Germany's Best Gravel Routes
The best gravel routes and tours in Germany – these are our favorites!
The Gravel Bike – A Trend That's Here to Stay
Over the past ten years, the gravel bike has evolved in Germany from a niche product to a staple of the local cycling landscape. The mix of athletic dynamics, off-road capability, and touring comfort is exciting more and more cyclists.
With rising sales figures, a growing community, and a clear focus on experiencing nature and versatility, the gravel bike has firmly established itself in German cycling culture. Anyone who's ridden on gravel knows: the journey is the destination – and with a gravel bike, every path becomes a discovery.
The popularity of these bikes is also reflected in sales figures. In 2024, gravel bikes were listed separately for the first time by the German Bicycle Industry Association (ZIV). This shows that gravel bikes, with a 6.5 percent share of sales among individual bike categories, clearly outpace both road bikes (5 percent) and mountain bikes (3 percent). Gravel bikes simply hit the nerve of the times.
Graveling Promises Freedom
However, it's not just the technology that makes the gravel bike so attractive. It's primarily the experience it enables out of the city, into nature. Away from car traffic, gravel bikes allow you to discover new paths – whether on old railway lines, through forests, or along rivers. The freedom to spontaneously turn off and explore new routes promises a level of freedom that until now only mountain bikers could experience – though they in turn struggled on asphalt.
In a time when many people are looking for balance and deceleration, the gravel bike offers exactly the right amount of adventure and recreation. It enables athletic activity without competitive pressure, promotes mindfulness in nature, and opens new perspectives on your own surroundings.
Especially in Germany, with its dense network of forestry and service roads, the gravel bike is perfectly suited for extended tours. Regions like the Eifel, the Black Forest, or the Allgäu, but also the plains in northern German regions, offer ideal conditions – scenically attractive, low traffic, and well-developed.
New Paths Require Alternative Equipment
Anyone leaving the asphalt and heading onto forest paths or even singletrack will quickly realize that a gravel bike can't just be a road bike with wider tires. Rather, at least ideally, various bike components need to be adapted to the new requirements. Ergonomics specialist Ergon has taken on this challenge and offers solutions that provide gravel bikers with the best comfort and, above all, perfect control of their bike even in rough terrain. Ergon bar tapes, or example, tremendously dampen the pressure that hands are exposed to on the handlebars in off-road terrain. Those looking for even more relief and who love larger grip diameters on the handlebars can wrap the BT Orthocell Pad Sets under the handlebar tape. You can't get more cushioning on a drop bar.
With the SR Allroad saddles, Ergon has also developed special saddles that dampen pressure on the buttocks well in off-road terrain and allow for an extremely sporty riding style. Of course, the SR Allroad saddles – except for the SR Allroad Core – are delivered in gender-specific women's and men's saddles. This is the only way to avoid saddle problems for women and men, whose anatomy differs significantly in the pelvic and sitting area. The CF Allroad Pro Carbon seatpost is also made for gravel rides over roots and gravel.
Germany's Best Gravel Routes – Short, Longer, and Adventure Routes
Creating a list of the most beautiful gravel routes in Germany is almost impossible; there are simply too many great routes. Against this background, we can only offer a selection here, many of which we've ridden ourselves.
Day Trips and One-Day Tours
1. Berlin – Grunewald and Wannsee Loop
- Link to Komoot
- Länge: ca. 85 km
- Length: approx. 58 km
- Elevation gain: 310 m
- Highlight: Teufelsberg, Havel riverbank, Glienicke Bridge
Generally, you'll find many beautiful routes on Komoot under search terms like Grunewald, Havel, or Wannsee. Choose the one that best suits you and your needs.
2. Munich – To Lake Starnberg
- Link to Komoot
- Length: 64 km
- Elevation gain: approx. 240 m
- Highlight: Wadelsberg, Leutstetter Moos, Lake Starnberg, water wheel on the Würm in Gräfelfing, Insel Mühle beer garden
If you search for gravel loops with the keyword Munich in the Komoot navigation app, you'll discover many more beautiful routes around Bavaria's state capital.
