Rothaarsteig © BY-NC-SA DeWandelaar

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Rothaarsteig

The Rothaarsteig is a water-rich long-distance trail through the Siegerland-Wittgenstein hiking region.
Length
153 km
Ascent
3550 m
Descent
3772 m
Highest
842 m
Difficulty
2 - Moderate
Difficulty
2 of 5
Duration
43 h

GPX

Map and Elevation

Load GPX map tiles from OpenStreetMap.org

This was my first German long-distance hike, completed in 2022, hiked in reverse direction from Dillenburg to Brilon. The Rothaarsteig main trail includes the Ridge Option (Kammvariante), which passes over a pedestrian suspension bridge. The alternative Valley Option (Talvariante or Hochsauerland Route) passes through the villages of Schanze and Latrop. At the southern end of the trail, the Westerwald Option (51km) will add an extra 30km to the hike.

Trail Certification

Wanderbares Deutschland Quality Trail German Hiking Association logo

Quality Trail

A Long-Distance Quality Trail meets high national standards for attractive hiking routes. These trails are carefully maintained, clearly marked, and designed to protect nature while providing a high-quality hiking experience. Regional experts monitor the trails, and they are reassessed every three years by the German Hiking Association based on criteria such as trail structure, signage, landscape, culture, and infrastructure.

References

  1. rothaarsteig.de
  2. wikipedia.org
  3. wanderbares-deutschland.de