Denmark has a reputation for being flat, and Copenhagen certainly is. But within half an hour of the city by S-train there are ancient forests, rolling glacial hills and lakeside trails that will surprise anyone who thinks Zealand has nothing for trail runners. Here is where to go, and the races and clubs to know about.
Dyrehaven and Jægersborg Hegn
The closest real forest to the city, and the most beautiful. Dyrehaven, the deer park, is a former royal hunting ground just north of Copenhagen and part of the UNESCO World Heritage site of the par force hunting landscape of North Zealand. Herds of deer roam freely across open grassland and among huge, ancient oaks, and the white Hermitage hunting lodge watches over it all from its hill.
Most of the park is crossed by wide gravel roads, which are fast and easy to follow, but there are softer paths through the woods and long, gentle climbs. Our Dyrehaven and the Hermitage route (11.5 km) is the classic introduction, starting at Klampenborg station, 20 minutes from the centre on S-train line C.
To the north, Jægersborg Hegn is quieter and denser, with streams, steeper slopes and narrower paths. Combine the two on our Jægersborg Hegn and Dyrehaven long run (18.0 km), which also passes through the valleys of Ulvedalene. In early October, the 13.3 km Eremitageløbet race takes over the park.
Respect the deer, especially during the autumn rut and when calves are born in early summer, keep your distance and give way to horse riders.
Rude Skov and Geel Skov: "Danish Switzerland"
Further north, around Holte, the forests of Rude Skov and Geel Skov sit on hilly glacial terrain known locally, with a wink, as det danske Schweiz, Danish Switzerland. The climbs are short, but there are a lot of them, and the trails are rooty and twisting.
This is home ground for Søllerød Orienteringsklub, one of Denmark's largest orienteering clubs, which organises Copenhagen Exhaust Trail. The 2026 edition offered 6, 12 and 21 km courses with up to 686 metres of climbing, which is serious by Zealand standards. Holte is on the S-train network.
Hareskoven
West of the city, near Værløse and Hareskov, Store and Lille Hareskov are mixed forests with a network of paths, small lakes and gentle hills, popular with mountain bikers and trail runners. Hareskovens Triathlon Klub organises a four-race seasonal trail series here, Hareskovens Fire Årstiders Trailløb, on a 5 km forest loop run once, twice or three times. It is one of the friendliest ways to try trail racing near Copenhagen. Nearby, the lakes around Furesø offer longer lakeside trails.
Closer to home: Amager Fælled and Vestamager
You do not have to leave the city to get off tarmac. Amager Fælled, between Islands Brygge and Ørestad, is a large common of grassland, scrub, woods and wetland with soft gravel and dirt paths. It is flat, but it is the best place in central Copenhagen for easy days on soft ground, and it hosts a Saturday parkrun.
Further south, beyond Ørestad, the huge nature area of Vestamager (Kalvebod Fælled) offers open, wild terrain reclaimed from the sea, with long, exposed paths, big skies and birdlife. It is reachable from the Metro station of the same name at the southern end of the M1 line. Take the wind into account: there is no shelter.
What to wear
- Shoes: on Dyrehaven's gravel roads, road shoes are fine. On forest paths in Jægersborg Hegn, Rude Skov or Hareskoven, especially from October to April, trail shoes with decent lugs make a real difference in the mud.
- Layers: forests are calmer than the coast, but you will cool quickly on long climbs and descents. A light windproof is always worth carrying.
- Water and food: unlike the city, the forests have few kiosks and cafés. Carry water on anything over an hour.
- Light: forests get dark early in winter and are not lit. Bring a headlamp if there is any chance you will be out near dusk.
- Navigation: download the GPX file for our routes, or carry a map. Forest roads are easy to follow; smaller paths are not.
Trail etiquette
Danish forests are open to everyone, but a few rules apply. Stay on paths and roads in sensitive areas and nature reserves, close gates behind you, keep dogs on a lead where required, and give way to horse riders. Many forests are managed by the Danish Nature Agency (Naturstyrelsen), whose signs tell you where you can and cannot go. Leave nothing behind.
Clubs and groups
Several Copenhagen clubs and crews head into the forests, especially at weekends. The Copenhagen Hash House Harriers run a longer forest run on the second Sunday of each month, Søllerød Orienteringsklub offers open training sessions for all levels, and many social crews organise weekend trips to Dyrehaven. See our trail clubs for details.
Further afield
With a train ticket and a free day, the forests of North Zealand open up even more: Gribskov near Hillerød is one of the largest forests in Denmark, and the coastal paths and cliffs further afield offer real variety. Zealand will never be the Alps, but there is more than enough trail within reach of Copenhagen to keep a runner busy all year.