This is a list of some long-distance footpaths used for walking and hiking.
Japan is also home to several lengthy pilgrimage routes, such as the 1,200 km (750 mi) Shikoku Pilgrimage that visits 88 temples and Mount Kōya. Today these temples and shrines are easily accessible by car and mass transit, but many visitors choose to walk the traditional routes.
The Great Himalaya Trail is a proposed 4,500 km (2,800 mi) trail from Namche Barwa, Tibet to Nanga Parbat, Pakistan, with sections in Bhutan, China, and India. It uses existing trails, many of which are trekking, trade, or pilgrimage routes, but no new trails have been built. Starting near Kanchenjunga in the east and ending in Humla in the west, the Nepal section has been walked and documented and is about 1,600 km (990 mi).
Some of the best known footpaths in Europe are joined by 12 designated European long-distance paths over some 70,000 km (43,000 mi). Some other popular international routes include:
Some of the best-known National Trails in England and Wales include:
The Wales Coast Path follows the entire coastline of the country over some 1,400 km (870 mi).
Scotland's Great Trails is a network of 29 paths primarily used by hikers.
Three famous north–south trails spanning the USA comprise the Triple Crown of Hiking:
Other popular trails include:
280 km from Atlantic to Pacific coasts of Costa Rica
A trail, also known as a path or track, is an unpaved lane or a small paved road not intended for usage by motorized vehicles, usually passing through a natural area. In the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, a path or footpath is the preferred term for a pedestrian or hiking trail. The term is also applied in North America to accompanying routes along rivers, and sometimes to highways. In the US, the term was historically used for a route into or through wild territory used by explorers and migrants. In the United States, "trace" is a synonym for trail, as in Natchez Trace.
Hiking is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century. Religious pilgrimages have existed much longer but they involve walking long distances for a spiritual purpose associated with specific religions.
The Trans Canada Trail, officially named The Great Trail between September 2016 and June 2021, is a cross-Canada system of greenways, waterways, and roadways that stretches from the Atlantic to the Pacific to the Arctic oceans. The trail extends over 24,000 km (15,000 mi); it is now the longest recreational, multi-use trail network in the world. The idea for the trail began in 1992, shortly after the Canada 125 celebrations. Since then it has been supported by donations from individuals, corporations, foundations, and all levels of government.
The South Downs Way is a long distance footpath and bridleway running along the South Downs in southern England. It is one of 16 National Trails in England and Wales. The trail runs for 160 km (100 mi) from Winchester in Hampshire to Eastbourne in East Sussex, with about 4,150 m (13,620 ft) of ascent and descent.
The GR footpaths are a network of long-distance walking trails in Europe, mostly in France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Spain. They go by the following names: French: sentier de grande randonnée, West Flemish: Groteroutepad, Dutch: Langeafstandwandelpad, Spanish: sendero de gran recorrido, Portuguese: percurso pedestre de grande rota – generally meaning "long trail" or more literally "great route". The trails in France alone cover approximately 60,000 kilometres (37,000 mi). Trails are blazed with characteristic marks consisting of a white stripe above a red stripe. These appear regularly along the route, especially at places such as forks or crossroads.
Karakuwa was a town located in Motoyoshi District, in the extreme northeast of Miyagi Prefecture, bordering Kesennuma to the north-west and Rikuzentakata, part of Iwate Prefecture, to the north, and with Kesennuma Bay including Oshima island to the west, Hirota Bay to the north-east, and the Pacific Ocean to the south and east.
Alta Via 1 is a 125-kilometre-long high-level public footpath which runs through the eastern Dolomites in Italy. It is also known as the Dolomite High Route 1. It passes through some of the finest scenery in the Dolomites. The path runs south from Pragser Wildsee, near Toblach, to Belluno. Prags can be accessed by bus, and Belluno has both train and bus services.
