Top Ten Hikes That Don't Require a Tent

Hiking doesn't always have to mean roughing it; especially if you're looking to bring a significant other or friend along who isn't down sleeping on the ground. Here is a list (in no particular order) of some of our favorite hikes that can be done without ever having to spend a single night in a tent.

1) West Highland Way - Scotland

The West Highland Way is a 96 mile (154 km) hiking route in Scotland that extends from Milngavie, just north of Glasglow, to Fort William in the Scottish Highlands. The path follows many ancient military and coach roads as it makes its way north, passing through multiple towns and villages.

Walkers can enjoy a true wilderness experience while being able to avoid sleeping in a tent by taking advantage of the numerous hotels, eating delicious home-cooked meals at B&Bs, or enjoying a cozy room in a tiny inn.

Camping is an option too, if you’re into that. True adventure seekers can try to summit Ben Nevis, the UK’s highest peak, once they reach Fort William. In optimal weather, the hike to the peak can be done as an out-and-back in a single day.

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2) Tour du Mont Blanc - France, Italy, & Switzerland

One of the most popular hikes in the world, the Tour Du Mont Blanc (TMB) is a roughly 110 mile (170 km) trail that crosses through France, Italy, and Switzerland as it circumnavigates the Mont Blanc massif in the Alps.

Typically walked in a counter-clockwise direction, it passes through seven different valleys providing some of the most scenic views in the world. Usually, most people start their trip in Les Houches (France), but Les Contamines (France), Courmayeur (Italy), and Champex (Switzerland) are also popular starting destinations. The majority of hikers complete the entire route in approximately 11 days.

Like most trails, the TMB’s official route has changed over the years, creating multiple alternates, or “variants” for hikers to choose from. Some of the alternative routes require greater fitness and skill while providing a greater sense of adventure. Other alternatives are shorter, less demanding, and easier to complete but can come at the cost of having fewer viewpoints.

One of the most alluring aspects of the TMB is the plentiful options for accommodations along the route. Each day you will usually pass multiple options for food and lodging allowing hikers to break their trips up into manageable sections that suit the fitness level and pace.

Walkers can take advantage of refuges (called rifugios in Italy) along the entire route. Refuges are essentially rustic mountain hostels along the route which, most of which, still have their supplies brought in by pack mules each day. Each one is unique unto itself and they present themselves in various forms from separate bedrooms, to large mixed-sex dormitories, to super cozy alpine bunkhouses.

Refuges typically include some kind of meal (half-board/full-board) and you can even stop for lunch at some of the ones along your route. You’ll also have the chance to take a shower before dinner but be forewarned that hot water availability may be limited.

Limited camping, or bivouacking as it’s called in much of Europe, is also available for those looking to rough it a bit. Mixing tent camping with the refuges is a great option for hikers used to sleeping in their tents.

Even though there are a ton of available lodging options along the trail, its popularity can make it hard to book an entire tour, even if you book it in advance. It is recommended that you start trying to book as early as you can; especially if you have a large group.

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3) "W" Circuit - Patagonia / Chile

One of the most spectacular hikes in the world, the W Circuit in Chilean Patagonia’s Torres del Paine National Park is an awe inspiring 43 mile (69 km) trek that takes you through Los Cuernos Mountains, past the stunning Grey Glacier, through the wild Francés valley, dense forests, and climbs to breathtaking viewpoints like Las Torres themselves.

The W Circuit is certainly a choose your own adventure affair, with multiple options for accommodations. From shared mountain refugios (hostels) to private rooms, the W Circuit lets hikers pamper themselves at day's end with the luxury of a comfy bed, a hot shower, and warm meals.

Limited camping options are available for the more adventurous but look out for that wind.

4) Hadrian's Wall Path - United Kingdom

Hadrian's Wall Path is a 84 mile (135 km) designated English National Trail closely following along the remains of Hadrian's Wall, a defensive wall which was built by the Romans to protect the border along the northern edge of their empire. The wall is recognised as a collective part of the UNESCO "Frontiers of the Roman Empire" World Heritage Site.

Beginning in Wallsend on the east coast and ending in Bowness-on-Solway on the west coast, Hadrian’s Wall Path is typically broken into six, reasonably staggered, walking stages that are routinely hiked from east to west to help protect against the prevailing wind.

The close proximity to cities and villages allows many walkers to book BnB accommodations in each city allowing to make the journey without needing to ever sleep in a tent. Multiple services exist which will handle all the logistics for such a hike, including door to door delivery of your luggage.

Walkers can stamp their National Trail's Walkers' Passport at the Roman fort and Museum of Segedunum which sets the perfect historical stage for a trail that will wind them past multiple Roman forts, the impressive earthwork of the Vallum, and the ancient wall itself.

