This New European Trail Is Ten Everests High
A new long-distance walking route now links Poland’s Baltic coast with the Adriatic city of Trieste. Created by outdoor company Jack Wolfskin, the Wolf Trail combines existing European paths into one continuous journey through Poland, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy and Slovenia. Its mix of coast, forest, lowland and Alpine terrain gives hikers a single route for crossing much of Central Europe on foot.
Planning a Wolf Trail Hike
- Route: Hel, Poland, to Trieste, Italy
- Countries: Poland, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy and Slovenia
- Length: About 3,493 kilometres (2,170 miles)
- Opened: Late 2025
- Full crossing: Four to six months
- Total ascent: About 78,416 metres (257,270 feet)
- Format: Seven sections, also suitable for shorter trips and day hikes
- Easiest terrain: Northern Poland and Germany
- Most demanding terrain: Alpine stages, with passes reaching 2,500–3,000 metres
- Planning: Check the official route map before choosing a section
The route joins established paths including the E1, E9 and Via Alpina rather than creating an entirely new track. Northern stages follow beaches, woodland and gentler countryside before the terrain becomes steeper towards the Alps. Jack Wolfskin says the complete crossing involves about 78,416 metres of ascent, roughly ten times the height of Everest, making the full journey a serious endurance undertaking.
The trail brings several major landscapes into one itinerary, including the dunes of Słowiński National Park, Baltic beech forests, Lüneburg Heath, the Black Forest and Lake Constance. Farther south, walkers can reach the Dolomites, the Julian Alps and Trieste. Shorter sections also open the route to visitors who want coastal walks, wine-country paths or Alpine stages without committing several months.
The Wolf Trail is best understood as a flexible framework rather than a single holiday that must be completed end to end. Its seven sections let walkers choose terrain that matches their time and experience, while existing paths provide numerous entry points. Anyone considering the Alpine stages should allow for their greater difficulty and check current trail, weather and accommodation information before setting out.