Bavaria

Trails in Bavaria

9 mapped routes in Bavaria: 4 hiking trails, 4 cycling routes and 1 scenic drive. Together they cover 386 km with 3,724 m of climbing, and the highest point reaches 1,165 m. Every route has a GPX download, elevation profile, gradient and surface analysis.

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Plate DE-BY · 9 routes · GPS traced

Mapped routes: 9
Total distance: 386km
Total climbing: 3,724m
Highest point: 1,165m
Water crossings: 7

Destination guide

About trails in Bavaria

Bavaria has much more than the Alps, and its routes show it. In the south, the Aschauer Kopf Hike, Chiemgau is a steady forest climb in the Chiemgau Alps near Frasdorf, with views over the Chiemsee lowland. The Kempten to Lech Valley Tour is a long, hard bike ride from the Allgäu toward the Lech river, climbing past 1,100 m through the foothills.

Northern and eastern Bavaria are quieter. The Naila to Lichtenberg Frankenwald Loop explores the wooded Franconian Forest near the Thuringian border. The Waldmünchen to Waidhaus Bohemian Border Ride follows hilly country along the Czech frontier in the Upper Palatinate Forest. In central Franconia, the Thalmässing Jura Walk crosses the limestone plateau of the Franconian Jura on an easy day out.

Best time to go: May to October is the main season. Snow can stay on alpine paths above 1,000 m into May, and summer afternoons in the Alps often bring thunderstorms, so start early on the Chiemgau routes.
Terrain: Expect mixed ground: rooty forest paths and limestone plateau, rolling farm roads, and alpine trails up to about 1,165 m. Most routes are moderate, with a few hard rides that pack in a lot of climbing.
Permits & access: Bavaria's constitution guarantees public access to open countryside, so trails and forest roads are free to use. Regional trains reach most trailheads, and the Bayern-Ticket covers a day of travel on local services across the state.

Ways to explore