The Huashan trail in China is perhaps one of the most dangerous hiking trails in the world and one look at this photo confirms this designation. Rich Archer posted a detailed description of the trail with tons of photos on his website that’s definitely worth a look - that is if you’re not afraid of heights

This trail is particuarly dangerous not because of its height (though it is very high) or the weather conditions on Mt. Huashan. The danger stems from the fact that this trail is open to tourists who have little to no mountaineering training and who are given the illusion of safety by the presense of steps and chain ropes along the trail.

I’ve hiked just two hiking trails that I would consider somewhat dangerous. The first, Daniel Boone Scout Trail near Blowing Rock, NC really isn’t all that dangerous but it’s one of the few I’ve seen that requires fixed ropes and ladders to get to the summit. The second, the Stone Mountain summit trail just outside Atlanta, is hiked by thousands of families and children each year. But for such a mainstream hike (it’s almost exactly 1 mile from the parking lot to the summit) the steep grade (more than 600 feet of climbing) and the rocky/rooty tread make this a risky hike for many who make the attempt. Sometimes the most dangerous thing about a hike is its easy accessibility for any and all takers.

What’s the most dangerous trail you’ve hiked?

Related posts:

1. Hiking every trail in the White Mountains
2. Hiking trail maps posted
3. Hiking Trail “To-do” List
4. Dangerous Travel Itineraries
5. Hiking the entire Pinhoti trail in sections

This entry was posted on Monday, October 13th, 2008 at 5:59 am and is filed under hiking. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.