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  • Fantastic hiking trails await you when hiking in the Drachenfelser Ländchen in NRW
    Fantastic hiking trails await you when hiking in the Drachenfelser Ländchen in NRW Photo: E. Schittenhelm, Adobe Stock

Hikes in North Rhine-Westphalia

Germany

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North Rhine-Westphalia is one of the largest and most diverse federal states in Germany. NRW not only has a lot to offer in terms of culture, but also in terms of nature. You will find plenty of beautiful hiking trails in NRW, whether for day trips and weekend excursions with the family or for an extended holiday. Over 50,000 km of trails criss-cross the entire state. Explore the west of Germany on your hiking tours in North Rhine-Westphalia!

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The 10 most beautiful hikes in North Rhine-Westphalia

Hochsitz
Nature Trail · Brilon-Olsberg
Briloner Waldfeenpfad
Toprecommended route Difficulty easy Open
7
3.1 km
1:30 h
38 m
38 m
Over a length of 2 km (approx. 3 km from the parking lot) and at 9 adventure stations, spruce mikados, summons and hammocks invite you to experience the world of the forest with all your senses.
Tourismus Brilon Olsberg GmbH
Barfuss gehen auf dem Kneippweg
Long-Distance Hiking · Olsberg
Kneipp WanderWeg Olsberg - Wasser, Wandern und Wohlfühlen
Toprecommended route Difficulty difficult Open
4
41.3 km
12:30 h
1,366 m
1,369 m
Ein, vom Deutschen Wanderverband zertifizierter Wanderweg mit besonderer Thematik: Durch natürliche Wassertretstellen am Wanderweg kann nach der Lehre von Pfarrer Kneipp, die Wassertherapie mit dem Thema Wandern verbunden werden.
Tourismus Brilon Olsberg GmbH
Einruhr
Hiking Route · Eifel
Eifelsteig Partner hike - the Water Landscape Route
Toprecommended route Difficulty moderate
29
16.7 km
4:30 h
195 m
194 m
Deep in the heart of the Eifel National Park, the Water Landscape Route is the Triple Crown of hikes along the water. Departing from Einruhr, the hike takes you along the shores of the Obersee Lake with spectacular lake views at every turn, and then at Rurberg takes you across the Rur lake over the dam.
StädteRegion Aachen
Narzissenblüte am Perlenbachtal
Hiking Route · Eifel
Eifelsteig Partner hike - the Daffodil Route
Toprecommended route Difficulty easy
11
14.8 km
3:30 h
301 m
301 m
In the middle ages, these fields were cleared and used to raise hay; today, hikers passing here in spring find themselves immersed in a golden sea of daffodils. But this hiking loop offers exciting nature experiences at any time of year.
StädteRegion Aachen
Hochlandrind am RurUfer
Hiking Route · Eifel
Beaver brooks Eifelforests (Theme-Tour 1)
Toprecommended route Difficulty moderate
25
12.2 km
3:30 h
405 m
408 m
On this route you hike mainly through the gnarled oak forests of the Hetzinger Forest and can experience the dynamics of the typical, larger and smaller Eifel brooks.
StädteRegion Aachen
Picture of Hiking Trail: Wanderung: Zum Kreuzberg bei Bödefeld • Sauerland (17.05.2016 21:20:46 #3)
Hiking Route · Sauerland
Wanderung zum Kreuzberg bei Bödefeld
Toprecommended route Difficulty moderate
7
16.6 km
6:00 h
438 m
439 m
Wandert quer durch das Valmetal und hinauf zum Kreuzberg bei Bödefeld. Entdeckt dabei das Naturdorf Bödefeld und eine vielseitig awechslungsreiche Landschaft.
Schmallenberger Sauerland Tourismus
Aussicht Geologische Sprung
Hiking Route · Sauerland
Geologischer Sprung Brilon
Toprecommended route Difficulty moderate
9
7.5 km
3:00 h
208 m
208 m
Der Themenweg „Geologischer Sprung“ ist ein Rundweg, mit Infos und Sichtrohren an 5 Stationen und als Highlight eine spektakuläre Rundumsicht!
Tourismus Brilon Olsberg GmbH
Monschauer Heckenlandschaft
Hiking Route · Eifel
Flurheckenweg
Toprecommended route Difficulty easy
6
7.9 km
2:30 h
95 m
95 m
Das Monschauer Land ist berühmt für seine einzigartigen Hecken. Neben den meterhohen Haushecken sind auch die knorrigen Flurhecken sehr eindrucksvoll. Beide Formen lassen sich rund um Eicherscheid auf dieser ca. 8 Kilometer umfassenden Wanderung wunderbar erleben. An verschiedenen Informationspunkten entlang der Strecke kann man mehr über die Geschichte der Eifler Natur- und Heckenlandschaften erfahren.
StädteRegion Aachen
Rurtal Dreistegen
Hiking Route · Eifel
Eifelsteig Partner hike - the Monastery route
Toprecommended route Difficulty difficult
10
22.3 km
5:30 h
659 m
659 m
The stunning rock formations of Ehrensteinsley, the wild and romantic Rur Valley, forest trails teeming with wildlife, outstretched meadows with stately rows of beech trees and hawthorn hedges, and last but not least, the great Perlenbach Valley Dam; with all this on offer, hikers on this loop are guaranteed an unforgettable landscape experience.
StädteRegion Aachen
Struffelt Heide
Hiking Route · Eifel
Eifelsteig Partner hike - the Struffelt route
Toprecommended route Difficulty easy
42
9.7 km
3:00 h
198 m
198 m
This loop takes you through the reservoir area of the Dreilägerbach Valley Dam. As you walk below the ridge of the Struffelt, elevated wooden footpaths ensure that you can cross the high moor of the Struffelt nature reserve without getting your feet wet.
StädteRegion Aachen
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Forecast for North Rhine-Westphalia

