You do not need a ticket to stand on a summit in Lofoten, walk the Wicklow Way in Ireland or hike in Finland’s national parks. Here are 25 countries with free hiking, plus the exceptions to know in 2026: new fees on Madeira, Teide and in US national parks, parking, and trails you must book in advance.
In short
Most freedom to roam: Norway, Sweden, Finland and Scotland. The law lets you walk almost anywhere in the countryside.
Free national parks: all 41 national parks in Finland.
New in 2026: Madeira charges €4.50 per trail, the summit of Teide costs €15, and 11 US national parks charge foreign visitors an extra $100.
What often costs money: parking, transport to the trailhead, cable cars and accommodation.
Important in winter: the high trails in the High Tatras close on 1 November, and the Samaria Gorge on Crete is only open from May to October.
Country | Why it is free | What may cost |
|---|---|---|
Norway | Right to roam, free access to the countryside | Parking at popular trailheads |
Sweden | Right to roam | Mountain lodges and huts |
Finland | Right to roam and free national parks | Little, apart from transport |
Iceland | No entry fee for most hiking areas | Parking, around €7 per car |
Scotland | Right of responsible access | Parking, camping permit at Loch Lomond |
England | Public footpaths and open access land | Parking |
Wales | Public footpaths and the Wales Coast Path | Parking |
Ireland | Waymarked long-distance trails | Parking |
Switzerland | Waymarked trails | Cable cars and trains |
Austria | Waymarked trails | Cable cars, toll roads |
Germany | Waymarked hiking routes | Little |
France | GR trails and waymarked routes | Parking in popular valleys |
Italy | Mountain trails in the Dolomites | Tre Cime road €40 per car |
Slovenia | Trails in the Julian Alps | Vintgar Gorge €15 |
Spain | Most waymarked trails | Teide summit €15, Caminito del Rey €10 |
Portugal | Coastal trails on the mainland | Madeira €4.50 per trail |
Greece | Many mountain and coastal trails | Samaria Gorge €10 |
Czech Republic | Waymarked trails | Some attractions |
Slovakia | Waymarked trails | Little, but peaks close seasonally |
Georgia | Most mountain hikes | Transport to mountain villages |
Japan | Most hiking trails | Fuji ¥4,000 (around €23) |
New Zealand | Many day hikes | Great Walks, planned fee for foreigners |
USA | National forests | Extra $100 in 11 national parks |
Canada | Local and regional trails | Banff around CA$12 per day |
Turkey | Lycian Way | Ruins and archaeological sites |
There is a big difference between countries where you can roam freely and countries where you have to stay on the trails.
In Norway, Sweden, Finland and Scotland, the law lets you walk almost anywhere in the countryside, including on private land, as long as you show consideration. In most other countries on the list, the trails are free, but you have less freedom off them. Wild camping is often banned, for example in the nature parks of the Dolomites.
The hike itself is free, but the trip rarely is. Expect to pay for transport, parking, cable cars and accommodation. Always check local rules, seasonal closures and the weather before you go. To keep the rest of your travel budget down, see our list of the cheapest countries to vacation in 2026.
The view from Reinebringen in Lofoten. Photo by Jérémie Crémer on Unsplash
Few countries give you as much freedom in nature as Norway. The right to roam (allemannsretten) applies to Norwegians and visitors alike, and you can hike, camp and pick berries in the countryside as long as you respect nature, wildlife and other people.
Lofoten has mountains rising straight out of the sea. Jotunheimen has the country’s highest peaks, and Western Norway has waterfalls, fjords and some of Europe’s most famous viewpoints. Besseggen and the trails around Geiranger cost nothing to hike. Heading north this winter? Read more in our guide to Tromsø in winter.
Places to explore: Lofoten, Jotunheimen, Rondane, Hardangervidda and Geiranger.
What may cost: Parking at the most popular trailheads.
Good for: Anyone who wants maximum freedom, including to camp.
