The first big question when hiking is: Where should you hike without encountering so many other hikers that you feel as though you’re on a crowded subway train when walking along a narrow trail, or finding an overcrowded trailhead parking lot before you’ve even started. Quite simply: Not in places that many other people know or consider beautiful. The Alps, the Brocken, the Saarschleife, and the Hermannsdenkmal are extremely poor hiking destinations on a sunny extended weekend in May. But how do you find alternative hiking destinations that are beautiful nonetheless?
First, you should look for places close to home. It’s environmentally friendly and saves you a long journey. Just enter “hiking” and your “town” into Google, and the outdooractive or komoot portals will provide you with a whole host of hiking suggestions in your region. Then simply try a route you don’t know yet—in a place you’ve never been before.
Another option, of course, is to ask at one of the many tourist information offices across the country. Tourism professionals know best which trails are too popular and where you can still find solitude in the woods. One example: The Rheinsteig is Germany’s most heavily frequented long-distance hiking trail. It may not be such a good idea to hike there over Whitsun. But on the other side of the Rhine, you can hike along the Rheinburgenweg, which is less crowded. A good tried-and-tested way to avoid overcrowded trails is to keep looking for alternatives to your usual routes.
In the woods near my home, I’ve noticed that 90 percent of hikers and walkers stick to the wide, familiar paths. But smaller trails keep branching off from these main routes, and after just a few steps, you find yourself in another magical world. Alone. That’s how your next hiking adventure can begin!
And always remember: #esgehtBÄRGAUF
