People are getting ready to tie up their laces and embark on their first spring hike of the year, with searches for “hiking boots” (+300%) and “hiking backpack” (+90%) surging over the past month.
To help hikers find the postcard-perfect location for their next adventure, the experts at TouchNote have analyzed AllTrails data to determine which countries have the best-looking hiking trails in the world to fill your camera roll with, as well as which specific trails are the top ‘hidden gems’ for 2026.
These countries have the best hiking trails in the world, study reveals
|
Country |
Average rating (/5) |
Average number of reviews per trail |
Average length (m) |
Average difficulty (/5) |
Beauty score (/10) |
|
Canada |
4.73 |
4,416 |
5,955 |
3.8 |
10.00 |
|
Switzerland |
4.77 |
749 |
9,463 |
4.4 |
9.79 |
|
Italy |
4.77 |
1780 |
9,720 |
3.8 |
8.92 |
|
US |
4.86 |
21,999 |
8,948 |
4.6 |
8.41 |
|
Norway |
4.68 |
498 |
7,033 |
4.4 |
7.43 |
|
France |
4.73 |
760 |
13,293 |
4.2 |
6.02 |
|
New Zealand |
4.68 |
1,148 |
8,401 |
3.4 |
5.70 |
|
Scotland |
4.71 |
1,324 |
9,559 |
4.2 |
5.62 |
|
Wales |
4.71 |
1,691 |
10,670 |
4.6 |
5.21 |
Note: This data is based on the top 10 rated hiking trails in each country.
Canada has been crowned 2026’s most breathtaking country for hiking trails, with a perfect beauty score of 10/10, making them the most photogenic of them all. TouchNote’s recent study shows that hikers give Canadian trails an average rating of 4.73/5, with each trail receiving thousands of reviews (4,416 on average). Canadian trails are the shortest in the top 10 at just under 6,000m on average, with a medium difficulty (3.8/5), providing the world’s most standout hikes with accessibility at the heart of adventure.
Swiss and Italian postcard-perfect trails follow with identical hiker ratings (4.77/5), but the Swiss landscape narrowly takes the lead with a beauty score of 9.79/10. Both European countries offer longer hikes on average (over 9,000m) than Canada, with Switzerland especially pushing hikers to their limits with an average difficulty score of 4.4/5.
The US takes fourth place in the study with a beauty score of 8.41/10. With by far the largest volume of reviews (21,999), American hiking trails are consistently rated highly (4.86/5 on average), and have the toughest trails so far among the top countries (4.6/5).
Craig Law, Head of Marketing at TouchNote, discusses the findings:
“Over the past twelve months, searches for “best places to visit in Canada” have soared by more than 5,000%, highlighting the True North as one of the world’s most sought-after travel destinations all year long. What’s more, Canada not only claims the top spot for the world’s best hikes, but also ranks among the most photographed and memorialized by travelers eager to make their friends jealous with their postcard worthy holiday snaps.”
Hiking hidden gems: Switzerland leads for underrated adventures
|
Country |
Trail |
Average rating (/5) |
Average number of reviews per trail |
Average difficulty (1-7)* |
Beauty score (/10) |
|
Switzerland |
Oeschinensee – Oberbärgli – Abweid – Läger |
4.9 |
397 |
5 |
10.00 |
|
Switzerland |
Oeschinensee via Kandersteg – Öschibach |
4.8 |
386 |
3 |
9.99 |
|
Italy |
Torre di Toblin via Tre Cime di Lavaredo |
4.8 |
263 |
5 |
9.39 |
|
Switzerland |
Hörnli Trail: Schwarzsee – Hörnli Refuge |
4.9 |
487 |
7 |
9.17 |
|
Italy |
Rifugio Cristallo – Lake Sorapis Loop |
4.6 |
368 |
5 |
8.58 |
|
Switzerland |
Oeschinensee Lake – Underbärgli – Oberbärgli |
4.8 |
167 |
5 |
8.41 |
|
Switzerland |
Zermatt – Zmutt Dam – Furi |
4.6 |
391 |
3 |
8.38 |
|
Norway |
Volandstinden |
4.6 |
258 |
5 |
8.37 |
|
Norway |
Måtinden from Bauktuva |
4.7 |
366 |
5 |
7.83 |
|
Switzerland |
Rigi Kaltbad – Rigi Kulm |
4.6 |
290 |
5 |
7.82 |
*Scale of 1-7, where 1 = easiest and 7 = hardest, is used for individual hiking trails.
Note: Hidden gems are defined as trails with beauty scores above the 80th percentile and the number of reviews below the 30th percentile.
Despite Switzerland losing first place to Canada for the world’s most scenic hikes, the mountainous nation counts the most trails considered ‘hiking hidden gems’ than any other country. Three of the most underrated hikes in the world take place in the Swiss Oeschinensee region, all of which showcase different breathtaking sights along the way to the lake of the same name.
Both Italy and Norway have two hiking hidden gems in the world’s top 10. From the legendary Via Ferrata Torre di Toblin in the Italian Alps to the more accessible hikes in Lofoten, these hidden gems offer an adventure for every hiking level.
