Relaxed Hiking: On These 10 Trails in the U.S. There Are No Hills

Actually, we can lace up our hiking boots at any time of the year in the US! And from New York to California, from Texas to Florida, there are diverse trails that don't require significant elevations but still have everything a great hiking trail needs.

They keep you fit, for sure. Let's go!

The Rhine meadows in South Palatinate have something mystical about them. The Treidlerweg trail runs right through this primeval landscape. Over 12.3 kilometers, it leads sometimes through sun-drenched forest paths, sometimes along wild old Rhine arms, past flower meadows, gnarled oaks, and ancient beeches. It got its name from the so-called 'Treideln', which means 'pulling a ship from the shore.'

The entire Limes Trail is 550 kilometers long and marked the boundary between the Roman Empire and the Germanic tribes. Admittedly, parts of it go uphill. But around Pohlheim in Hesse in the Wetterau, the Roman path is relatively flat, scenic, and diverse, passing by sites and traces of Roman settlement.

The Märkische Landweg is also a stage hiking trail. Over 217 kilometers, it leads through Brandenburg in ten sections. There are hardly any elevation differences to overcome.

The hike leads through a landscape shaped by the Ice Age, with kettle lakes and terminal moraines, past meadows and fields, pine, beech, and oak forests. The area is considered Europe's most intact riverine landscape.

Some say it's Germany's most beautiful hiking trail. Certainly, the Heidschnuckenweg in the Lüneburg Heath is a fantastic nature experience. Over its 223 kilometers, connecting the North and South Heath, famous heathlands, enchanting cultural sites, and charming heath villages line its path.

Depending on the season, marsh marigolds, heather, or chestnut trees bloom along the path, delighting hikers on their journey.

The Baltic resort Prerow, at the northern tip of the Baltic peninsula Fischland-Darß, is known not only for its idyllic beaches but also as a starting point for three very special hikes.

Through the enchanted Darß forest with fairy-tale trees, over roots and moss, the three tours range from 16 to 22 kilometers long, over dunes and above cliffs, through lush flower meadows, and along the gentle Bodden coast - always returning to Prerow.

A walk through Braderup Heath is also wonderful, especially when it blooms in summer.

30 kilometers southeast of Hamburg lies Sachsenwald, Schleswig-Holstein's largest forest area. Six marked hiking routes open up this popular recreational area.

Underneath the trees of a linden avenue or on the Kingfisher trail, along the Bille and Schwarze Au, hikers will find 80 kilometers of idyllic trails in the Sachsenwald. Keep an eye out, and you may discover 20 Bronze Age burial mounds here.

The Spreewald, located between Berlin and Cottbus, is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and one of the country's most beautiful hiking areas. The hiking tours through old forests, idyllic villages, and along the typical streams, locks, and meadows range from five to 25 kilometers long and, thanks to their almost non-existent inclines, are easily manageable for hikers of all ages.

How about the Fontaneweg, which starts in Burg, for example?

The Münsterland region is great for hiking. On the themed trail 'Of People and Monks', which starts in Hörstel, hikers encounter not only historic half-timbered houses in Hörstel, Gravenhorst Monastery, and the impressive Wasserschloss Surenburg, but also wild dune fields, old pine forests, and juniper bushes, attractive viewpoints, and steep slopes.

Hiking and the big city don't contradict each other. The Saxon city of Leipzig has one of the largest alluvial forest areas in Central Europe. Around Leipzig, enchanting forest areas, wild romantic river landscapes, and lakes await to be explored.

You could start, for instance, with the 'Around Leipzig' trail. For those not wanting to do all 80 kilometers, individual sections are an option.

Sure, there's sand and sun, but also mudflats and hiking. There are numerous routes over the North Frisian island. Some take you on boardwalks and small paths right through the dunes, others have you walking for miles along the water's edge, benefiting both body and soul.

A walk through Braderup Heath is also lovely, especially when it's in bloom in summer.

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