This is a 3.79 mile trail that basically follows the contour at a relatively constant elevation between a trailhead in Carr Canyon and another trailhead in Miller Canyon. But there are definitely some "ups" and "downs" in this hike.  If one starts at either the Carr Canyon trailhead or the Miller Canyon trailhead the first third of a mile is largely uphill.  The middle portion meanders up and down as needed.  My GPS indicated that the sum of all "ups" was 1594 feet of altitude gain and the sum of all "downs" was about 1693 feet when hiking from Carr Canyon to Miller Canyon on the Perimeter Trail.  Since GPS is not as accurate with altitude this may be an overestimation but there is clearly some good exercise associated with vertical changes associated with this hike.  However, there are no long uphill stretches and so there is less "breathlessness" than there is with some hikes that do have unrelenting uphill stretches. Including a short snack stop, the hike takes about three hours at a leisurely pace.

This hike can begin at either the Miller Canyon Trailhead or the Carr Canyon Trailhead.

There are pit toilets at both trailheads.

Be sure that you get on the correct trail (the Perimeter Trail) at the Carr Canyon Trailhead.

There are nice picnic facilities at the Carr Canyon Trailhead.