North Rhine-Westphalia

Trails in North Rhine-Westphalia

7 mapped routes in North Rhine-Westphalia: 6 cycling routes and 1 hiking trail. Together they cover 415 km with 4,904 m of climbing, and the highest point reaches 831 m. Every route has a GPX download, elevation profile, gradient and surface analysis.

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Plate DE-NW · 7 routes · GPS traced

Mapped routes: 7
Total distance: 415km
Total climbing: 4,904m
Highest point: 831m
Water crossings: 3

Destination guide

About trails in North Rhine-Westphalia

North Rhine-Westphalia is Germany's most populous state, yet its routes quickly leave the cities for wooded uplands. The Sweet and Sauerland Bikepacking Route is the standout, a 229 km extreme loop from Meinerzhagen over forested ridges and reservoirs, climbing above 800 m. Closer to Arnsberg, the Arnsberg Bockstall and Windstich Ride tackles short, steep forest climbs above the Ruhr valley.

In the east, the Bielefeld Dornberg Teutoburg Ride crosses the narrow sandstone ridge of the Teutoburg Forest, and the Beverungen Weser Hills Hike follows the Weser valley where the state meets Lower Saxony and Hesse. On the lowland side, routes link Marl and Dorsten along the Lippe and run from Mönchengladbach across the Lower Rhine plain to Bergheim.

Best time to go: May to October is the main riding season; winter brings snow to the higher Sauerland, while autumn beech forests are especially colorful in October.
Terrain: Mostly moderate cycling on forest roads, farm tracks and paved bike paths, with the Sauerland adding sustained climbs up to about 830 m.
Permits & access: The dense regional rail network reaches most start points, and bikes can travel on regional trains with a separate bike ticket; forest paths are shared with walkers, so ride considerately.

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