Multi-day forest hikes in Europe: trails worth the time

The best multi-day forest hikes in Europe are trails where woodland is the main experience, not just a passage between viewpoints. In Germany, the Rennsteig, the Westweg in the Black Forest, the Goldsteig through the Bavarian and Upper Palatinate Forest and the Eifelsteig fit that description. Further east and north, the Carpathian ridges and Finland’s Bear’s Trail lead through forests that feel considerably wilder.

Distances below are approximate and based on the official route descriptions as of 2026. Trails are re-routed from time to time, so always check the operator’s current information before planning stages.

Germany: classic forest trails

Trail	Region	Approx. length	Character
Rennsteig	Thuringian Forest	about 170 km	Historic ridge path, mostly forest, good infrastructure
Westweg	Black Forest	about 285 km	Pforzheim to Basel, high plateaus, dense conifer and mixed forest
Goldsteig	Upper Palatinate and Bavarian Forest	about 660 km	Germany’s longest certified trail, near the Bavarian Forest National Park
Eifelsteig	Eifel	about 313 km	Aachen to Trier, beech forest, volcanic lakes, river valleys
Rothaarsteig	Sauerland, Siegerland	about 154 km	Upland ridge, many spruce areas now in transition
Malerweg	Saxon Switzerland	about 112 km	Sandstone rocks and gorges, eight stages

These routes are well waymarked, have accommodation at the end of most stages and are reachable by train. Several also pass near bookable trekking sites, so you can mix nights in a tent with guesthouses.

The Goldsteig and the Bavarian Forest

If you want the wildest German forest on foot, the Goldsteig and its variants come close to the Bavarian Forest National Park, where large areas are left to natural development. Expect dead wood, young regrowth and very quiet stretches. In the national park, stay on marked paths, especially in the core zones.

Central and Eastern Europe

Main Beskid Trail, Poland

The Main Beskid Trail (Główny Szlak Beskidzki) runs for roughly 500 km along the Polish Carpathians from Ustroń to Wołosate in the Bieszczady. It is a serious trek of several weeks, but individual sections make excellent shorter trips with mountain hostels along the way.

Carpathian ridges

The Carpathians hold some of Europe’s most extensive beech and mixed forests, including parts of the UNESCO World Heritage site for primeval beech forests. Our guide to the primeval beech forests of the Carpathians explains where these are. Ridge routes in Slovakia, Ukraine and Romania can be remote, with long distances between villages, so huts or a tent are often needed. Brown bears live in large parts of the range; read our notes on staying safe in remote forests before you go.

Via Transilvanica, Romania

This long-distance route crosses Romania for around 1,400 km and combines forest, hills and villages. It is better suited to sectional hiking than to a single trip.

Northern Europe

Karhunkierros, Finland

The Bear’s Trail in Oulanka National Park is about 80 km of taiga, river canyons and suspension bridges, usually walked in four to six days. Open wilderness huts and campfire sites make it a good introduction to Nordic forest trekking. Our article on remote forest cabins explains how these huts work.

Sweden and Norway

Many famous Nordic trails, such as Sweden’s Kungsleden, spend much of their length above the treeline. For forest, look at lowland routes and national parks in central Sweden and eastern Norway, where the right of public access lets you camp along the way.

Planning your stages

Good stage planning makes the difference between a pleasant trek and a slog.

• Use official descriptions. Trail operators publish stages with distance and height gain. Online averages often ignore detours to accommodation.
• Count height gain. Roughly, every 100 m of ascent adds as much effort as an extra kilometre or more on the flat.
• Know your water. Forest trails in limestone or sandstone areas can be dry for long stretches.
• Book beds early on popular German trails in May, June and September.
• Plan the way home. Most German trails start and end at railway stations; see reaching wild forests without a car.

Navigation and gear

Waymarking on German trails is generally excellent, but forestry work, storm damage and closed sections can force detours. Download the route and base map before you leave; our guide to offline maps and navigation explains how. Pack as light as you can: on a multi-day trek, every kilogram counts on every climb. The gear checklist for remote forest trips has a version for hut-to-hut walks and one for camping.

Route planning apps such as komoot and Outdooractive are useful for finding and downloading routes. Treat their suggestions as a starting point and compare them with the official trail description.