Sweden has forests, lakes and open mountain plateaus, and the right to roam gives you plenty of freedom here too. Kungsleden runs through mountains and valleys in Lapland, where you can experience the midnight sun in summer. Further south, thousands of kilometres of forest and calm lakes await.
Places to explore: Abisko, Kungsleden, Sarek, Höga Kusten and Fulufjället.
What may cost: Mountain lodges and huts along the long routes.
Good for: Multi-day wilderness hikes.
In Finland, the nature experience is often about the silence. The right to roam covers around 85 percent of the country, and all 41 national parks are free to enter. Many also have lean-to shelters and campfire sites that anyone can use.
In the national parks you can walk freely, but camping is usually only allowed at designated sites.
Places to explore: Pallas-Yllästunturi, Nuuksio, Oulanka, Urho Kekkonen and Repovesi.
What may cost: Almost nothing apart from transport. Nuuksio is just outside Helsinki. Good for: Quiet hikes, in winter too.
Kirkjufell and Kirkjufellsfoss on the Snæfellsnes peninsula. Photo by Robert Bye on Unsplash
Iceland’s landscape is shaped by volcanoes, lava, glaciers and hot springs. Landmannalaugar has mountains in red, yellow, green and orange, and in Reykjadalur steam rises from the river.
Most hiking areas have no entry fee, but almost all the popular sites charge for parking. At Þingvellir and Skaftafell it costs 1,000 Icelandic krónur for a regular car, around €7, and you usually pay in the Parka app or on site. If you are going to Landmannalaugar in summer, you must book parking in advance.
Places to explore: Landmannalaugar, Skaftafell, Reykjadalur and Þingvellir.
What may cost: Parking, around €5–8 per site.
Good for: Anyone who wants landscapes you will not find anywhere else.
Scotland has one of Europe’s most generous access rights. You can walk across most of the country and camp in the wild, as long as you follow the rules for responsible access. At Loch Lomond, however, you need a permit to camp in certain areas in summer.
Glencoe has some of the country’s most dramatic mountains, and on the Isle of Skye you can walk along cliffs and old paths.
Places to explore: Glencoe, Isle of Skye, Cairngorms, Ben Nevis and Loch Lomond.
What may cost: Parking, and a camping permit at Loch Lomond.
Good for: Anyone who wants to camp in the mountains outside the Nordics.
England has a dense network of public footpaths across green hills, along the coast and between small villages. The Lake District has fells and lakes, the Yorkshire Dales have old dry-stone walls, and the coastal paths in Cornwall have sea views.
The paths are free, but the right to walk off them is more limited than in the Nordics.
Places to explore: Lake District, Peak District, Yorkshire Dales, South Downs and Cornwall.
What may cost: Parking at popular trailheads.
Good for: Village-to-village walks with a pub along the way.
Eryri, also known as Snowdonia, is the most popular hiking area in Wales. Here the trails run between peaks, valleys and lakes. The Wales Coast Path follows the entire coastline, and you can walk as little or as much of it as you like.
Places to explore: Eryri, Bannau Brycheiniog, Pembrokeshire Coast and the Gower Peninsula.
What may cost: Parking.
Good for: Coast and mountains on the same trip.
The Wicklow Way is one of Ireland’s best-known long-distance trails. It is free to walk and takes you through forest, mountains and open countryside south of Dublin. Along the west coast you will find hikes with views of the Atlantic.
Places to explore: Wicklow Mountains, Dingle Peninsula, Connemara and the Kerry Way.
What may cost: Parking and accommodation along the routes.
Good for: Anyone who wants to start the hike straight from a big city.
Switzerland is expensive, but the mountains are free. The country has a large network of waymarked trails through alpine valleys and meadows. Around Lauterbrunnen you walk between waterfalls and small mountain villages, and from the trails near Zermatt you can see the Matterhorn.
Places to explore: Lauterbrunnen, Grindelwald, Zermatt, Engadin and Appenzell.