3. Cologne – From Ehrenfeld to the Summit Cross at Glessener Höhe
- Link to Komoot
- Length: approx. 64 km
- Elevation gain: approx. 340 m
- Highlight: Cologne City Forest, Deckstein Pond, Otto-Maigler Lake, summit cross at Glessener Höhe, Königsdorf Forest
Many more beautiful gravel routes can be found around Cologne on Komoot. Some lead north toward Düsseldorf, others west into the beautiful Bergisches Land.
4. Hamburg – Green Ring Around Hamburg
- Link to Komoot
- Length: approx. 100 km
- Elevation gain: approx. 370 m
- Highlight: Ohlsdorf Cemetery, Altona People's Park, Teufelsbrück Elbe ferry, Boberg Dunes, Öjendorf Park
Of course, there are many beautiful gravel routes around the million-inhabitant city of Hamburg that you can easily find via Komoot. Anyone visiting Hamburg for the first time should definitely ridethrough the Alster valley all the way to Duvenstedt and beyond (please ride carefully and considerately, there are many pedestrians and dogs here). Nevertheless, we've chosen the so-called Green Ring here because it shows how diverse the Hanseatic city is.
5. Leipzig – Cospuden and Zwenkau Lakes with Bistumshöhe Observation Tower
- Link to Komoot
- Length: 43 km
- Elevation gain: 100 m
- Highlight: Start at Markkleeberg station in southern Leipzig, Cospuden Lake, Zwenkau Lake
Leipzig and the surrounding area also offer many beautiful gravel loops for all ages and fitness levels. The one mentioned above can easily be extended to include Störmthal Lake and MarkkleebergLake. A wonderful day on the bike with many beautiful views of the water is guaranteed. Routes can also be found in northern Leipzig that lead around Schladitz and Werbelin Lakes.
6. Kassel – Around Kassel with Buga Lake
- Link to Komoot
- Length: 45 km
- Elevation gain: 310 m
- Highlight: Beach at Buga Lake, along the Fulda, distant view of the Hercules Monument
The predominantly paved paths lead once around Kassel. If you're in the area, you should also search Komoot for gravel tours around Göttingen. Also: 50 kilometers west of Kassel lies Waldeck on the Eder Lake. Here you'll find several beautiful loops that can be ridden with a gravel bike.
7. Palatinate Forest – Between Kaiserslautern, Mannheim, and Karlsruhe
- Link to Komoot
- Length: 60-70 km
- Elevation gain: approx. 1,000 m
- Highlight: Starting point in Dahn, wooden walkway over the Königsbruch nature reserve, Palatinate Forest-Vosges du Nord Biosphere Reserve
Between Kaiserslautern, Mannheim, and Karlsruhe, there are plenty of great gravel tours. If you search for Palatinate Forest on Komoot, you'll ultimately also find routes in the mentioned cities or in Speyer or near Heidelberg. We've chosen a nature route here far from all cities. For all those who only want to see green meadows and forests and blue sky.
8. Stuttgart – Loop to Katzenbacher Hof Beer Garden
- Link to Komoot
- Length: approx. 87 km
- Elevation gain: 890 m
- Highlight: Lower Palace Garden Stuttgart, Katzenbacher Hof beer garden, New Lake, Mühlhausen steep slopes and Cannstatter Zuckerle vineyards, Rosenstein Park
Of course, there are many other beautiful gravel tours on Komoot that extend east to Welzheim or west to the northern foothills of the Black Forest.
9. Ruhr Area – From Essen-Kupferdreh to Lake Baldeney
- Link to Komoot
- Length: 49 km
- Elevation gain: 300 m
- Highlight: Lake Baldeney, Kettwig railway bridge, Kettwig Ruhr promenade, "Villa Hügel," former residence of the Krupp business family.
