain, MO (and Mina Sauk Falls, via Mina Sauk Falls Trail)
- Sassafras Mountain, SC (via Foothills Trail from Chimneytop Gap)
- Mt. Frissell, CT (via Mt. Frissell Trail from Mt. Washington Rd.)
- Brasstown Bald, GA (via trail from Jacks Gap)
- Day hikes (3-8 mi. from the nearest parking; <4900 ft. elevation gain; terrain Class 1-2)
- Black Mesa, OK (via trail from Black Mesa Nature Preserve entrance)
- Eagle Mountain, MN (via trail from Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness Access Point #79)
- Black Elk Peak, SD (via Trail #9 (South) from Custer State Park)
- Mt. Greylock, MA (via Hopper Trail from Hopper Rd.)
- Mt. Rogers, VA (via Appalachian Trail from Grayson Highlands State Park)
- Mt. Arvon, MI (walking from Roland Lake Rd.)
- Clingmans Dome, TN (via Appalachian Trail from Newfound Gap)
- Guadalupe Peak, TX (via Guadalupe Peak Trail from Pine Springs Campground)
- Mt. Mitchell, NC (via Mt. Mitchell Trail from Black Mountain Campground)
- Mt. Mansfield, VT (via Sunset Ridge Trail from Underhill State Park)
- Katahdin, ME (via Appalachian Trail from Katahdin Stream Campground)
- Mt. Marcy, NY (via trails from Adirondak Loj)
- Mt. Washington, NH (via Tuckerman Ravine Trail from Pinkham Notch Visitor Center)
- Mt. Elbert, CO (via South Elbert Trail from Lakeview Campground)
- Scrambles (3.5-8 mi. from the nearest parking; <5300 ft. elevation gain, terrain up to Class 3)
- Katahdin, ME (via Helon Taylor and Knife-Edge trails from Roaring Brook Campground)
- Borah Peak, ID (via Chicken-Out Ridge trail from Borah Peak Trailhead)
| State △ | Name △ | Elevation △ | Route | Distance (one way; mi.) △ | Elevation Gain (ft.) △ | Incline (°) △ | Difficulty |
| Wyoming | Gannett Peak | 13809 | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wisconsin | Timms Hill | 1951 | via park trail | 0.25 | 140 | 6.05 | Class 1 |
| West Virginia | Spruce Knob | 4863 | via County Rd. 104 | 0.2 | ~20 | 1.08 | Class 0 |
| Washington | Mt. Rainier | 14417 | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Virginia | Mt. Rogers | 5729 | via Appalachian Trail from Grayson Highlands State Park | 4.3 | 1079 | 2.72 | Class 1 |
| Vermont | Mt. Mansfield | 4395 | via Stowe Toll Rd. | 1.3 | ~550 | 4.58 | Class 2 |
| Vermont | Mt. Mansfield | 4395 | via Sunset Ridge Trail | 3.3 | ~2600 | 8.49 | Class 2 |
| Utah | Kings Peak | 13534 | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Texas | Guadalupe Peak | 8751 | via trail from Pine Springs Campground | 4.2 | 2390 | 6.15 | Class 1 |
| Tennessee | Clingmans Dome | 6643 | via Clingman's Dome Access Rd. | 0.5 | 330 | 7.13 | Class 1 |
| Tennessee | Clingmans Dome | 6643 | via Appalachian Trail from Newfound Gap | ~7 | 1594 | 2.47 | Class 1 |
| South Dakota | Black Elk Peak | 7244 | via Trail #9 from Custer State Park | 3.8 | ~1100 | 3.14 | Class 1 |
| South Carolina | Sassafras Mountain | 3560 | via F. Van Clayton Memorial Hwy. | <0.1 | ~30 | n/a | Class 0 |
| South Carolina | Sassafras Mountain | 3560 | via Foothills Trail | 2.5 | ~1900 | 8.19 | Class 1 |
| Rhode Island | Jerimoth Hill | 811 | via path from RI-101 | 0.3 | ~25 | 0.90 | Class 0 |
| Pennsylvania | Mt. Davis | 3213 | via park road | <0.1 | <10 | n/a | Drive-up |
| Pennsylvania | Mt. Davis | 3213 | via trail from Mt. Davis Picnic Area | 0.8 | ~100 | 1.36 | Class 1 |
| Oregon | Mt. Hood | 11249 | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Oklahoma | Black Mesa | 4975 | via trail from Black Mesa Nature Preserve | 4.2 | ~800 | 2.07 | Class 1 |
| Ohio | Campbell Hill | 1549 | via career center road | <0.1 | <10 | n/a | Drive-up |
| North Dakota | White Butte | 3508 | via trail from local road | ~1.5 | ~400 | 2.89 | Class 1 |
| North Carolina | Mt. Mitchell | 6684 | via Blue Ridge Pkwy | 0.2 | ~100 | 5.41 | Class 0 |
| North Carolina | Mt. Mitchell | 6684 | via Mt. Mitchell Trail | 5.6 | 3684 | 7.10 | Class 1 |
| New York | Mt. Marcy | 5343 | via trails from Adirondak Loj | 7.4 | 3180 | 4.65 | Class 2 |
| New Mexico | Wheeler Peak | 13167 | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| New Jersey | High Point | 1803 | via park road | <0.1 | <10 | n/a | Drive-up |
| New Jersey | High Point | 1803 | via Appalachian Trail from NJ-28 | ~1 | ~300 | 3.25 | Class 1 |