The trail is well signposted and the difficulty is relatively easy with some occasional mud and very little elevation gain. The path is fairly mellow and, more or less, flat of much of its length with a high point of only 1130 ft (345 m.)

While the path does run through sections of remote countryside, there are areas that venture through suburbs and cities like Newcastle and Carlisle. As such, you’ll never be too far from civilization or other walkers, particularly in the summer months when traffic along the trail is at its highest.

The short distance and relative ease of the trail coupled with ample lodging opportunities makes Hadrian’s Wall Path a great option for people looking for a long distance hike that doesn’t require bringing a lot of gear or a high level of physical exertion.

5) GR 20 - Corsica / France

The GR 20 is a 112 mile (180 km) footpath that runs north to south along the spine of the island of Corsica in the Mediterranean sea. Widely considered the most difficult of the official GR footpaths, it is also routinely considered one of top trails in the world due to its challenging terrain and beautiful scenery.

While clearly waymarked throughout and easy to follow, the route features almost 40,000 ft (12,000 m) of elevation gain, classifying the GR20 as an advanced trail and one that most certainly is not for the faint of heart. A high level of physical fitness is encouraged for those looking to take on this challenging trek.

Between 10,000 and 20,000 hikers take on the GR20 each year with an average completion time of around 15 days. Most walkers begin in the north which, due to its steep and rocky terrain, is considered a difficult stretch; particularly when they have yet to get their trail legs under them.

The southern section is less strenuous and is generally thought to be easier but the lower altitude of the trail makes it susceptible to higher summer temperatures in summer which can result in more challenging hiking conditions due to the heat.

A train station in Vizzavona helps divide the trail in half making it an easily accessible access point for hikers looking to divide the route in half.

Along the entirety of the trail hikers will find gîtes and "refuges," that equate to rustic mountain hostels, which allow walkers to break up their days and help eliminate the need to sleep in a tent.

For those looking to tent camp, it is permitted near the refuges but pitching tents along the trail is not permitted.

6) Camino de Santiago - Spain / France / Portugal

The Camino de Santiago (known in English as the Way of St James) is an ancient network of paths and routes used for over a thousand years to lead pilgrims to the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Spain; where tradition suggests that the remains of the apostle St James are buried.

Pilgrims visiting the shrine at Santiago de Compostela date back to the 9th century with early pilgrims from nearby villages and cities traveling several days, primarily by foot, to reach Santiago. By the Middle Ages, the route was experiencing heavy traffic, however, the plague, religious turmoil, and political unrest led to a decline in pilgrims by the end of the 16th century.

While the common belief is that pilgrimages continued uninterrupted, by the 1980’s only a few hundred pilgrims registered in the pilgrims office in Santiago leading to the Spanish government to begin promoting the pilgrimage as both a religious and sport based activity.

Since then, popularity has soared and now each year hundreds of thousands of pilgrims and hikers set out from their homes, or some of the more popular starting locations and slowly make their way to Santiago de Compostela.

Some travel by bike, others, in true medieval fashion, by horseback or donkey, but most pilgrims still travel the old fashioned way; by foot. While many are seeking to gain a spiritual experience, others are simply enjoying the community aspect and physical activity.

There has never been an “official” route as a traditional pilgrimage begins at one’s home and ends when they arrive at the pilgrimage site. However, there are some main routes, like the Camino Frances (the most popular), Camino del Norte, Camino Primitivo, and that can be traced back to the first Camino “guide book” called the Codex Calixtinus which was published in 1140.

Most common itineraries follow an ancient Roman trade route, which continues past Santiago and ends on the Atlantic coast at Cape Finisterre which was thought to be the end of the world. Many pilgrims hike to this location after reaching Santiago where they traditionally would burn their pilgrims clothes.

The main routes are readily marked by a yellow scalloped shell on a blue square. The shell is a nod to the variety often found on the shores of Galicia and has become synonymous with the Camino and they are often worn by the pilgrims themselves.

Pilgrims carry a “pilgrim’s passport” called the credencial. It is customary to have your credencial stamped with the official St James stamp for each refugio, restaurant, etc. The passport is then provided to the Pilgrim’s Office in Santiago as proof that you completed the pilgrimage. Pilgrims who have hiked a minimum of 62 miles (100 km) are eligible to receive a completion certificate called a Compostela.

The major routes pass through many small towns and villages and provide ample opportunity for accommodations. Pilgrims can even stay in monasteries along the route. Hotels and refugios are abundant but can become tough to book during the busy season. Multiple services exist which will handle all the logistics for the Camino, including door to door delivery of your luggage.

The very nature of the trail lends itself to never having to sleep in a shelter which is logistically much harder to do considering the lack of campgrounds and public wild space along the routes.

7) Alta Via 1 - Italy

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