You might find it hard to believe, but in the middle of the Ruhr area, there are plenty of beautiful gravel routes through the countryside where you forget you're in the middle of an industrial and former mining region. The tours over the various slag heaps, on which huge works of art now stand, are also outstandingly beautiful. Here, for example, is the Five Slag Heaps Tour.
10. Franconian Switzerland – Forchheim & Egloffstein
- Link to Komoot
- Length: 156 km
- Elevation gain: approx. 2,000 m
- Highlight: Veldenstein Castle, along the Pegnitz, historic old town of Velden, Happurg Reservoir
The tour listed above can be reached by riding east along the Pegnitz and following the route north at Schwaig. From there, you can enjoy nature for hours and the good cuisine along the route. Great gravel routes can be found throughout Franconia. If you head south, you'll eventually come across Roth Lake, in whose vicinity the Challenge Roth long-distance triathlon is held annually. While the triathletes swim in the Main-Danube Canal, extreme athlete Jonas Deichmann jumped into Roth Lake itself every morning when he completed 120 Ironman-distance triathlons on 120 consecutive days during Challenge 120 in 2024 – a world record!
Popular Gravel Routes from RTI and Ergon Employees
Andreas Krause, Head of Development Ergon
Over the Köppel and Through the Brexbach Valley
"This great loop offers everything you want to ride with a gravel bike: elevation, wide forest paths, and singletracks. Challenging, but very beautiful."
- Link to Komoot
- Length: approx. 65 km
- Elevation gain: 710 m
- Highlights: Electoral Palace Koblenz, Koblenz old town, (well-deserved) food service at Köppelturm (note opening hours), Brexbach Valley, Sayn Castle
Mathias Müller, Head of PR/Text
Plaidt Evening Loop
"On my evening loop, I seek peace. This route is a wonderful mix of old railway line, gravel passages, and small, quiet roads."
- Link to Komoot
- Length: 59 km
- Elevation gain: 570 m
- Highlights: Railway line between Bassenheim and Polch, Thür meadows, cherry plantations near Kettig
Nick Willner, Sponsoring Manager
CX Palatinate Stoppelkopf and Speyer Gravel
"A classic for me is the route from Neustadt to Speyer, straight across the Rhine plain and the Orden Forest. Here you can easily ride a 50-mile loop completely on gravel. It's never busy. If you combine the route with the Speyer Gravel, you'll end up at Café Amalie in Speyer. What's special about the route is that you can stay under 650 feet of elevation gain during the entire loop. I've only experienced that in northern Germany before."
- Link to Komoot
Link to Komoot - Length: 93 km
- Elevation gain: 120 m
- Highlights: Café Amalie in Speyer
Dr. Kim Tofaute, Ergon Ergonomics Specialist
Gelbach Trail in Westerwald, Starting in Heilberscheid
"My insider tip from the Westerwald is the Gelbach Valley. The gravel path is very well paved and rather fast. You can also exit the valley at various points. That's when you must climb. Or you ride to the Lahn. And combine that with a rest stop in Weinähr."
- Link to Komoot
- Length: 31 km
- Elevation gain: 750 m
- Highlights: Bruchhausen Mill, Otto Gustav Lei viewpoint
Maxim Wenzel, Ergonomics Intern
Fichtel Lake Loop, Starting in Neubau
- Link to Komoot
- Length: 70 km
- Elevation gain: 890 m
- Highlights: Fichtel Lake, Ochsenkopf (bike park), Bayreuth Festival House, Bischofsgrün market square, many restaurants along the way (bring cash)
Ewald Haaf, Head of Online Marketing
Gravel tour through the Nahe Valley
"This gravel tour through the Nahe Valley is a nature experience right on my doorstep. The route combines diverse landscapes with idyllic river sections, wide fields, and quiet forest paths. What makes it special is the combination of athletic challenge and scenic diversity – sometimes flowy, sometimes demanding, but always with the feeling of being in the middle of nature. A perfect short vacation on two wheels."
