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Hard Hiking Trails near Wuppertal

We track 86 routes that match this search near Wuppertal. They average 61.0 km and 1,343 m (4,406 ft) of ascent, with the longest running to 263 km.

That is 51 percent of the 170 routes we map near Wuppertal. They run noticeably longer than average for the area, 61.0 km against 34.5 km, so budget more daylight than a typical outing here. The climbing is steeper too: 1,343 m (4,406 ft) on average versus 760 m (2,493 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

Bergischer Weg

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
263 km
/ 164 mi
Elevation gain
5,794 m
Typical duration
71 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Emscherparkweg XE

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
131 km
/ 81.5 mi
Elevation gain
2,884 m
Typical duration
35 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

GeoRoute Ruhr

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
131 km
/ 81.6 mi
Elevation gain
2,889 m
Typical duration
35 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Jakobs-Pilgerweg Dortmund - Aachen

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
186 km
/ 116 mi
Elevation gain
4,097 m
Typical duration
50 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Jakobs-Pilgerweg Essen - Düsseldorf

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
61.5 km
/ 38.2 mi
Elevation gain
1,352 m
Typical duration
16 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Ruhrhöhenweg (Duisburg-Essen)

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
63.5 km
/ 39.5 mi
Elevation gain
1,397 m
Typical duration
16 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Ruhrhöhenweg (Hattingen - Menden)

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
70.3 km
/ 43.7 mi
Elevation gain
1,548 m
Typical duration
18 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Jakobs-Pilgerweg Beyenburg-Köln

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
58.8 km
/ 36.6 mi
Elevation gain
1,294 m
Typical duration
15 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Jakobs-Pilgerweg Hagen - Lennep

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
38.2 km
/ 23.7 mi
Elevation gain
841 m
Typical duration
9 hr 55 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Duisburg - Raesfeld X11

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
62.9 km
/ 39.1 mi
Elevation gain
1,384 m
Typical duration
16 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Kölnpfad

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
159 km
/ 99.0 mi
Elevation gain
3,504 m
Typical duration
42 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Mein Grüngürtel Rundweg G1

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
64.0 km
/ 39.7 mi
Elevation gain
1,407 m
Typical duration
16 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Niederrheinweg

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
134 km
/ 83.2 mi
Elevation gain
2,945 m
Typical duration
35 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Pilgerweg Meinerzhagen-E

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
106 km
/ 65.8 mi
Elevation gain
2,328 m
Typical duration
28 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Rhein-Ruhr-Emscherweg

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
90.3 km
/ 56.1 mi
Elevation gain
1,986 m
Typical duration
24 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Rheinauenweg

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
99.7 km
/ 61.9 mi
Elevation gain
2,193 m
Typical duration
26 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Rund um Dortmund D

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
102 km
/ 63.4 mi
Elevation gain
2,246 m
Typical duration
27 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Wupperweg

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
126 km
/ 78.3 mi
Elevation gain
2,772 m
Typical duration
33 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

X12 Steinkohleweg Orsoy-Hinsbeck

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
73.6 km
/ 45.7 mi
Elevation gain
1,619 m
Typical duration
19 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

X17 Harkortweg [Velbert-Werdohl]

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
109 km
/ 67.7 mi
Elevation gain
2,397 m
Typical duration
29 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

X2 Arnold-Mock-Weg

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
219 km
/ 136 mi
Elevation gain
4,808 m
Typical duration
58 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

X20 Volme-Höhen-Weg

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
99.3 km
/ 61.7 mi
Elevation gain
2,184 m
Typical duration
26 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

X28 Graf-Engelbert-Weg

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
71.5 km
/ 44.4 mi
Elevation gain
1,573 m
Typical duration
18 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

X3 Rhein-Netteseen-Weg

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
111 km
/ 69.1 mi
Elevation gain
2,447 m
Typical duration
29 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

X4 Höhlenweg

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
76.4 km
/ 47.5 mi
Elevation gain
1,681 m
Typical duration
20 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

X5 Rhein-Niers-Weg

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
74.8 km
/ 46.5 mi
Elevation gain
1,645 m
Typical duration
19 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

neanderland STEIG

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
242 km
/ 150 mi
Elevation gain
5,319 m
Typical duration
65 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Bergbauweg

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
49.5 km
/ 30.8 mi
Elevation gain
1,090 m
Typical duration
13 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Pingenweg Raute 8

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
33.4 km
/ 20.7 mi
Elevation gain
734 m
Typical duration
8 hr 36 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Raute10 Hugo-Kracht-Weg

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
51.5 km
/ 32.0 mi
Elevation gain
1,133 m
Typical duration
13 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Expert

[Raute3] Niederberg Nord

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
41.8 km
/ 26.0 mi
Elevation gain
920 m
Typical duration
10 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Expert

[Raute4] Eggenweg

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
44.1 km
/ 27.4 mi
Elevation gain
971 m
Typical duration
11 hr
  • Mountain
  • 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
Bergischer WegNorth Rhine-Westphalia263 km5,794 m71 hrExpertApril to October
Emscherparkweg XENorth Rhine-Westphalia131 km2,884 m35 hrExpertApril to October
GeoRoute RuhrNorth Rhine-Westphalia131 km2,889 m35 hrExpertApril to October
Jakobs-Pilgerweg Dortmund - AachenNorth Rhine-Westphalia186 km4,097 m50 hrExpertApril to October
Jakobs-Pilgerweg Essen - DüsseldorfNorth Rhine-Westphalia61.5 km1,352 m16 hrExpertApril to October
Ruhrhöhenweg (Duisburg-Essen)North Rhine-Westphalia63.5 km1,397 m16 hrExpertApril to October
Ruhrhöhenweg (Hattingen - Menden)North Rhine-Westphalia70.3 km1,548 m18 hrExpertApril to October
Jakobs-Pilgerweg Beyenburg-KölnNorth Rhine-Westphalia58.8 km1,294 m15 hrExpertApril to October
Jakobs-Pilgerweg Hagen - LennepNorth Rhine-Westphalia38.2 km841 m9 hr 55 minExpertApril to October
Jakobs-Pilgerweg Heidenstraße (Teilstück Attendorn- Meinerzhagen - Marienheide - Lindlar)North Rhine-Westphalia52.4 km1,153 m13 hrExpertApril to October

If you only have time for one, start with Bergischer Weg, Jakobs-Pilgerweg Essen - Düsseldorf, Ruhrhöhenweg (Duisburg-Essen). 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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