Skip to content

Hard Hiking Trails in Germany

There are 4,456 hikes in Germany in our database that fit. They average 44.9 km and 989 m (3,245 ft) of ascent, with the longest running to 581 km.

That is 10 percent of the 46,167 routes we map in Germany. They run noticeably longer than average for the area, 44.9 km against 8.5 km, so budget more daylight than a typical outing here. The climbing is steeper too: 989 m (3,245 ft) on average versus 188 m (617 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

Expert

Harzer Hexenstieg Brockenumgehung

Nationalpark Harz · Lower Saxony

Distance
34.7 km
/ 21.6 mi
Elevation gain
764 m
Typical duration
8 hr 58 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Via Alpina Purple A41

Nationalpark Berchtesgaden · Bavaria

Distance
16.0 km
/ 9.9 mi
Elevation gain
352 m
Typical duration
3 hr 53 min
  • Lake
Expert

Goldsteig Alternative Nr.19

Bavarian Forest National Park · Bavaria

Distance
62.3 km
/ 38.7 mi
Elevation gain
1,371 m
Typical duration
16 hr
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Expert

DichterMusikerMaler-Weg (DE)

Saxon Switzerland National Park · Saxony

Distance
74.9 km
/ 46.6 mi
Elevation gain
1,648 m
Typical duration
19 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Müritz-Nationalpark-Wanderweg

Müritz-Nationalpark · Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

Distance
173 km
/ 107 mi
Elevation gain
3,805 m
Typical duration
46 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Wildnis-Trail

Nationalpark Eifel · North Rhine-Westphalia

Distance
83.9 km
/ 52.2 mi
Elevation gain
1,846 m
Typical duration
22 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Rur-Olef-Route

Nationalpark Eifel · North Rhine-Westphalia

Distance
58.4 km
/ 36.3 mi
Elevation gain
1,296 m
Typical duration
15 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Jakobsweg Hegau

Baden-Württemberg · Germany

Distance
68.2 km
/ 42.4 mi
Elevation gain
1,500 m
Typical duration
18 hr
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Castle and ruins
Expert

Eifel-Camino

Rhineland-Palatinate · Germany

Distance
148 km
/ 92.2 mi
Elevation gain
3,266 m
Typical duration
39 hr
  • Mountain
  • Pilgrimage route
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Jakobsweg Via Regia 2

Saxony · Germany

Distance
79.7 km
/ 49.5 mi
Elevation gain
1,753 m
Typical duration
21 hr
  • Mountain
  • Pilgrimage route
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Jakobsweg Via Regia 3

Saxony · Germany

Distance
96.3 km
/ 59.9 mi
Elevation gain
2,119 m
Typical duration
25 hr
  • Mountain
  • Pilgrimage route
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Jakobsweg Via Regia 4

Saxony-Anhalt · Germany

Distance
70.2 km
/ 43.6 mi
Elevation gain
1,545 m
Typical duration
18 hr
  • Mountain
  • Pilgrimage route
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Jakobsweg Via Regia 5

Saxony-Anhalt · Germany

Distance
71.8 km
/ 44.6 mi
Elevation gain
1,579 m
Typical duration
19 hr
  • Mountain
  • Pilgrimage route
  • Waymarked route
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: Mainz - Bingen - Trier

Rhineland-Palatinate · Germany

Distance
162 km
/ 100 mi
Elevation gain
3,555 m
Typical duration
43 hr
  • Mountain
  • Pilgrimage route
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Mosel-Camino

Rhineland-Palatinate · Germany

Distance
157 km
/ 97.5 mi
Elevation gain
3,454 m
Typical duration
42 hr
  • Mountain
  • Pilgrimage route
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Via Romea - Deutschland - Bayern

Bavaria · Germany

Distance
508 km
/ 316 mi
Elevation gain
11,181 m
Typical duration
137 hr
  • Mountain
  • Pilgrimage route
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Jakobsweg Via Regia 1

Saxony · Germany

Distance
54.7 km
/ 34.0 mi
Elevation gain
1,203 m
Typical duration
14 hr
  • Mountain
  • Pilgrimage route
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Dolnośląska Droga św. Jakuba

Saxony · Germany

Distance
160 km
/ 99.3 mi
Elevation gain
3,516 m
Typical duration
42 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path

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
European long distance path E6, Germany, Alternative Bavarian ForestBavarian Forest National Park40.6 km894 m10 hrExpertApril to October
North South Trail, Section Forbach - HarkNationalpark Schwarzwald64.5 km1,419 m17 hrExpertApril to October
Fernwanderweg Zittau – Wernigerode (Sachsen Ost)Saxon Switzerland National Park263 km5,775 m70 hrExpertApril to October
Hessenweg 8 (Teilstück Korbach - Bad Wildungen)Nationalpark Kellerwald-Edersee64.9 km1,428 m17 hrExpertApril to October
Hugenotten- und Waldenserpfad (Hauptweg - Teilstrecke Frankenberg - Naumburg (Hessen))Nationalpark Kellerwald-Edersee68.5 km1,507 m18 hrExpertApril to October
Lausitzer Schlange 2: Rathen – ValtenbergSaxon Switzerland National Park92.9 km2,043 m24 hrExpertApril to October
Harzer Hexenstieg BrockenumgehungNationalpark Harz34.7 km764 m8 hr 58 minExpertApril to October
Via Alpina Purple A41Nationalpark Berchtesgaden16.0 km352 m3 hr 53 minHardApril to October
Goldsteig N16: Großer Falkenstein - RachelBavarian Forest National Park27.0 km595 m6 hr 53 minHardApril to October
Goldsteig Alternative Nr.19Bavarian Forest National Park62.3 km1,371 m16 hrExpertApril to October

If you only have time for one, start with European long distance path E6, Germany, Alternative Bavarian Forest, North South Trail, Section Forbach - Hark, Hessenweg 8 (Teilstück Korbach - Bad Wildungen). 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

Related guides

Other shortlists covering the same area or the same kind of terrain.

People also search for