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Loop Trails in North Rhine-Westphalia

2,807 routes in North Rhine-Westphalia qualify, ranked below by how much walkers rate them. They average 8.1 km and 178 m (584 ft) of ascent, with the longest running to 145 km.

That is 49 percent of the 5,708 routes we map in North Rhine-Westphalia. They are shorter than the local average, 8.1 km against 10.3 km, which is what makes this a practical shortlist for a half day.

Circular routes: park once, finish where you started, and never walk the same section twice. The mix is broad: 1505 are rated easy and 186 are hard or harder, so there is something here whether you have two hours or a full day. A good share of them are loops, so you can park once and finish where you started.

Trails

Moderate

Eifeler Steilküste

Nationalpark Eifel · North Rhine-Westphalia

Distance
13.5 km
/ 8.4 mi
Elevation gain
297 m
Typical duration
3 hr 15 min
  • Coastal
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Dorfrundgang Erkensruhr

Nationalpark Eifel · North Rhine-Westphalia

Distance
6.9 km
/ 4.3 mi
Elevation gain
151 m
Typical duration
1 hr 39 min
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Einruhr - Sauermühle

Nationalpark Eifel · North Rhine-Westphalia

Distance
8.4 km
/ 5.2 mi
Elevation gain
184 m
Typical duration
2 hr 1 min
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Pilgern in Lippe (Westschleife)

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
115 km
/ 71.7 mi
Elevation gain
2,538 m
Typical duration
30 hr
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

ThemenTour 1 (T1)

Nationalpark Eifel · North Rhine-Westphalia

Distance
11.8 km
/ 7.3 mi
Elevation gain
260 m
Typical duration
2 hr 51 min
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

ThemenTour 1 - Abkürzung (T1)

Nationalpark Eifel · North Rhine-Westphalia

Distance
10.1 km
/ 6.3 mi
Elevation gain
222 m
Typical duration
2 hr 26 min
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Residenzweg [Detmold]

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
59.1 km
/ 36.7 mi
Elevation gain
1,300 m
Typical duration
15 hr
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Stiftsweg

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
54.3 km
/ 33.7 mi
Elevation gain
1,194 m
Typical duration
14 hr
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Bäderweg

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
78.9 km
/ 49.0 mi
Elevation gain
1,735 m
Typical duration
20 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Sintfeld-Höhenweg

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
145 km
/ 90.1 mi
Elevation gain
1,277 m
Typical duration
36 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Easy

TeutoSchleifchen Canyon Tour

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
5.3 km
/ 3.3 mi
Elevation gain
117 m
Typical duration
1 hr 17 min
  • Lake
  • Canyon and gorge
  • Forest
Expert

[BL] Bigge-Lister-Weg

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
46.1 km
/ 28.7 mi
Elevation gain
1,014 m
Typical duration
12 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Bestwiger Panoramaweg

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

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

Naturlehrpfad Meroder Wald

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
2.8 km
/ 1.7 mi
Elevation gain
62 m
Typical duration
41 min
  • Lake
  • Forest
  • Wildlife watching
Expert

(W) Rund um Witten

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
57.3 km
/ 35.6 mi
Elevation gain
1,260 m
Typical duration
15 hr
  • Lake
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

EifelSchleife Berg und Tal

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
9.2 km
/ 5.7 mi
Elevation gain
190 m
Typical duration
2 hr 11 min
  • Mountain
  • Cave
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Von Burg zu Berg

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
7.2 km
/ 4.5 mi
Elevation gain
159 m
Typical duration
1 hr 45 min
  • Mountain
  • Castle and ruins
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Fuhrmannsweg

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
45.7 km
/ 28.4 mi
Elevation gain
1,005 m
Typical duration
11 hr
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Landwehrweg

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
36.4 km
/ 22.6 mi
Elevation gain
490 m
Typical duration
8 hr 57 min
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Expert

(B) Rund um Bochum

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
65.2 km
/ 40.5 mi
Elevation gain
1,434 m
Typical duration
17 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

(H) Rund um Hattingen

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
62.2 km
/ 38.7 mi
Elevation gain
1,369 m
Typical duration
16 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