What may cost: Cable cars and trains to the trailheads, often more than the accommodation itself.
Good for: Anyone who wants the Alps at their best and plans transport well.
When the snow melts, the Austrian Alps turn into green meadows and clear lakes. Many trails pass mountain huts where you can eat along the way. Access rules vary between regions.
Places to explore: Salzkammergut, Tyrol, Zell am See, Hohe Tauern and Ötztal.
What may cost: Cable cars and tolls on some mountain roads.
Good for: Hikes with a break at a mountain hut.
Germany is not the first country many people think of for a nature holiday, but its waymarked hiking routes are many and free. The Black Forest has deep woods, Bavaria has mountains, and Saxon Switzerland has sandstone cliffs.
Places to explore: Black Forest, Berchtesgadener Land, Harz, Saxon Switzerland and the Moselle Valley.
What may cost: Little beyond transport and accommodation.
Good for: Hikes that are easy to reach by train.
France has the famous GR network of waymarked long-distance trails. In the Alps you hike among dramatic mountains, Provence has hills and villages, and along the coast you will find paths overlooking the Mediterranean and the Atlantic. Some natural areas have their own rules.
Places to explore: Chamonix Valley, the Pyrenees, Brittany, Provence and the GR trails.
What may cost: Parking and cable cars in the most popular valleys.
Good for: Both day hikes and routes lasting several weeks.
A mountain trail in the Dolomites in summer. Photo by Hikerwise.com on Unsplash
The Dolomites have dramatic limestone mountains, green valleys and lakes, and most of the mountain trails are free. But the best-known spots now have stricter rules.
If you drive up to Tre Cime di Lavaredo, you must book in advance. In 2026 the toll road and parking cost €40 per car. The bus from Misurina is a cheaper option. On Seceda, private landowners have set up a turnstile charging €5 to walk along the most famous ridge. The Val Gardena tourist office says the payment is not mandatory and recommends a slightly longer route around it.
Places to explore: Val Gardena, Alpe di Siusi, Cortina d'Ampezzo, Val di Funes and Tre Cime.
What may cost: €40 for the Tre Cime road by car, and the Seceda cable car costs €74 return.
Good for: Anyone who wants some of Europe’s most beautiful mountains and plans ahead.
Slovenia packs turquoise rivers, lakes and the Julian Alps into a small area. Around Bohinj and in the Soča Valley you can hike for free for hours.
The Vintgar Gorge near Bled, on the other hand, is a paid attraction. Tickets cost €15 for adults, must be booked in advance with a fixed entry time, and the gorge is only open from spring until the end of October.
Places to explore: Soča Valley, Bohinj, the Julian Alps, Logarska Dolina and the area around Bled.
What may cost: Vintgar Gorge and some waterfalls, such as Savica.
Good for: An active long weekend with short distances between everything.
The Czech Republic surprises with sandstone formations, forests and river valleys. The Krkonoše mountains are popular with hikers, and Bohemian Switzerland has dramatic rock formations. The waymarked trails are free.
Places to explore: Krkonoše, Bohemian Switzerland, Šumava and Bohemian Paradise.
What may cost: Some attractions and viewpoints.
Good for: An affordable trip a short journey from Prague.
The High Tatras have peaks, clear lakes and more than 600 kilometres of trails, and the waymarked trails are free. Note that the trails to the summits and passes close on 1 November. The reopening date has moved from 15 June to 31 May, but several sources still give the old date, so check before a late-spring trip. Lower trails, such as the one to the Skok waterfall, are open all year.
Places to explore: High Tatras, Low Tatras, Slovak Paradise and Malá Fatra.
What may cost: Little. The season is the main limitation.
Good for: Summer and autumn, when the peaks are open.
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Spain has snow-capped mountains, green valleys, volcanic landscapes and coastal paths. The Picos de Europa and the Pyrenees have large networks of free trails.
