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Best Pilgrimage Hikes in Hesse

14 routes in Hesse qualify, ranked below by how much walkers rate them. They average 45.0 km and 990 m (3,248 ft) of ascent, with the longest running to 97.5 km.

That is 1 percent of the 1,972 routes we map in Hesse. They run noticeably longer than average for the area, 45.0 km against 16.5 km, so budget more daylight than a typical outing here. The climbing is steeper too: 990 m (3,248 ft) on average versus 367 m (1,204 ft) across the wider area.

Historic pilgrim ways come with waymarking, infrastructure and a rhythm built up over centuries of use. These lean toward the demanding end, so plan for a full day and check the forecast before you commit.

Trails

Expert

Jakobsweg Via Regia 6

Hesse · Germany

Distance
97.5 km
/ 60.6 mi
Elevation gain
2,145 m
Typical duration
26 hr
  • Mountain
  • Pilgrimage route
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Jakobsweg Bremen (Rhön)-Fulda

Hesse · Germany

Distance
51.6 km
/ 32.0 mi
Elevation gain
1,135 m
Typical duration
13 hr
  • Mountain
  • Pilgrimage route
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Jakobsweg - Fulda-Herbstein

Hesse · Germany

Distance
32.7 km
/ 20.3 mi
Elevation gain
719 m
Typical duration
8 hr 25 min
  • Pilgrimage route
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Jakobsweg Gießen - Wetzlar

Hesse · Germany

Distance
16.7 km
/ 10.4 mi
Elevation gain
367 m
Typical duration
4 hr 4 min
  • Pilgrimage route
  • Waymarked route

The shortlist, side by side

The ten highest scoring routes on this page, so you can compare effort before opening any of them.

Distance, ascent, walking time and difficulty for the top routes
RouteDistanceAscentTimeDifficultyBest season
Jakobsweg Via Regia 6Hesse97.5 km2,145 m26 hrExpertApril to October
Jakobsweg Fulda - Frankfurt - Mainz (Teilstrecke Frankfurt - Mainz)Hesse54.9 km1,208 m14 hrExpertApril to October
Jakobsweg Fulda - Frankfurt - Mainz (Teilstrecke Fulda - Wächtersbach)Hesse57.6 km1,266 m15 hrExpertApril to October
Jakobsweg Fulda - Frankfurt - Mainz (Teilstrecke Wächtersbach - Frankfurt)Hesse53.8 km1,183 m14 hrExpertApril to October
Jakobsweg Höxter - Marburg (Teilstrecke Fritzlar - Marburg)Hesse79.5 km1,748 m21 hrExpertApril to October
Jakobsweg - Herbstein - MünzenbergHesse55.2 km1,215 m14 hrExpertApril to October
Jakobsweg Bremen (Rhön)-FuldaHesse51.6 km1,135 m13 hrExpertApril to October
Jakobsweg Höxter - Marburg (Teilstrecke Volkmarsen - Fritzlar)Hesse44.1 km970 m11 hrExpertApril to October
Jakobsweg - Fulda-HerbsteinHesse32.7 km719 m8 hr 25 minHardApril to October
Jakobsweg Gießen - WetzlarHesse16.7 km367 m4 hr 4 minHardApril to October

If you only have time for one, start with Jakobsweg Via Regia 6, Jakobsweg Fulda - Frankfurt - Mainz (Teilstrecke Frankfurt - Mainz), Jakobsweg Fulda - Frankfurt - Mainz (Teilstrecke Wächtersbach - Frankfurt). Those are the routes people come back to. Every route on this page links through to a full guide with the map, elevation profile, seasonal advice and what to bring.

Frequently asked questions

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