Where is a good place to go hiking in NRW?

Germany's most populous federal state is amazingly diverse and offers great opportunities for hiking: Whether in the low mountain ranges such as the Eifel and Sauerland or on the Rhine and Ruhr rivers, in North Rhine-Westphalia you have a choice of hikes of all kinds. Over 50,000 kilometres of hiking trails criss-cross the entire state. We give you an overview of the most popular hiking regions in North Rhine-Westphalia, from the Eifel to the Rhine-Ruhr region and the Bergisches Land to Münsterland.

Hiking trails in the Eifel

Some of the most beautiful hiking tours in NRW can be found in the Eifel and the national park of the same name.

The low mountain range has been shaped by fire and water over the course of time. The most famous long-distance hiking trail through the region is all about these elements: the Eifelsteig trail leads from Aachen through Rhineland-Palatinate to Trier on the Moselle.

Along the way and on other routes there are mountains, waters, villages and small towns like Monschau to see. On theme trails, the Eifel trails, you can explore the culture and nature of the region. One of the highlights is the Hohes Venn Nature Park.

The Struffeltroute leads through the moor on boardwalks. You will find a variety of plants in the Lampertstal valley near Blankenheim. Hikes at the Urft dam, at Lake Obersee and Lake Rursee are popular, for example on the Wasserland route. If you like, you can also hike with alpacas.

Eifel
Travel tip Hikes in the Eifel
Eifel
Recommended route Eifelsteig Partner hike - the Water Landscape Route
Eifel
Recommended route Beaver brooks Eifelforests (Theme-Tour 1)
Eifel
Recommended route Eifelsteig Partner hike - the Daffodil Route

Cologne, Bonn, the Siebengebirge and more

You will also find plenty of greenery in the Köln-Bonn area, both in the city and in the surrounding countryside. The Rhineland Nature Park has a number of lakes where you can enjoy yourself. The Königsforst is also popular as a recreational area and for hiking. The Kölnpfad is over 170 kilometres long, around the cathedral city, often with a beautiful view of the Rhine.

Bonn is also located on the great water vein, from where you can embark on themed hikes or on the Natursteig Sieg. A classic is the Rheinsteig: it runs all the way to Wiesbaden, past wine villages.

One of NRW's best-known visitor magnets is the Drachenfels with its castle. Many hiking trails lead around the legendary mountain and require a bit of fitness. An alternative is the historic cogwheel railway to the top. There you can look out over the beautiful Rhine valley and the whole of NRW.

  • Hikes in the Cologne-Bonn region
  • Hiking Route · Region Köln-Bonn
    KEV: Kölnpfad: Etappe 08
  • Hiking Route · Region Köln-Bonn
    Drachenfelstour

Through the Ruhr and Bergisches Land

The Ruhr region has changed a lot, from industry to nature. Among the special features are traces of mining history. If you climb high up in a slag heap landscape, the view is particularly beautiful, far üacross the valley. Renaturalised areas are also linked by the Route of Industrial Heritage.

There are quiet hiking trails along the Ruhr. Parks and gardens of Schlüssern are among the larger oases, also in the cities. Thanks to numerous train connections, you can travel comfortably by train to go hiking in this area or then back again by train. Hikes to idyllic lakes such as the Baldeneysee in Essen's south offer relaxation. Here you can hike along the Baldeney Trail. In the Neandertal valley, you can take a trip back in time to prehistoric times on a family excursion.

The Ruhr
Travel tip Hikes in the Ruhr
The Ruhr
Recommended route Baldeneysteig am Baldeneysee in Essen

You can explore the picturesque Bergisches Land with the nature park of the same name on a well-developed network of hiking trails. In the region, you can take the Bergische Weg or the Bergische Panoramasteig; other tours lead along the Wupper and other rivers or streams.

In addition, you can go on „Streifzüge“: These are themed routes such as the Stonecutter's Trail, the Clothmaker's Trail, the Fruit Trail or the Mill Trail. Towns like Wuppertal or Lindlar can be good base stations for exploring the Rhenish Slate Mountains with their hills, valleys and forests. Other beautiful destinations in NRW where you can relax are lakes and reservoirs, which are plentiful here.