- Link to tarmacs.app
- Length: 42 km
- Elevation gain: approx. 750 m
- Highlights: Bad Kreuznach, view from Kirchberg over the Nahe Valley, wine village of Volxheim
Sascha Weidauer, Senior Product Manager
Volcanic Lake Adventure/Lake Laach Loop
"The route leads over idyllic side roads, field, forest, and shore paths, always close to nature with great views and guaranteed riding fun – away from traffic."
- Link to Komoot
- Length: 85 km
- Elevation gain: 1,350 m
- Highlights: Lake Laach (formed 13,000 years ago), mofettes (CO2 bubbles) on the eastern shore, Maria Laach Benedictine Abbey, Lydia Tower (75-foot observation tower), Kruft Forest Lake (short swimming break)
Sascha Weidauer
Dreifelder Weiher Loop (Westerwald)
"The tour leads past lakes, picturesque fields, through shady forests, and over natural paths and small bridges. Breathtaking panoramas of the plateau and the harmonious interplay of water and landscape repeatedly open up."
- Link to Komoot
- Length: 103 km
- Elevation gain: 1,200 m
- Highlights: Beach, café, and playground at Dreifelder Lake
Sascha Weidauer
Rhine-Westerwald Gravel Challenge
"This route is pure nature for 81 kilometers. However, quite challenging."
- Link to Komoot
- Length: 81 km
- Elevation gain: 1,750 m
- Highlights: Koblenz old town, Bergstüble Kühlkopf beer garden, Köppel Tower, Köppel Hut
Guido di Carlo, Supply Chain Manager
Gravel Loop Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler
- Link to Komoot
- Length: 69 km
- Elevation gain: 980 m
- Highlights: Old town Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler, brief Rhine contact near Remagen, great view of the Rhine, the Erpeler Ley, and the Remagen Bridge
Challenging Gravel Routes from the Orbit 360 Series
Gravel bikers looking for a challenge will find their small adventure on the routes of the so-called Orbit 360 series. The Orbits were launched in 2020, when some riders in the gravel community wanted to counter the COVID-19 pandemic’s restrictions on gatherings with an event. Within a short time, a route was scouted in each of the 16 federal states. You can find these first routes on Komoot. But be careful, anyone taking on one of these routes must be clear that they demand a lot from riders. If you don'tthink you can ride for 12 to 16 hours, you should plan some of these routes with an overnight stay.
After 2020, the Orbit community scouted many more routes. The routes have generally become significantly shorter but remain very athletic. Above all, however, gravel bikers can expect wonderful routes. Our own experience shows that the route scouts put in tremendous effort to offer their community outstandingly beautiful routes. Here's the 2024 route collection, also published on Komoot.
Gravel Routes as Bikepacking Adventures
Those who haven't had enough with the sometimes very long and athletically demanding Orbit routes can let loose on one of the many beautiful bikepacking routes – multi-day tours that mostly run off-road. Here too, we can't provide a complete list, but we can present a very attractive one. We've ridden some of these ourselves.
Rennsteig Express (Thuringian Forest)
- Link to Komoot
- Length: approx. 175 km
- Elevation gain: approx. 2,800 m
- Info: Gravel roads and forest paths along the historic Rennsteig; steep and natural.
Sweet and Sauerland (Gravel, near Cologne)
- Link to Komoot
- Length: approx. 229 km
- Elevation gain: approx. 5,500 m
- Info: Remote forest and hill regions, root paths, and steep climbs; demanding.
Ruhrtal Gravel (Ruhr Area)
- Link to Komoot
- Length: approx. 290 km
- Elevation gain: approx. 3,200 m
- Info: Gravel variant of the Ruhr Valley bike path; many unpaved paths, moderate difficulty.
