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 Wisconsin with a measurable elevation-gain tag — out of the 10,119 entries OutsideAtlas tracks here — and ranked them by total vertical. The result is a roster of climbs that punch above their mileage.
Wisconsin's driftless area in the southwest (escaped glaciation), the Door Peninsula, the Apostle Islands, and the Northwoods produce surprising topographic variety. Timms Hill (1,951 ft) is the state high; vertical-gain rankings flag driftless-area bluffs and Apostle Islands shoreline routes. Ticks (Lyme present), bears in the Northwoods, and rapid Great Lakes weather along the Apostle Islands.
Our rankings here are data-driven — pulled from the 10,119 mapped entries OutsideAtlas tracks in Wisconsin — 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 #5. Click through any entry for the full trail page — map, elevation profile, weather forecast, and direct OpenStreetMap source link.
#1. Humfield Summit Trail
Humfield Summit Trail ranks #1 for vertical gain, sitting near Onalaska in La Crosse County. Expect grass surface on a genuinely demanding 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 Humfield Summit Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#2. Mt Arvon Summit Trail
Mt Arvon Summit Trail ranks #2 for vertical gain, sitting near Skanee in Baraga County. Expect ground surface on a genuinely demanding 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. The natural-surface tread can get slick after rain and muddy in spring — pick a dry weather window if you have the flexibility. 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 Mt Arvon Summit Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#3. Long Trail North
Long Trail North ranks #3 for vertical gain, sitting near Eau Claire in Eau Claire County. Expect dirt surface on a genuinely demanding 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. The natural-surface tread can get slick after rain and muddy in spring — pick a dry weather window if you have the flexibility. 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 Long Trail North trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#4. Long Trail South
Long Trail South ranks #4 for vertical gain, sitting near Eau Claire in Eau Claire County. Expect dirt surface on a genuinely demanding grade. Compared to similar trails in Wisconsin, this route trades difficulty for either solitude or scenery — sometimes both. The natural-surface tread can get slick after rain and muddy in spring — pick a dry weather window if you have the flexibility. 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 Long Trail South trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#5. Nerfherder DH
Nerfherder DH ranks #5 for vertical gain, sitting near La Crosse in La Crosse County. Expect dirt surface on a expert-only 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. The natural-surface tread can get slick after rain and muddy in spring — pick a dry weather window if you have the flexibility. 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 Nerfherder DH trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.Planning your Wisconsin trip
A few pieces of context are worth keeping in mind specifically for Wisconsin. May-October is the practical window; winters are severe; spring blackflies and summer ticks are seasonally significant. Ticks (Lyme present), bears in the Northwoods, and rapid Great Lakes weather along the Apostle Islands.
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 Wisconsin hiking guides
If you found this useful, the rest of our Wisconsin coverage continues below.
- Top 10 longest trails in Wisconsin — Multi-day routes and through-hikes ranked by distance.
- Best beginner hikes in Wisconsin — Easy, well-marked trails for first-time hikers.
- Most challenging hikes in Wisconsin — Expert-rated routes for experienced hikers only.
- Best national parks in Wisconsin — Federal parks and recreation areas ranked.
- Best waterfall hikes in Wisconsin — Trails leading to named falls, ranked by accessibility.
- Best dog-friendly hikes in Wisconsin — Where leashed dogs are explicitly welcome.
- Best family hikes in Wisconsin — 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 Wisconsin 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.
