It begins among sandy beaches and forests and ends near idyllic Trieste: The Wolf Trail is a newly compiled long-distance hiking route across Europe. Spanning around 2,200 miles, the trail leads from the Polish Hel Peninsula on the Baltic Sea to the upper Adriatic in Italy. In between are numerous stops in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Slovenia.
The wolf route probably has very little to do with the predators themselves, even though they are found in Europe among other places. The name comes from the company Jack Wolfskin, which manufactures outdoor equipment and is behind the challenge. No new hiking trail was created for the Wolf Trail. The route connects existing and well-known trails and sections into one whole.
The Hike Takes Several Months
The Wolf Trail is apparently meant to popularize the concept of thru-hiking. This refers to long-distance hikes where a long route is covered as continuously as possible in one journey. According to the manufacturer, anyone wanting to complete this route in its entirety should plan for about four to six months. And anyone who actually hikes the complete route must reckon with a total of around 257,000 feet of ascent and nearly as many feet of descent.
A complete hike is not mandatory, however. The trail has been divided into seven major stages that can also be tackled individually. There are also numerous entry points for shorter tours. This means the project is not aimed exclusively at people who want to spend half a year on the road with a backpack. Individual vacation weeks or day hikes can also be planned along the route. However, no one should start without preparation.
Wolf Trail: Where It Goes
For beginners, sections at the beginning of the Wolf Trail, which are mostly quite flat, are particularly suitable. Here's a greatly simplified overview: As already mentioned, it starts on Hel. According to the information provided by the manufacturer on outdooractive.com, the first stage covers just under 267 miles to Swinoujscie. The second section is designed from the Baltic island of Usedom to Geesthacht. Once these approximately 337 miles are completed, the third stage awaits with a good 302 miles to Marsberg. From there, it continues for 362 miles to Bad Dürkheim.
A good 362 miles then await hikers on the section to Constance. The gateway to the Alps opens up over approximately 245 miles during the further journey to Bolzano. From here begins the final and most challenging stage covering 367 miles, ending at the sea in small Muggia near Trieste. Stamina, sure-footedness, and experience are particularly required on the Alpine sections.
Caution: According to information on the website, a section on the sixth stage between Burschlwand and Bäuerinnenkapelle on the E5 hiking trail is still closed for an extended period. A detour in this area is expected to remain in place until 2030. In addition, the distances given here add up to a total route of more than 2,240 miles. Elsewhere, 2,170 miles are stated. The source of this discrepancy is not apparent.
The Wolf Trail is therefore not a classic hiking trail for a spontaneous weekend trip, but can rather be understood as a modular system for a wide variety of adventures in Europe. The entire route is likely to be realistically achievable for only a few people. One of them is Canadian thru-hiking expert and content creator Lauren Roerick. In recent weeks, she took her followers along on the Wolf Trail, promoting the project. In June, a curious situation occurred that one can experience while thru-hiking: Roerick woke up in her tent in the Swiss Alps surrounded by cows.
