Staying safe in remote forests: real risks and how to plan

The real risks in Europe’s remote forests are rarely dramatic. Most incidents involve getting lost, being caught out by weather or darkness, a twisted ankle far from a road, falling branches or illnesses carried by ticks. Wild animals are a much smaller risk than many people fear. Good planning, a few simple habits and knowing how to call for help on 112 cover most situations.

This page offers general guidance for trip planning. It does not replace medical advice or official warnings from park authorities.

Before you go

• Tell someone your plan. Leave your route, your expected return time and what to do if you do not check in.
• Check the weather shortly before you leave, including wind and thunderstorm warnings.
• Check local notices. National parks publish closures, storm damage, fire bans and hunting dates.
• Plan daylight. In autumn, forests get dark early. Aim to finish an hour before sunset.
• Prepare navigation. Download offline maps and carry a backup; see our guide to offline maps and navigation.

The main risks in European forests

Risk	Where	What helps
Getting lost	Large, flat or dense forests	Offline map, paper map, turning back early
Weather and cold	Everywhere, especially uplands	Layers, waterproofs, reading forecasts
Falling branches and trees	Old forests, after storms, unmanaged zones	Not lingering under dead trees, avoiding forests in strong wind
Ticks	Most of Europe	Long clothing, checks, vaccination advice
Injury far from help	Remote areas	First aid kit, phone, someone knowing your plan
Hunting	Autumn and winter in many countries	Respect signs for driven hunts, wear bright colours
Wildfire	Southern Europe, dry summers elsewhere	Follow fire bans, no open fires

Falling wood

In forests left to natural development, such as national park core zones, dead trees are part of the ecosystem and can fall without warning. Many park authorities point out that visitors enter at their own risk. Do not camp or rest under dead trees, and avoid forests in strong winds or after heavy snowfall.

Ticks

Ticks can transmit Lyme disease almost everywhere in Europe and tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) in certain risk areas, for example in parts of southern Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the Baltic states and Scandinavia. Health authorities such as Germany’s Robert Koch Institute publish current risk maps. Practical steps:

• Wear long trousers tucked into socks and light colours to spot ticks.
• Check your whole body every evening.
• Remove ticks promptly with tweezers or a tick card.
• Ask your doctor whether a TBE vaccination makes sense for your destination.

Wild animals

Brown bears live in the Carpathians, the Balkans, Scandinavia and Finland. In bear areas, make noise on blind bends, never approach cubs, store food away from your tent and follow local guidance. Our guide to the Carpathian beech forests includes notes on bear areas. Wolves have returned to large parts of Europe, including Germany, and very rarely pose a threat to people. Wild boar can be defensive when with young; give them space.

What to carry

Even on a day walk in a remote forest, carry the basics: water, food, a warm and a waterproof layer, headlamp, a small first aid kit, a charged phone and a power bank, and a whistle. Our gear checklist for remote forest trips lists everything for day walks and overnight trips.

Calling for help

112 is the emergency number in all EU countries and in many neighbouring countries. When you call:

1. Say where you are as precisely as you can: coordinates from your app, trail name, nearest landmark.
2. Say what happened and how many people are affected.
3. Stay on the line and answer questions.
4. Keep your phone switched on and save battery for the rescuers’ call back.

Many smartphones automatically send their location when you dial 112. In German forests, you may also see numbered forest rescue point signs; quoting the number helps emergency services find you. If you have no signal, try moving to higher, open ground. An emergency text to 112 may work where calls do not, but registration requirements differ by country.

If you are lost

Stop, stay calm and think. Go back to the last point you were sure of. If you cannot find your way and it is getting dark, stay put, put on warm layers and make yourself visible and audible. Searchers will start from your planned route, which is why telling someone matters.

Camping safely

When you spend the night outdoors, choose a site away from dead trees, dry riverbeds and exposed ridges. Respect local rules on where you may sleep; our overview of wild camping rules in Europe explains them. In the far north, also plan for long distances between help; see our guide to the Nordic taiga.