GR 10 is a French GR footpath, or hiking trail, that runs the length of the Pyrenees Mountains. It roughly parallels the French–Spanish border on the French side. Those attempting the entire trail often choose to walk it from west to east, from Hendaye on the Bay of Biscay to Banyuls-sur-Mer on the Mediterranean Sea, but it can also be traversed east to west.
The East Coast Trail (ECT) is a long-distance coastal footpath located in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It is a developed trail over 336 kilometres (209 mi) long, creation of which began in 1994. It is made up of 25 linked wilderness paths and passes through more than 30 communities. It was named one of the best adventure destinations by National Geographic in 2012 and is extended and improved yearly.
The E1 European long-distance path, or just E1 path, is one of the European long-distance paths designated by the European Ramblers' Association. It has a total length of some 7,000 kilometres (4,300 mi). It begins in Norway at Nordkapp, and crosses the Kattegat between Sweden and Denmark by ferry. It passes through Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland to finish at Capo Passero, Italy. This path was extended southwards to Sicily, in Italy, in 2018.
The E4 European long distance path or E4 path is one of the European long-distance paths. Starting at Tarifa Andalusia, located at the southernmost end of the Iberian Peninsula, across the Strait of Gibraltar facing Morocco, it continues through Spain, France, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and Greece to end in Cyprus. It also visits the Greek island of Crete.
The Tōkai Nature Trail is a long-distance walkway that traverses 11 prefectures and covers 1,697 kilometres (1,054 mi), running from Meiji no Mori Takao Quasi-National Park in Tokyo to Meiji no Mori Minō Quasi-National Park in Osaka Prefecture. Hiking the entire trail usually takes 40 to 50 days.
Hiking in the Pyrénées-Orientales is very popular because of its wide range of hiking tracks and scenery in the Pyrenees mountain range by the Mediterranean Sea. They are Pyrénées-Orientales' premier venue, through areas of some of the best scenery in the country. The tracks are maintained to a high standard, making it easier for visitors to explore some of the most scenic parts of Pyrénées' backcountry.
A long-distance trail is a longer recreational trail mainly through rural areas used for hiking, backpacking, cycling, horse riding or cross-country skiing. They exist on all continents except Antarctica.
Jeju Olle Trail (Korean: 제주올레길) is a long-distance footpath on Jeju Island, an island off the south-west coast of South Korea. The route follows the coastline and consists of 21 connected numbered main routes, 6 sub-routes, and a short spur that connects to Jeju International Airport. On average, the routes are 16km in length and in total amount to 437km. The exact length and locations change over time as trails are modified or re-routed. Jeju Olle Trail was founded by ex-journalist Suh Myung-suk.
Kausar Nag or Kausarnag, is a high-altitude oligotrophic lake located at an elevation of 3,500 metres (11,500 ft) above sea level. Kausar Nag is located in the Pir Panjal mountain range in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir. The lake is roughly 3 km (2 mi) long and .75 km (0 mi) at the widest point. The lake is the primary source of the Veshaw River, a tributary of Jhelum. This lake is considered sacred in Kashmir Shaivism.
The Selvaggio Blu is a trekking route in the territory of the district of Baunei (Sardinia). It was conceived in 1987 by Mario Verin, and Peppino Cicalò (architect), President of the Nuoro section of the Italian Alpine Club. The itinerary extends for over 40 kilometers from the touristic port of Santa Maria Navarrese (Baunei) to the beach of Cala Sisine (Baunei). It takes on average 4 days to complete.
The sentier de Grande Randonnée 8, or GR 8 for short, is a long distance hiking trail on the French Atlantic coast. It is part of the Grande Randonnée network and runs from Saint-Brevin-les-Pins on the south of the Loire estuary, opposite the large port city of Saint-Nazaire and currently terminates at Sare in the Atlantic Pyrenees.
Alta via 2 is a high route located in the Italian Dolomites between Brixen (Bressanone) in the north and Croce d’Aune near Feltre in the south.