(K) Rundweg Kirchhundem

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
68.2 km
/ 42.4 mi
Elevation gain
1,500 m
Typical duration
18 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

(L) Rundweg Lennestadt

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
79.2 km
/ 49.2 mi
Elevation gain
1,743 m
Typical duration
21 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Altenau-Wanderweg

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
69.4 km
/ 43.1 mi
Elevation gain
1,527 m
Typical duration
18 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Drolshagen Rundweg (D)

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
62.8 km
/ 39.0 mi
Elevation gain
1,381 m
Typical duration
16 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Esloher Rundweg

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
68.1 km
/ 42.3 mi
Elevation gain
1,498 m
Typical duration
18 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Mescheder Höhenweg

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
66.5 km
/ 41.3 mi
Elevation gain
1,463 m
Typical duration
17 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Moderate

Teutoschleife Heiliges Meer

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
9.2 km
/ 5.7 mi
Elevation gain
202 m
Typical duration
2 hr 13 min
  • Lake
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Rundwanderweg A4 [Sandebeck]

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
7.3 km
/ 4.6 mi
Elevation gain
162 m
Typical duration
1 hr 46 min
  • Volcano
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Tour Burg Zievel

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
8.3 km
/ 5.2 mi
Elevation gain
202 m
Typical duration
2 hr 2 min
  • Forest
  • Castle and ruins
  • Waymarked route
Expert

(F) Mauritiusweg-Fröndenberg

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
35.0 km
/ 21.7 mi
Elevation gain
770 m
Typical duration
9 hr 3 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Expert

(H) Rundweg Halver

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
54.6 km
/ 33.9 mi
Elevation gain
1,201 m
Typical duration
14 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Expert

(L) Rundweg um Langenberg

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
34.3 km
/ 21.3 mi
Elevation gain
755 m
Typical duration
8 hr 52 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Expert

(M) Rund um Mülheim

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
57.8 km
/ 35.9 mi
Elevation gain
1,272 m
Typical duration
15 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Expert

(S) Rund um Schalksmühle

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
46.6 km
/ 29.0 mi
Elevation gain
1,025 m
Typical duration
12 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Expert

(S) Rund um Schwerte

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
39.9 km
/ 24.8 mi
Elevation gain
877 m
Typical duration
10 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Easy

A1 Wandergebiet Bieren

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
4.4 km
/ 2.7 mi
Elevation gain
97 m
Typical duration
1 hr 4 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Altes Testament (AT)

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
39.1 km
/ 24.3 mi
Elevation gain
860 m
Typical duration
10 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Amecker Rundwanderweg

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
35.1 km
/ 21.8 mi
Elevation gain
773 m
Typical duration
9 hr 5 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Bergbauwanderweg

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
58.9 km
/ 36.6 mi
Elevation gain
1,295 m
Typical duration
15 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
Eifeler SteilküsteNationalpark Eifel13.5 km297 m3 hr 15 minModerateApril to October
Dorfrundgang ErkensruhrNationalpark Eifel6.9 km151 m1 hr 39 minModerateApril to October
Einruhr - SauermühleNationalpark Eifel8.4 km184 m2 hr 1 minModerateApril to October
Pilgern in Lippe (Westschleife)North Rhine-Westphalia115 km2,538 m30 hrExpertApril to October
ThemenTour 1 (T1)Nationalpark Eifel11.8 km260 m2 hr 51 minModerateApril to October
ThemenTour 1 - Abkürzung (T1)Nationalpark Eifel10.1 km222 m2 hr 26 minModerateApril to October
Residenzweg [Detmold]North Rhine-Westphalia59.1 km1,300 m15 hrExpertApril to October
StiftswegNorth Rhine-Westphalia54.3 km1,194 m14 hrExpertApril to October
Bezirksrundweg Mittleres Sauerland RauteNorth Rhine-Westphalia112 km2,475 m30 hrExpertApril to October
BäderwegNorth Rhine-Westphalia78.9 km1,735 m20 hrExpertApril to October

If you only have time for one, start with Eifeler Steilküste, Einruhr - Sauermühle, Dorfrundgang Erkensruhr. 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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