Distance is one measure of a hike. Elevation gain is the one that decides how your legs feel the next morning. We pulled every trail in Ohio with a measurable elevation-gain tag — out of the 9,884 entries OutsideAtlas tracks here — and ranked them by total vertical. The result is a roster of climbs that punch above their mileage.
Ohio's southeast (Hocking Hills, Wayne National Forest) is unexpectedly steep sandstone canyon country; the north and west are glaciated plains. Campbell Hill (1,549 ft) is the state high; vertical-gain rankings flag Hocking Hills and Wayne NF routes. Copperheads in the southeast hills, ticks across the state, and slip hazards on wet sandstone in the Hocking Hills.
Our rankings here are data-driven — pulled from the 9,884 mapped entries OutsideAtlas tracks in Ohio — but the data has limits worth being honest about. Elevation-gain figures depend on the surveyor and the digital-elevation model used. Some trails are missing this tag entirely and are excluded from the list. Treat numbers as approximate but directionally reliable.
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. May 4 Memorial
May 4 Memorial leads the elevation rankings with 1,158 ft of climbing — the kind of gain that turns a 6-mile day into an honest workout. Expect 1,158 ft of gain, paved surface on a forgiving 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. A paved surface makes this one of the more accessible options on the list — good for strollers, mobility aids, and wet-weather days. Climbing fitness — not raw mileage — is the gating factor. Trekking poles and an early start pay off. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the May 4 Memorial trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#2. Hawks Lair
Hawks Lair comes in at #2 with 927 ft of climbing — the kind of gain that turns a 6-mile day into an honest workout. Expect 927 ft of gain on a forgiving 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. Climbing fitness — not raw mileage — is the gating factor. Trekking poles and an early start pay off. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Hawks Lair trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#3. Hawks Lair
Hawks Lair comes in at #3 with 927 ft of climbing — the kind of gain that turns a 6-mile day into an honest workout. Expect 927 ft of gain on a forgiving grade. 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. Climbing fitness — not raw mileage — is the gating factor. Trekking poles and an early start pay off. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Hawks Lair trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#4. Hawks Lair
Hawks Lair comes in at #4 with 927 ft of climbing — the kind of gain that turns a 6-mile day into an honest workout. Expect 927 ft of gain on a forgiving grade. Compared to similar trails in Ohio, this route trades difficulty for either solitude or scenery — sometimes both. Climbing fitness — not raw mileage — is the gating factor. Trekking poles and an early start pay off. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Hawks Lair trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#5. Hawks Lair
Hawks Lair comes in at #5 with 927 ft of climbing — the kind of gain that turns a 6-mile day into an honest workout. Expect 927 ft of gain on a forgiving 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. Climbing fitness — not raw mileage — is the gating factor. Trekking poles and an early start pay off. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Hawks Lair trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#6. Hawks Lair
Hawks Lair comes in at #6 with 926 ft of climbing — the kind of gain that turns a 6-mile day into an honest workout. Expect 926 ft of gain on a forgiving 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. Climbing fitness — not raw mileage — is the gating factor. Trekking poles and an early start pay off. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Hawks Lair trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#7. Hawks Lair
Hawks Lair comes in at #7 with 926 ft of climbing — the kind of gain that turns a 6-mile day into an honest workout. Expect 926 ft of gain on a forgiving 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. Climbing fitness — not raw mileage — is the gating factor. Trekking poles and an early start pay off. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Hawks Lair trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#8. Hawks Lair
Hawks Lair comes in at #8 with 926 ft of climbing — the kind of gain that turns a 6-mile day into an honest workout. Expect 926 ft of gain on a forgiving grade. 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. Climbing fitness — not raw mileage — is the gating factor. Trekking poles and an early start pay off. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Hawks Lair trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#9. Hawks Lair
Hawks Lair comes in at #9 with 926 ft of climbing — the kind of gain that turns a 6-mile day into an honest workout. Expect 926 ft of gain on a forgiving grade. Compared to similar trails in Ohio, this route trades difficulty for either solitude or scenery — sometimes both. Climbing fitness — not raw mileage — is the gating factor. Trekking poles and an early start pay off. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Hawks Lair trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#10. Hawks Lair
Hawks Lair comes in at #10 with 926 ft of climbing — the kind of gain that turns a 6-mile day into an honest workout. Expect 926 ft of gain on a forgiving 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. Climbing fitness — not raw mileage — is the gating factor. Trekking poles and an early start pay off. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Hawks Lair trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.Planning your Ohio trip
A few pieces of context are worth keeping in mind specifically for Ohio. Spring and fall are prime; summer humidity is significant; winter brings ice in southeast canyons. Copperheads in the southeast hills, ticks across the state, and slip hazards on wet sandstone in the Hocking Hills.
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 Ohio hiking guides
If you found this useful, the rest of our Ohio coverage continues below.
- Top 10 longest trails in Ohio — Multi-day routes and through-hikes ranked by distance.
- Best beginner hikes in Ohio — Easy, well-marked trails for first-time hikers.
- Most challenging hikes in Ohio — Expert-rated routes for experienced hikers only.
- Best national parks in Ohio — Federal parks and recreation areas ranked.
- Best waterfall hikes in Ohio — Trails leading to named falls, ranked by accessibility.
- Best dog-friendly hikes in Ohio — Where leashed dogs are explicitly welcome.
- Best family hikes in Ohio — 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 Ohio 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.
