Choosing a trail
How to read hiking elevation, distance and grades
By Aus Trails · Reviewed against the current app.
The kilometre count tells only part of a walk’s story. Look at distance, elevation profile, grade and route type together to make a more informed choice, then read the trail guide and current park information.
Start with the route type and mapped distance
Aus Trails calculates route distances from the mapped geometry. A loop returns toward its start, an out-and-back retraces a route, and a point-to-point walk ends somewhere else. Check the route type before planning transport or assuming where you will finish.
Mapped routes can differ from signage or a GPS recording. Data resolution, recorded movement and changes on the ground can all affect a comparison. Use the full trail description to understand what the displayed route covers.
Read the shape of the elevation profile
Elevation gain is the climbing accumulated along the mapped route. It differs from the highest point: an undulating trail can accumulate climbing through several smaller rises.
The profile shows where those climbs occur along the route. Look for a steep opening section, repeated climbs, or a long descent that becomes an ascent on the return. The horizontal and vertical axes use different scales, so the visual slope on a chart is not a literal picture of the hillside.
Use grade and estimated time as context
The trail browser groups routes using Easy, Moderate, Hard and Expert labels. These are the labels in the Aus Trails dataset, not a claim that every route has been independently certified against a particular grading scheme.
Estimated time is a planning reference, rather than a completion target. Stops, conditions, fitness, navigation and the people you walk with affect the actual outing. Read the route-specific guide, and choose a walk that gives you room to adjust.
Compare a short walk with a summit route
Open the Cougal Cascades and Mount Mitchell trail pages and compare the distance, climbing, estimated time and profile shape. This is more useful than selecting either one from a short headline alone.
Use the 3D map to place the route in the landscape, then follow the trail-guide links for more context. Park notices and current access information remain a separate check; a published map can stay available while a track is temporarily closed.