Imagine spending weeks walking across remote mountain ranges, following ancient paths between villages, or trekking through wilderness so vast that you can go for days without seeing another hiker. For those willing to trade modern convenience for a chance to sleep under the stars, a new generation of long-distance trails around the world offers plenty of reasons to lace up and go farther. From the rugged peaks of India’s Western Ghats to Alaska’s wild backcountry and Romania’s historic villages, these trails offer a mix of challenge, cultural discovery, and sense of accomplishment found after hundreds of miles in the dirt.
Some of these routes are new for the 2027 hiking season, so you could be among the first hikers to complete them. Others are still being mapped or expanded, creating a bucket-list for hiking and backpacking sweat-jetters who relish traveling halfway around the world for a challenge.
Alaska Long Trail, USA
Mileage: 500 miles
Location: Seward to Fairbanks
Type: Campsites and cabins
Alaska already has a reputation for big wilderness. The new Alaska Long Trail (ALT) could give hikers a new way to experience it all. This 500-mile route is split into five sections. It’s currently being developed to connect Seward with Fairbanks, following roughly 120 miles of the historic Iditarod National Historic Trail through the Chugach National Forest. About 75 percent is already complete with new connector trail segments, bridges, and public-use cabins.
“The National Forest Foundation is working with the Forest Service to build these new links, so that one day you’ll be able to walk from Seward to Girdwood the way mail carriers and mushers did a century ago,” says Annie Eggert, Chugach Program Coordinator for the NFF. Sections of the ALT are expected to open in stages throughout 2027.
Wolf Trail, Europe
Mileage: 2,170 miles
Location: Multi-country
Accommodation: Inns, alpine huts, and wild camping
If your ideal European vacation involves crossing six countries on foot, then the new Wolf Trail is a must-do. This 2,170-mile route begins in Germany and travels through Poland, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, and Slovenia. The outdoor brand Jack Wolfskin initiated its development in 2026. A handful of international thru-hikers, like Canadian backpacker Lauren Roerick, walked the Wolf Trail this season to help refine it ahead of spring 2027.
“What makes the Wolf Trail particularly appealing is the sheer variety packed into one route,” says Roerick. “Rather than committing to a single mountain range or country, you move through a patchwork of European landscapes with the trail itself being the connector.”
The trail is divided into seven sections. Roerick’s favorites include hiking toward Oberstdorf along the German-Austrian border and Slovenia’s Julian Alps. Updated GPX maps for the trail are expected to be published in 2026 via Jack Wolfskin.
Epic Sahyadri Trail, India
Mileage: 1,056 miles
Location: Western India
Type: Village homestays and wild camping
India’s Western Ghats are home to some of the country’s most dramatic landscapes. However, until recently, they lacked any official hiking trail. The Epic Sahyadri Trail (EST), a 1,056-mile village-to-village route through the Sahyadri mountains, is the first continuously mapped trek in this region. The trail is divided into 40 stages across 11 sections. Walking through this landscape offers a very different way to experience India away from its famous cities and well-known monuments.
As a local from the area, I am most excited that the EST passes through villages like Bhoirwadi and Karjat rather than simply connecting wilderness areas, making communities along the way an integral part of the experience. Hikers can access homestays, hostels, home-cooked meals, forests, and landscapes which rarely appear on a conventional India itinerary. All stages have been documented, and GPX maps are available via HikeX, an Indian online community for hikers.
Transcaucasian Trail, South Caucasus
Mileage: 1,865 miles
Location: Armenia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan
Type: Hostels, hotels, or wild camping
The Caucasus may not be on the average American hiker’s bucket list. That’s precisely why the Transcaucasian Trail is interesting, as it connects two distinct cultures—Europe and Asia. This 1,865-mile trail connects Armenia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan. It passes through mountains, remote villages, forests, and historic landscapes. It also links communities that have traditionally been experienced as separate destinations.
In some places like Georgia’s Svaneti region, hikers experience mountain scenery with medieval-type villages and tower houses.
“When you hike from Mestia to Ushguli, you stay overnight in family-run guesthouses that are still very much people’s homes,” says Merab Mchedliani, an Intrepid tour leader in Armenia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan. Tourism here also helps revive once-struggling communities due to their geographical isolation. “It’s not only bringing travelers into the mountains but also gets local people to move back home. And that gives them a lot of hope,” adds Mchedliani.
GPX route maps for hikeable sections are currently available, while some sections in Azerbaijan are expected to be completed in mid-2027.
Via Transilvanica, Romania
Mileage: 995 miles
Location: Romania
Type: Village homestays, hotels, guesthouses, and campgrounds
While not completely new, the Via Transilvanica received official recognition as a national hiking trail in Romania in 2026. Now, it’s gaining popularity among the international hiking community. The nearly 1,000-mile trail crosses Romania from northeast to southwest, passing through mountains, forests, villages, and farmland. Rather than being designed as a wilderness challenge, the route emphasizes the Romanian cultural landscape and the communities along the way.
“The trail takes you through some of the most beautiful parts of Romania and gives you the chance to discover the culture, history, and traditions that make each region unique,” says Zsolt-Barna Kocsis, a tour leader and certified mountain guide. “Hikers might visit a painted monastery in Bucovina to learn about its ancient frescoes, then spend the evening around a campfire with a local shepherd family, sharing stories and eating mămăligă with fresh milk.”
The full route is a serious undertaking. However, GPX hiking maps break it down by section for dayhikes, multi-day adventures, or longer expeditions.
Bonus: Hitachi Province Long Trail, Japan
Mileage: 217.5 miles
Location: Northern Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan
Type: Village homestays, hotels, and campgrounds
The Hitachi Province Long Trail officially opened on September 19, 2026, though it was first announced in 2019. The trail traverses the northern Ibaraki Prefecture, just outside of Tokyo. The full route connects many walking trails with hiking routes, and older, previously abandoned, and recently restored paths. Parts of the route traverse mountain areas and can get steep, while other sections are mellow and even paved.
The trail’s official website states: “The Hitachi Province Long Trail is not just a long-distance trail that involves traversing mountainous terrain for extended periods; it’s a ‘rural, regional, and environmental’ trail that takes you on a journey through diverse terrains, landscapes, and historical sites, repeatedly visiting both rural areas and mountains. The easily accessible circular route allows you to start your journey through northern Ibaraki Prefecture from anywhere, and you can freely plan how far you’ll walk.”
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