Some of the best-known hikes, however, require both booking and payment. Since January 2026, visitors who do not live on Tenerife pay €15 to hike the final trail to the summit of Teide during the day. The trail from Montaña Blanca costs €6 on weekdays and €10 at weekends. Caminito del Rey in Andalusia costs €10 and often sells out well in advance. Masca Gorge on Tenerife also requires advance booking.
Places to explore: Picos de Europa, the Pyrenees, Sierra Nevada, Tenerife and La Palma.
What may cost: Teide summit €15, Caminito del Rey €10.
Good for: Winter hiking, especially in the Canary Islands.
The Rota Vicentina in south-west Portugal runs over cliffs, through small villages and along beaches, and most of the routes are free. In the north, Peneda-Gerês and Serra da Estrela have mountains and nature trails far from the tourists.
Madeira, on the other hand, introduced booking and a fee on all its classified hiking trails from 1 January 2026. One trail costs €4.50, and several trails on the same day cost €9. The famous route between Pico do Areeiro and Pico Ruivo (PR1) costs €10.50. You book a time slot on the SIMplifica portal, and hiking without a valid booking can get you fined.
Places to explore: Rota Vicentina, Costa Vicentina, Serra da Estrela and Peneda-Gerês.
What may cost: Madeira €4.50 per trail, PR1 €10.50.
Good for: Coastal hikes for much of the year.
Greece has mountains, olive groves and old paths between villages. Olympus and Zagori have great mountain hikes, and many of the islands have coastal paths.
The most famous hike, the Samaria Gorge on Crete, is not free. Tickets cost €10 for adults, and the gorge is only open from May to October, weather permitting.
Places to explore: Olympus, Zagori, Pelion, Naxos and the mountains of Crete.
What may cost: Samaria Gorge €10, plus the boat back from Agia Roumeli.
Good for: Hiking and swimming on the same day.
The Lycian Way follows parts of the southern coast with views of the Mediterranean, and you can walk large sections of the route for free. The Kaçkar Mountains in the north-east offer real high mountains.
Places to explore: Lycian Way, Kaçkar Mountains, Cappadocia and the mountains around Antalya.
What may cost: Ruins and archaeological sites along the route.
Good for: Hikes where history and nature go hand in hand.
Georgia has dramatic mountain ranges, green valleys and small villages that still feel untouched. From Kazbegi you can see the Caucasus mountains, and Svaneti is known for its old stone towers. Most mountain hikes have no entry fee.
Places to explore: Kazbegi, Mestia, Svaneti, Juta and Borjomi.
What may cost: Transport to the mountain villages, but prices are low.
Good for: Anyone who wants spectacular mountains before the rest of the world discovers them.
Hikers on their way up Mount Fuji, where you must book and pay in advance. Photo by Ryan on Unsplash
Beyond its big cities, Japan has dense forests, volcanoes and pilgrimage trails that have been walked for more than a thousand years. The Kumano Kodo and the trails in Kamikochi are free, and the Japanese Alps have dramatic mountains.
Mount Fuji is the exception. Everyone who climbs must pay ¥4,000, around €23, and book in advance. The season is short, usually from 1 July to 10 September, and climbing outside the season is prohibited.
Places to explore: Kamikochi, Kumano Kodo, Nikko and the Japanese Alps.
What may cost: Fuji ¥4,000, plus a mountain hut if you stay overnight.
Good for: Anyone who wants to combine city and nature on the same trip.
New Zealand has snow-capped mountains, lakes and forests that look like something from a fantasy film. Many day hikes are free, including in Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park.
That may change. The government has proposed charging foreign visitors at four of the most popular sites: Aoraki/Mount Cook, the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, Milford Sound and Cathedral Cove. The proposal is NZ$20–40, around €10–20, but the fee is not yet in force. Accommodation on the popular multi-day Great Walks is already expensive for international visitors.
Places to explore: Aoraki/Mount Cook, Mount Aspiring, Wanaka, Queenstown and Abel Tasman.
What may cost: Huts on the Great Walks, and probably a new fee at four sites.