| New Hampshire | Mt. Washington | 6288 | via toll road & stairs | <0.1 | ~25 | n/a | Class 1 |
| New Hampshire | Mt. Washington | 6288 | via Tuckerman Ravine Trail | 4.1 | 4257 | 11.13 | Class 2 |
| Nevada | Boundary Peak | 13147 | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nebraska | Panorama Point | 5427 | via ranch road | <0.1 | <10 | n/a | Drive-up |
| Montana | Granite Peak | 12807 | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Missouri | Taum Sauk Mountain | 1772 | alone (via park road) | 0.25 | <10 | n/a | Class 0 |
| Missouri | Taum Sauk Mountain | 1772 | with Mina Sauk Falls | 1.5 | ~390 | 2.82 | Class 1 |
| Mississippi | Woodall Mountain | 807 | via County Rd. 185 | <0.1 | <10 | n/a | Drive-up |
| Mississippi | Woodall Mountain | 807 | walking from County Rd. 176 | ~1 | ~200 | 2.17 | Class 0 |
| Minnesota | Eagle Mountain | 2302 | via trail from Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness Access Point #79 | 3.5 | 554 | 1.72 | Class 1 |
| Michigan | Mt. Arvon | 1979 | via Ravine River Rd. | <0.1 | <10 | n/a | Class 0 |
| Michigan | Mt. Arvon | 1979 | walking from Roland Lake | 7.7 | ~1000 | 1.41 | Class 1 |
| Massachusetts | Mt. Greylock | 3360 | via park road | <0.1 | ~20 | n/a | Class 0 |
| Massachusetts | Mt. Greylock | 3360 | via Hopper Trail | 4.1 | 2391 | 6.30 | Class 1 |
| Maryland | Hoye-Crest | 3360 | via trail from US-219 | 1.1 | ~750 | 7.36 | Class 1 |
| Maine | Katahdin | 5270 | via Appalachian Trail | 5.2 | 4150 | 8.60 | Class 2 |
| Maine | Katahdin | 5270 | via Helon Taylor & Knife-Edge Trails | 4.3 | 3787 | 9.47 | Class 3 |
| Louisiana | Driskill Mountain | 535 | via trail from Mt. Zion Presbyterian Church | 0.9 | ~150 | 1.81 | Class 1 |
| Kentucky | Black Mountain | 4145 | via Black Mountain Ridge Rd. | <0.1 | <10 | n/a | Drive-up |
| Kentucky | Black Mountain | 4145 | walking from VA-160 | 1.5 | 250 | 1.81 | Class 1 |
| Kansas | Mount Sunflower | 4041 | via farm road | <0.1 | <10 | n/a | Drive-up |
| Iowa | Hawkeye Point | 1671 | via IA-60 and 130th St. | <0.1 | <10 | n/a | Drive-up |
| Indiana | Hoosier Hill | 1257 | via Elliott Rd. | <0.1 | <10 | n/a | Class 0 |
| Illinois | Charles Mound | 1235 | from upper parking lot | ~0.25 | ~75 | 3.25 | Class 1 |
| Illinois | Charles Mound | 1235 | from W Charles Mound Rd. | ~1.25 | ~200 | 1.74 | Class 1 |
| Idaho | Borah Peak | 12668 | via Chicken-Out Ridge Trail | ~3.4 | 5260 | 16.33 | Class 3 |
| Hawaii | Mauna Kea | 13803 | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Georgia | Brasstown Bald | 4784 | via shuttle | <0.1 | <10 | n/a | Drive-up |
| Georgia | Brasstown Bald | 4784 | from upper parking lot | 0.5 | ~500 | 10.72 | Class 1 |
| Georgia | Brasstown Bald | 4784 | from Jack's Gap | 3 | 1780 | 6.41 | Class 1 |
| Florida | Britton Hill | 345 | via N Co Hwy 285 | <0.1 | <10 | n/a | Class 0 |
| Delaware | Ebright Azimuth | 447 | via Ebright Rd. | <0.1 | <10 | n/a | Drive-up |
| Connecticut | Mt. Frissell | 2379 | via Mt. Frissell Trail | 1.8 | 490 | 2.95 | Class 2 |
| Colorado | Mt. Elbert | 14440 | South Elbert Trail | 5.6 | 4880 | 9.37 | Class 1 |
| California | Mt. Whitney | 14505 | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Arkansas | Mt. Magazine | 2753 | via park trail | 0.6 | ~225 | 4.06 | Class 1 |
| Arizona | Humphreys Peak | 12637 | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Alaska | Denali | 20310 | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Alabama | Cheaha Mountain | 2413 | via park road | <0.1 | <10 | n/a | Drive-up |
Difficulty ratings explained:
- Drive-up: One can park a car directly in front of the high point (or, in the case of Brasstown Bald, be dropped off directly in front of it).
- Class 0: Wheelchair accessible; pavement or a smooth dirt trail (not an official YDS rating).
- (YDS) Class 1: A low-incline hike over dirt or rock with sections of uneven footing.
- (YDS) Class 2: A steep hike or gentle scramble that occasionally requires the use of hands for balance.
- (YDS) Class 3: A scramble requiring handholds. Sections may be exposed to a significant fall.
- (YDS) Class 4: Simple climbing on plentiful holds. A fall could be lethal.
- (YDS) Class 5: Technical rock climbing in which a rope is often used to protect against falls. Subdivided by difficulty into classes from 5.1 to 5.15.