Il National Park Trail is a long-distance hike of 110 km, showcasing the most beautiful places of the Hoge Kempen National Park. The National Park trail holds many surprises: seven climbs, vast heaths, beautiful marshes, wide open lakes, dunes, and fragrant forests. It is one of the few hikes in the Flanders (Flemish region of Belgium) where you will not see buildings or traffic for more than 100 km.
The National Park Trail is freely accessible. You can hike the 110 km at your own pace; you decide the number of stages, direction, start, and number of kilometers. You can choose to hike the entire 110 km loop or shorter variants. The excellent trail conditions and infrastructure such as signage, rest points, and informational panels are some of the reasons it was named a Flemish park, along with the ease of access (one hour from the capital Brussels) and the landscape variety of the area.
The Hoge Kempen National Park, in the Belgian province of Limburg, is a unique natural reserve of 12,000 hectares among forests, pines, flowering heather, sandy dunes, large water bodies, and peaks offering breathtaking views. The area stretches between the municipalities of As, Bilzen, Dilsen-Stokkem, Genk, Lanaken, Maaseik, Maasmechelen, Oudsbergen, and Zutendaal and is suitable not only for hiking but also for experiences by bike, mountain bike, or horseback riding.
The National Park Trail can be hiked in 3 ways:
- By map: an exclusive topographic map of the National Park will guide you along the National Park Trail.
- Signage: The entire route is marked in two directions. Just follow these signs to complete the 110 km loop.
- GPS/GPX: with the gpx file on your hiking GPS or smartphone.
If you do not want to miss all the highlights of Hoge Kempen National Park, you need to do the entire 110 km loop / trail on foot. We recommend dividing this into 4 or 5 days. We have already prepared the ideal stages for you. Each stage starts and ends at a gate of Hoge Kempen National Park where all services are available: large parking, informational panels, restrooms, and catering. In addition to near the park gates, accommodations are always available nearby along the trail. There is something for everyone: hotels, campsites, B&Bs, holiday villages, pole camping, holiday homes, and more.
Starting route: GENK – KATTEVENNEN Station (3.8 km)
Through Molenvijver Park and the forest, you quickly reach Kattevennen, the official starting point of the National Park Trail.
You mainly hike through vast forests at the southernmost foot of the Kempen plateau. The Papendaalheide and -plas provide variety.
You walk from south to north along the edge of the Kempen plateau and experience the heath landscape and the Ziepbeek valley. On the Mechelse Heide, panoramic views and the first hills are enjoyed.
Just like the previous stage, this one runs from south to north along the edge of the Kempen plateau. It starts with three climbs and continues through the Dilser forest to Bergerven and Bosbeek.
It begins with a series of earth dunes and marshes. Then you will cross heaths and forests to the mining hills of Thorpark to enjoy beautiful panoramas.
Through the Stiemerbeek valley and the forested area, you reach Kattevennen again.
How do you plan your route?
For the route planner, we collaborate with our partner Komoot, the largest outdoor platform in Belgium and the Netherlands. To use our route planner on Komoot, you just need to create a free account. Our route planner offers a clear overview of the stages and corresponding highlights. With a simple click, you can see all services on the route: drinking water facilities and shelters, restrooms, bus stops, and all kinds of catering establishments.
Some variations
- You can reverse the route to walk in the opposite direction. (reverse order).
- You can easily lengthen or shorten the route if you wish to start/end at a different place.
- You can also cut part of the route. Make sure not to follow the marked route anymore.