Good for: A long trip with lots of day hikes.
The USA has some of the world’s most famous national parks, but they are not free. Since 1 January 2026, foreign visitors aged 16 and over pay an extra $100 per person at the 11 most visited parks, including Yosemite, Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon and Zion. This comes on top of the regular entrance fee, which is often $35 per vehicle. If you are visiting several of these parks, the $250 annual pass for international visitors pays off.
The large national forests are a good alternative. There you will find mountains, forests, waterfalls and lakes, and many trails require no ticket.
Places to explore: National forests in Colorado, Washington, Oregon, North Carolina and Vermont.
What may cost: An extra $100 at the most visited national parks, and parking in some national forests.
Good for: Anyone who wants American wilderness without the big park prices.
Canada has vast forests, mountain ranges and turquoise lakes. Outside the national parks you will find many free trails in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Nova Scotia.
In the national parks you pay an entrance fee. In Banff a day costs CA$12.25 for adults, around €7.50, while children and young people under 18 enter free. The annual Discovery Pass costs CA$83.50. In summer 2026 entry was free for everyone, but that scheme ended on 7 September.
Places to explore: Free trails in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Nova Scotia.
What may cost: Entry to Banff, Jasper and other national parks.
Good for: A road trip combining free trails with a few days in a national park.
Planning the route in the Karkonosze mountains, on the border between Poland and the Czech Republic. Photo by Michał Parzuchowski on Unsplash
Check the season. Many mountain trails close in winter, and some gorges are only open in summer.
Check whether you need to book. Madeira, Teide, Fuji, Vintgar and Tre Cime require advance booking.
Budget for parking. In Iceland, in the Dolomites and at many popular trailheads, parking is what costs money.
Use public transport where it exists. The bus to Tre Cime is cheaper than the toll road.
Know the camping rules. Wild camping is common in the Nordics and Scotland, but banned in many places in the Alps.
Stay on the trail. Several fees have been introduced because tourists have damaged nature by walking off the trails.
Looking for more places full of nature? See 12 destinations for 2027.
Going with a group? Read our guide to planning a group trip without chaos. Travelling solo? You will find tips in our guide to travelling alone.
Save the trails, viewpoints and car parks you want to use, and add them to your day-by-day itinerary. Keep flights, accommodation and tickets for Fuji, Teide or Vintgar in one place. Travelling with others? Invite the rest of the group so everyone sees the same plan.
Finland has free entry to all 41 national parks. In Norway, Sweden and Iceland the national parks have no entry fee either, but in Iceland parking at the popular sites costs around €7. The USA and Canada charge entry at most national parks.
The right to roam gives everyone the right to move through nature regardless of who owns the land, as long as you cause no damage. It applies in Norway, Sweden and Finland, and Scotland has a similar right. In these countries you can usually also camp for one night in the countryside.
Some examples: Madeira charges €4.50 per trail (€10.50 for PR1), the summit of Teide costs €15, the Samaria Gorge €10, the Vintgar Gorge €15 and Mount Fuji ¥4,000. In the USA, foreign visitors pay an extra $100 at the 11 most visited national parks.
The Canary Islands, Madeira and the coastal paths of Portugal and Spain have mild weather all winter. In the Nordics you can ski or snowshoe in free national parks. Avoid the high trails in the High Tatras, which close on 1 November.
In Norway, Sweden, Finland and Scotland you can usually camp in the countryside, with some local exceptions. In many other countries, including the nature parks of the Dolomites, camping outside campsites is prohibited. Always check the local rules.
No, most of the large national parks charge an entrance fee. Since 2026, foreign visitors aged 16 and over also pay an extra $100 per person at the 11 most visited parks. The national forests have many trails without a ticket.
Cover photo: Photo by Richard Hatleskog on Unsplash
Collect the places that inspire you, build a day-by-day itinerary and keep every ticket, booking and note in one place.
Free to start. Save the places from this article to a trip, plan your days and share the trip with your travel companions.
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