Rhine Valley "Wine, Rhine & Romans" (Ahr Valley, Eifel, Siebengebirge)
- Link to Komoot
- Length: approx. 270 km
- Elevation gain: approx. 5,200 m
- Info: Steep vineyard slopes, gravel and forest paths in the Ahr Valley, Eifel, Siebengebirge; varying difficulty.
Black Forest Cycle Route (Black Forest)
- Link to Komoot
- Length: approx. 426 km
- Elevation gain: approx. 8,400 m
- Info: Well-maintained forest and field paths in the Black Forest, partly gravel, partly paved; ideal for off-road beginners.
Hanse Gravel (Hamburg – Szczecin)
- Link to Komoot
- Length: approx. 615 km
- Elevation gain: approx. 2,000 m
- Info: Mix of sand, gravel, forest, and river paths; landscape open and coastal. Suitable for bikepacking beginners.
Bikepacking Trans Germany (Basel – Cape Arkona)
- Link to Komoot
- Length: approx. 1,700 km
- Elevation gain: approx. 19,000 m
- Info: Almost exclusively gravel or off-road; very demanding and long stages.
Along the Former Inner-German Border
- Link to Komoot
- Length: approx. 1,250 km
- Elevation gain: approx. 11,000 m
- Info: Approx. 40 percent historic column path (perforated plates), 30 percent asphalt, 30 percent forest/forestry roads; many short, steep climbs with sometimes over 30 percent gradient, often difficult surface due to vegetation or shifts. The route shown here does not correspond to the route of the "Grenzstein Trophy" (video). This is only given to participants of the Trophy by the organizers.
Candy B. Graveller (Frankfurt – Berlin)
- Link to Komoot
- Length: approx. 690 km
- Elevation gain: approx. 5,700 m
- Info: Trails, gravel roads, and adventurous gravel sections along the former air corridor of the Berlin Airlift.
Mainfranken Graveller
- Link to Komoot
- Length: 630 km
- Elevation gain: 8,500 m
- Info: The Mainfranken Graveller leads through the four Main-Franconian low mountain ranges – Steigerwald, Haßberge, Rhön, and Spessart – as well as through all seven districts: Würzburg, Kitzingen, Schweinfurt, Haßberge, Rhön-Grabfeld, Bad Kissingen, and Main-Spessart. Also, through the two independent cities of Schweinfurt and Würzburg.
Taunus Bikepacking
- Link to Komoot
- Length: 1,040 km
Elevation gain: 21,000 m
Info: Tough bikepacking adventure crisscrossing through the Taunus. The elevation gain speaks volumes.
Eifel Graveller
- Link to Komoot
- Length: 870 km
- Elevation gain: 15,000 m
- Info: The Eifel Graveller is a demanding bikepacking adventure. Similar to Taunus Bikepacking, you should be hill-proof here. The route leads past reservoirs and observation towers, as well as the famous Nürburgring race track.
Hackenpedder (Schleswig-Holstein)
- Link to Komoot
- Length: 1,100 km
- Elevation gain: 4,700 m
- Info: The diverse Hackenpedder route essentially loops around Schleswig-Holstein. Here you'll find wonderful nature along moors, dikes, and cliffs, as well as through extensive forests.
Transcimbrica (Hamburg – Skagen – Hamburg)
- Link to Komoot
- Length: 1,361 km
- Elevation gain: approx. 5,400 m
- Info: Bikepacking route to the far north. After Skagen, it goes through inland Denmark; the return route follows the west coast. Careful, Denmark is not flat. The route is wonderful, offering everything from epic nature to lonely forests and lakes as well as beautiful cities. Note: In Denmark, there are countless so-called shelters – small wooden huts or shelters where you're allowed to set up camp.
As mentioned above, listing all tours and routes within Germany is virtually impossible at this point. However, we think we can offer you a pretty nice collection here, from short evening loops to day tours to real bikepacking adventures that can last from several days to two weeks.