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🌲 Best Forest Trails

Routes carrying the forest tag

Every route here carries the forest tag. The directory does not measure the percentage under canopy or guarantee shade, shelter or seasonal colour.

Updated September 2026

Choose by the details

How do these routes differ?

A closer look at the first 6 routes in this page’s default ordering. These comparisons describe this sample, not the entire destination or a field-tested recommendation.

Shortest mapped distance in this sample

15.8 km

Variante Faja de las Olas

Compare the climbing too; shortest does not necessarily mean easiest.

Lowest recorded ascent in this sample

503 m

Via Francigena - Historical variant

6 of 6 have ascent data. Missing measurements are excluded.

Return logistics

0 recorded loops

Check start and finish for every option. An unknown shape does not mean a loop, and a loop does not establish access to its start.

Plan the return journey →

Distances follow stored route lines; ascent and time are estimates. Current access, surface and technical difficulty need separate checks. How to turn a comparison into a shortlist.

Compare the top 10

Start with the effort involved, then open a route for its map and full guide.

Distance, ascent, estimated moving time, difficulty and season field for the top routes
RouteDistanceAscentEst. timeDifficultySeason field
Variante Faja de las OlasOrdesa y Monte Perdido National Park15.8 km1,811 m6 hr 3 minHardJuly to September
[E4/E5] Europäischer Fernwanderweg Rhein bis Grenze DSt. Gallen60.7 km1,656 m16 hrExpertApril to October
GR 5 LorraineLuxembourg293 km2,401 m73 hrExpertApril to October
Via Francigena - Historical variantVaud33.8 km503 m8 hr 21 minHardApril to October
Etapa 09: Arcos de las Salinas - Camarena de la SierraAragon23.6 km975 m6 hr 39 minHardJune to October
Jura Crest TrailVaud35.9 km1,520 m10 hrExpertApril to October
Jura Crest TrailNeuchâtel13.0 km888 m4 hr 2 minHardApril to October
Via Cluny Variante Morteau Etape 2Neuchâtel20.3 km619 m5 hr 19 minHardApril to October
Bartram TrailGeorgia164 km4,533 m45 hrExpertJune to October
Etapa 08: Abejuela - Arcos de las SalinasAragon22.1 km557 m5 hr 39 minHardApril to October

Routes in this collection

Hard

Variante Faja de las Olas

Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park · Aragon

Distance
15.8 km
/ 9.8 mi
Elevation gain
1,811 m
Typical duration
6 hr 3 min
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
500px provided description: light in a field of rye, blossoms of cornflower, it's like an expressionist picture [#landscape ,#cornflower ,#hugin ,#France ,#Lorraine ,#Delme]
Expert

GR 5 Lorraine

Luxembourg

Distance
293 km
/ 182 mi
Elevation gain
2,401 m
Typical duration
73 hr
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Jura Crest Trail

Vaud · Switzerland

Distance
35.9 km
/ 22.3 mi
Elevation gain
1,520 m
Typical duration
10 hr
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Jura Crest Trail

Neuchâtel · Switzerland

Distance
13.0 km
/ 8.1 mi
Elevation gain
888 m
Typical duration
4 hr 2 min
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Bartram Trail

Georgia · United States

Distance
164 km
/ 102 mi
Elevation gain
4,533 m
Typical duration
45 hr
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Geneva Lake Trail

Colorado · United States

Distance
37.5 km
/ 23.3 mi
Elevation gain
2,175 m
Typical duration
11 hr
  • Lake
  • Mountain
  • Forest
Expert

Mattabesett Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
95.2 km
/ 59.2 mi
Elevation gain
1,205 m
Typical duration
24 hr
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Metacomet Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
95.1 km
/ 59.1 mi
Elevation gain
1,550 m
Typical duration
24 hr
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Sundhedsspor Arresødal Skov

Nationalpark Kongernes Nordsjælland · Capital Region of Denmark

Distance
1.4 km
/ 0.8 mi
Elevation gain
17 m
Typical duration
19 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Berg- & Waldweg

Burgenland · Austria

Distance
8.3 km
/ 5.2 mi
Elevation gain
141 m
Typical duration
1 hr 56 min
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Wald- und Bründllehrpfad

Burgenland · Austria

Distance
9.4 km
/ 5.9 mi
Elevation gain
322 m
Typical duration
2 hr 27 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

35. Les contrebandiers

Luxembourg

Distance
9.8 km
/ 6.1 mi
Elevation gain
91 m
Typical duration
2 hr 11 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Via Cluny Etape 8

Vaud · Switzerland

Distance
7.5 km
/ 4.7 mi
Elevation gain
114 m
Typical duration
1 hr 45 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Jura Crest Trail

Vaud · Switzerland

Distance
18.4 km
/ 11.4 mi
Elevation gain
697 m
Typical duration
4 hr 58 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

ViaJacobi

Fribourg · Switzerland

Distance
16.5 km
/ 10.3 mi
Elevation gain
94 m
Typical duration
3 hr 38 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Yale-Myers Forest Research Site off Nipmuck Trail.
Expert

Nipmuck Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
45.9 km
/ 28.5 mi
Elevation gain
633 m
Typical duration
11 hr
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Maroon Bells 7-4
Hard

Maroon-Snowmass Trail

Colorado · United States

Distance
26.4 km
/ 16.4 mi
Elevation gain
1,078 m
Typical duration
7 hr 28 min
  • Mountain
  • Forest

More collections

Plan with more confidence

All planning articles →

Choosing a route

How to choose a hike beyond the difficulty label

Compare distance, climbing, route shape and missing information to build a shortlist that fits your day.

Read article →

Understanding the map

Read an elevation profile without misreading the climb

Understand total ascent, net height change, profile scale and the section breakdown on each mapped route.

Read article →

Planning your day

Build a hiking time plan with room for your own pace

Separate moving time, climbing allowance and stops, then explore how changing your assumptions changes the plan.

Read article →