Do you know what the „Water Quintet“ is? That is the name given to the region around the Wupper, Bever, Brucher, Neye and Lingese dams.

  • Hikes in the Bergisches Land
  • Hiking Route · Bergisches Land
    Wipperfürth - Neyetalsperre mit HEIMATWEG und BERGISCHER PANORAMASTEIG - Rundwanderung
  • Hiking Route · Germany
    On the trail of the stonecutters
  • Hiking Route · Bergisches Land
    Wupperhänge, Wupper und Schloss Burg

The Siegen-Wittgenstein region and the Sauerland region

The Rot­haar­steig is considered one of the most beautiful long-distance hiking trails in Europe. You can hike stages of this trail if you are in the Siegen-Wittgenstein region and in the Sauerland. There are additional Rothaarsteig trails that offer a beautiful panorama or are dedicated to topics such as bison or literature. Near Bad Berleburg there is the eventful Forest Sculpture Trail: there you will encounter works of art embedded in nature. The area is known as the "Land of 1000 Mountains", which you can also discover on the "Sauerland-Highway Flight".

The Sauerland Forest Route with the Sauerland Trails and other tours also lead through the charming landscape with deep forests, wide valleys and pretty villages. Popular destinations are Bruchhauser Steine, Biggesee, Felsenmeer or Kahler Asten, which is called the King of the Sauerland Mountains. There are more than 40 soothing „soul places“ at mountain tops, springs or lakes.

Siegen-Wittgenstein
Travel tip Hikes in Siegen-Wittgenstein
Sauerland
Travel tip Sauerland Hiking Villages

The Northeast with the Teutoburg Forest

As a link between the Sauerland and the Teutoburg Forest, the Egge Trail leads through the Egge Mountains. The Externsteine, a rock formation near Paderborn, the city with over 200 springs, have a mystical effect. Near Altenbeken you can explore railway history on the viaduct hiking trail. Gütersloh or Minden are further starting points in the East Westphalia-Lippe region. Keyword Lippe: The area around the river is also known as the "Land of Hermann", with the large Hermann Monument and the Hermann Trail.

Other premium hiking trails in the Teutoburg Forest are the „Teutoschleifen“, with names like Waldauenweg, Heiliges Meer or Holperdorper. You can also get to know the Dörenther Klippen with rock formations. Teutoschleifchen" trails such as the Canyon Tour, "Schachselwiesen" or the Kullbach Valley are suitable for both young and old hikers. Families enjoy walking along the „Brilon Forest Fairy Trail“. The Kneipp trail promises to cool you down; the themed trail „Geological Leap“ offers lots of information. In the nature reserve, you can hike along the Jakobsberg Steinhagen, and the heath landscape of the Senne is a bird sanctuary.

  • Open
    Nature Trail · Brilon-Olsberg
    Briloner Waldfeenpfad
  • Hiking Route · Sauerland
    Geologischer Sprung Brilon
  • Open
    Long-Distance Hiking · Olsberg
    Kneipp WanderWeg Olsberg - Wasser, Wandern und Wohlfühlen

On the road in Münsterland and on the Lower Rhine

In Münsterland you often encounter a gentle landscape with meadows, fields and forests. In Münster itself, the Aasee lake is a popular destination, and there are park landscapes with castles and lakes all around. Billerbeck is a good base for exploring. There are even wild horses in the Meerfelder Bruch. Stages of the „Hohe Mark Steig“ from Wesel to Olfen, with shorter „countryside stretches“, lead through a nature park with forests, moors, floodplains and lakes.

North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
Hikes in Münsterland

The Münsterland region in the north-west of North Rhine-Westphalia is well on the way to establishing itself as a real ...

Outdooractive Editors

You want to choose Mühlen? Then let's go to the Lower Rhine. The idyllic landscape also has plenty of water, whether in the form of a stream, river, lake or wet meadow. The landscape between the Rhine and the Meuse is considered a natural paradise. A larger town is Xanten with its archaeological park and Bislicher Insel nature reserve. The premium trail „Schwalmbruch“ runs üover the border.

North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
Hikes in Niederrhein

Die Region Niederrhein befindet sich im westlichsten Teil Nordrhein-Westfalens und ist ganz wesentlich vom Unterlauf von ...

Outdooractive Editors
Explore our Travel Guide for North Rhine-Westphalia
Accommodation Places to eat & drink Great places to visit with the family Dog-friendly hiking Accessibility viewpoints Ideas for bad weather museums historical sites castles

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Find hikes in neighboring regions

Rhineland-Palatinate Hesse Lower Saxony Région Wallonne

Discover other hikes within North Rhine-Westphalia

Bergisches Land Düsseldorf und Umgebung Eifel Münsterland Niederrhein Region Köln-Bonn Sauerland Siegerland-Wittgenstein Teutoburger Wald The Ruhr

Similar activities in North Rhine-Westphalia

long-distance hikes Pilgrim walks nature trails city walks

Localization

Parts of this content were machine translated using German as the source language

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