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Hard Hiking Trails in Estonia

108 routes in Estonia qualify, ranked below by how much walkers rate them. They average 42.7 km and 939 m (3,081 ft) of ascent, with the longest running to 477 km.

That is 36 percent of the 299 routes we map in Estonia. They run noticeably longer than average for the area, 42.7 km against 19.0 km, so budget more daylight than a typical outing here. The climbing is steeper too: 939 m (3,081 ft) on average versus 419 m (1,375 ft) across the wider area.

Hard routes mean sustained ascent, long descents and a real need to watch the clock and the forecast. These lean toward the demanding end, so plan for a full day and check the forecast before you commit.

Trails

Hard

Käsmu hiking trail

Lahemaa National Park · Lääne-Viru County

Distance
16.0 km
/ 9.9 mi
Elevation gain
352 m
Typical duration
3 hr 53 min
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Karula pikk jalgsimatkarada

Karula National Park · Valga County

Distance
32.2 km
/ 20.0 mi
Elevation gain
708 m
Typical duration
8 hr 17 min
Hard

E9 section 31: Ikla-Kabli

Pärnu County · Estonia

Distance
16.0 km
/ 10.0 mi
Elevation gain
353 m
Typical duration
3 hr 54 min
  • Waymarked route
Hard

E9 section 34: Uulu-Pärnu

Pärnu County · Estonia

Distance
21.1 km
/ 13.1 mi
Elevation gain
464 m
Typical duration
5 hr 16 min
  • Waymarked route
Hard

E9 section 35: Pärnu-Liu

Pärnu County · Estonia

Distance
21.8 km
/ 13.5 mi
Elevation gain
479 m
Typical duration
5 hr 27 min
  • Waymarked route
Hard

E9 section 36: Liu-Munalaid

Pärnu County · Estonia

Distance
21.1 km
/ 13.1 mi
Elevation gain
464 m
Typical duration
5 hr 16 min
  • Waymarked route
Hard

E9 section 43: Kuke-Meelva

Pärnu County · Estonia

Distance
18.5 km
/ 11.5 mi
Elevation gain
408 m
Typical duration
4 hr 35 min
  • 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
Eesti Jaakobitee Day 3: Riisa Rantšo to Kõpu St. Peter’s ChurchSoomaa National Park29.1 km640 m7 hr 27 minHardApril to October
RMK Oandu-Aegviidu-Ikla hiking route. I section: Oandu - KalmeojaLahemaa National Park39.9 km878 m10 hrExpertApril to October
RMK Oandu-Aegviidu-Ikla hiking route. VI section: Hüpassaare - KopraSoomaa National Park55.9 km1,230 m14 hrExpertApril to October
E11 section 42: Oandu‒KäsmuLahemaa National Park17.7 km389 m4 hr 21 minHardApril to October
E11 section 43: Käsmu‒ViinistuLahemaa National Park25.9 km569 m6 hr 34 minHardApril to October
E11 section 44: Viinistu‒LoksaLahemaa National Park20.0 km440 m4 hr 59 minHardApril to October
E11 section 45: Loksa‒TsitreLahemaa National Park21.0 km463 m5 hr 16 minHardApril to October
Käsmu hiking trailLahemaa National Park16.0 km352 m3 hr 53 minHardApril to October
d47 European long distance path E9 - part EstoniaLääne County19.2 km422 m4 hr 46 minHardApril to October
d48 European long distance path E9 - part EstoniaLääne County16.5 km363 m4 hr 1 minHardApril to October

If you only have time for one, start with Eesti Jaakobitee Day 3: Riisa Rantšo to Kõpu St. Peter’s Church, RMK Oandu-Aegviidu-Ikla hiking route. VI section: Hüpassaare - Kopra, E11 section 42: Oandu‒Käsmu. 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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